career powerpoint

1. Career PowerPoint:
Optometry and Physician Assistant Professions
Kaitlyn Greiner

2. Introduction
 A career in optometry
involves the examination of
the eyes and other parts of
the visual system. Visual
problems and diseases are
diagnosed and treated.
 I am drawn to this career
because I want to become
an expert in a specialized
area.
 A career as a physician
assistant involves practicing
medicine under the
supervision of a physician.
Physician assistants
examine, diagnose, and treat
patients.
 I am drawn to this career
because there are so many
areas of medicine in which to
practice to choose from.

3. History of Optometry
 1783-first US shop for optometric services in Philadelphia
 1784-split bifocal lens invented
 1801-astigmatism discovered
 1851-interior of living eye first seen
 1872-optometry programs begin
 1910-first university courses in optometry
 1923-first Doctor of Optometry (OD) degree awarded
 1965-Medicare and Medicaid discriminate against optometrists
 1973-bill introduced to allow prescription of drugs
 1998-1st law authorizing use of lasers

4. History of Physician Assistant
 1650-German military medical assistants used
 1891-first medic instruction
 1930-doctor trains medic in urology and medic becomes his
assistant
 mid 1960’s-shortage of primary care physicians
 1965-1st class of PA’s (mostly military medics)
 Early 1970’s-federal acceptance
 2007-141 accredited programs in US
 2015-190 accredited programs in US

5. Graduate Programs
 Optometry School:
 Doctor of Optometry Degree (O.D.)
 4 year program
 17 accredited programs in US
 Take Optometry Admission Test
(OAT)
 Option: 1 year residency-advanced
training in particular area of
interest
 Two programs offer in state tuition
to SC residents (about
$20,000/year):
 Southern College of
Optometry-Memphis, TN
 UAB School of Optometry-
Birmingham, AL
 Physician Assistant School:
 Certified PA: PA-C
 26 month program
 190 accredited programs in US
 Take GRE to get in
 Take PANCE to get certified
 2000 hours of clinical rotations in
program
 Only Program in SC (about
$16,000/year):
 MUSC PA Program-
Charleston, SC

6. Duties
 Optometrist:
 Vision tests, analyzes results
 Diagnose sight problems
 Prescribe glasses, contacts,
medications
 Pre and post-op care
 Evaluate for disease
presence
 Eye health counseling
 Physician Assistant:
 Medical history
 Physical exams
 Diagnose/treat illnesses
 Order and interpret tests
 Treatment plan
 Prevention counseling
 Assist surgeries
 Write prescriptions
 Rounds in hospitals

7. Workplace Settings
 Optometry:
 Individual private practice
 Partnership/group practice
 Retail setting
 Ophthalmologic Professional
setting
 Academic-teaching
 Corporate/Commercial
 Physician Assistant:
 Hospitals
 Doctors offices
 Community health center
 Nursing homes
 Schools/universities
 Correctional institutions

8. Specialties
 Optometrist:
 Family Practice
 Primary Eye Care
 Cornea and Contact Lenses
 Geriatric Optometry
 Pediatric Optometry
 Vision Therapy and Rehab.
 Low Vision Rehab.
 Ocular disease
 Refractive and Ocular Surgery
 Community Health
 Brain Injury Rehab.
 My interests:
 Vision Therapy
 Pediatric
 Physician Assistant:
 Family medicine
 Internal medicine
 Emergency
 Pediatrics
 OB-GYN
 Surgery
 Orthopedics
 Behavioral medicine
 Dermatology
 Neurology
 Gastroenterology
 My interests:
 Dermatology
 Neonatal

9. Growth Potential &
Salary Range
 Optometry:
 Job Outlook for 2012-2022:
24%-much faster than avg.
 Prospects:
 Many expected to retire in
next decade
 Limited number of schools
so promising future if
licensed
 Median Salary: $97,820/yr
 Physician Assistant:
 Job Outlook for 2012-2022:
38%-much faster than avg.
 Prospects:
 good for
rural/underserved areas
 primary care
 Median Salary: $90,930/yr

10. O*Net Results and Skills
 O*Net Results:
 1) Investigative: A thinker who is intelligent, logical, and curious,
they ask why and seek challenges
 2) Social: A helper who motivates and empowers others
 3) Enterprising: These are leaders who persuade, are
competitive, take risks, and are organizers
 Examples of My Skills
 1) Investigative: My studies come first and I am in the Calhoun
Honors College.
 2) Social: I am an undergraduate TA for Anatomy and
Physiology lab and help students learn course material.
 3) Enterprising: I am the Allied Health Chair of AED and also
play tennis.

11. Skills Required for Both
Professions:
 Communication Skills
 Compassion
 Detail Oriented
 Problem Solving Skills
 Decision-Making Skills
 Interpersonal Skills
 Emotional Stability

12. Candidate Qualities for
Required Skills
 My investigative qualities fulfill the need of:
 Detail orientation
 Problem Solving skills
 My social qualities fulfill the need of:
 Communication skills
 Interpersonal skills
 Emotional stability
 Compassion
 My enterprising qualities fulfill the need of:
 Decision making skills

13. Relevant Academics
 Optometry:
 Classes:
 Biology
 Chemistry (Organic)
 Anatomy and Physiology
 Microbiology
 Calculus
 Physics
 Biochemistry
 Business Class
(recommended)
 Physician Assistant:
 Classes:
 Biology
 Chemistry (Organic)
 Anatomy and Physiology
 Microbiology
 Hands-on Patient Care:
 Medical Assistant
 CNA

14. Conclusion
 Optometry:
 Career has been around for
a while but has fairly recently
gained more power
 Few schools compared with
physician assistant schools
 Provides primary health care
for eyes
 Variety of specialties
available with residency
 Job outlook lower than PA
but salary is higher
 Physician Assistant:
 Idea for career has existed a
long time but the actual
career is very new
 Takes half the time of
optometry or medical school
but requires many hours of
experience for admission
 Practice medicine under
supervision of physician
 Can work in any area of
medicine
 Huge growth potential in
future

15. References
 Optometry History Timelines (2014). American OptometricAssociation. Retrieved fromhttp://fs.aoa.org/optometry-archives/optometry-timeline.html
 History of the PA Profession (2015). American Academy ofPhysician Assistants. Retrieved fromhttps://www.aapa.org/threeColumnLanding.aspx?id=429
 History of the Profession (2015). Yale School of Medicine.Retrievedfromhttp://medicine.yale.edu/pa/profession/history_profession.aspx
 Physician Assistant profession (2015). Medline Plus. Retrievedfromhttp://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001935.htm
 Historic Precedents (2013). Physician Assistant HistorySocietty. Retrieved from http://www.pahx.org/period01.html
 Optometrists. (2014). Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved fromhttp://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/optometrists.htm#tab-4
 Accredited PA Programs. (2015). ARC-PA. Retrieved fromhttp://www.arc-pa.org/acc_programs/
 Optometry: A Career Guide. (2013). ASCO. Retrieved fromhttp://www.opted.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/EyesHaveIt_CareerGuide.pdf
 What is a PA? (2015). American Optometric Association.Retrieved fromhttps://www.aapa.org/landingquestion.aspx?id=290
 About the Physician Assistant Profession. (2011). PaceUniversity Physician Assistant Studies. Retrieved fromhttp://www.pace.edu/physician-assistant/frequently-asked-questions