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Charles F. Mullen

Challenges and Opportunities in Optometry and Optometric Education

Potential Factors Contributing to a Decade of No Growth in the Optometry Student Applicant Pool

Image of the Profession

  • While the University of Chicago’s NORC surveys indicate optometry is considered a high prestige profession, the increased visibility of Retail Optometry is projecting an image different from potential applicants’ expectations of what it means to be a “doctor.”
  • Association with the selling of eyeglasses: Is an optometrist a health care provider or a merchant?
  • While the applicant pool has not increased in 10 years, less qualified matriculants have increased thereby diluting the quality of the optometric workforce.
  • New schools of optometry exacerbate the situation of less qualified matriculants.

See: An Analysis of the Optometric Applicant Pool Relative to Matriculants

Income to Debt Ratio

  • A high percentage of income is required to pay educational debt: 15% of income is the highest of all health care professions.
  • Starting income is relativity low when loan payments are considered.
  • Income growth accrues primarily to private practice owners. Retail optometrists’ and employed optometrists’ income remains effectively level throughout their careers.
  • The magnitude of debt takes years to repay.

Oversupply of Optometrists

  • Lewin Survey Finds Large Optometry Surpluses

Education

  • Concern education is too long and too costly for return on investment?
  • No Federal support for costly optometric clinical training.

Optometric Practice

  • Paradoxical Evolution of Optometry.
  • When scope of practice does increase additional education/clinical training is required.
  • No profession-wide recognized Specialty Certification Boards. The public considers Board Certification as the “Gold Standard” for quality practitioners. See: Optometry Specialty Certification Boards Provide a Uniform Indicator of Advanced Knowledge and Skills.

Recommendation

The first step in solving any problem is to honestly identify the cause or causes. Once the causes are identified then the task of implementing corrective measures should commence.

June 17, 2022 by Charles F. Mullen

Signature Papers

  • Optometry Specialty Certification Boards Provide a Uniform Indicator of Advanced Knowledge and Skills
  • A New Paradigm for Optometry
  • Optometric Education in Crisis
  • Opportunities Lost – Opportunities Regained
  • Mergers and Consolidations of Optometry Colleges and Schools
  • Transformation of Optometry – Blueprint for the Future
  • Required Postgraduate Clinical Training for Optometry License
  • Why Optometry Needs the American Board of Optometry Specialties (ABOS)
  • The Future of Optometric Education – Opportunities and Challenges
  • A Strategic Framework for Optometry and Optometric Education
  • Changes Necessary to Include Optometry in the Graduate Medical Education Program (GME)
  • Unresolved Matters of Importance to Optometric Education
  • Illinois College of Optometry Commencement Address (Video & Transcript)
  • Charles F. Mullen’s Speech at the Kennedy Library: Development of NECO’s Community Based Education Program
  • Illinois College of Optometry Presidential Farewell Address (Video & Transcript)
  • Commitment to Excellence: ICO’s Strategic Plan
  • Illinois College of Optometry and University of Chicago Affiliation Agreement
  • An Affiliated Educational System for Optometry with the Department of Veterans Affairs

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