Ophthalmologist Career Guide

An ophthalmologist is a specialist physician who works in the branch of medicine concerned with the study and treatment of disorders and diseases of the eye. Their work is very important because they have the unique skills to diagnose and treat defects of vision and abnormalities of eye movement, which greatly improves their patient?s quality of life.

Ophthalmologist typically work as part of a hospital care team. Their duties and responsibilities can change daily. However, typical responsibilities of an ophthalmologist include assessing and examining patients in order to make a diagnosis, managing ophthalmic conditions, doing occasional ward rounds, carrying out eye surgery and laser surgery, providing expert advice and reassurance to patients, educating patients on their conditions and supporting the promotion of disease prevention activities.

To become an ophthalmologist, you will need to complete an undergraduate degree in a science related field. You will then need to complete a Medical degree (MD) and residency in ophthalmology. Clearly, there is a lot of educational commitment required to become an ophthalmologist. Once qualified, the hours can also be long and unsociable. A career in ophthalmology can also be quite emotionally draining, as you will work with a wide range of people who can have life changing conditions.

However, despite a few negatives, there is lot of room for progression in an ophthalmology career. For example, you can progress to becoming a consultant, which means you will have the extra responsibility to teach and train junior doctors, get involved in research and manage resources and practice development. Ophthalmologists also have high job satisfaction as they are helping people to make their lives more enjoyable and better.

To be a good ophthalmologist, you will need to show attention to detail and problem-solving skills. You will also need to be empathetic, understanding and an excellent communicator so that you can build effective relationships with patients and reassure them. If this sounds like you, and you are looking for a rewarding and satisfying career in a medical profession, then look no further.