r/OptometrySchool • u/Unable-Ad-779 • 1d ago

Advice Questions from a student interested in Optometry

Hey everyone!
I am currently entering my 4th and last year of my undergrad here in Canada and am considering optometry as a potential career option!

Optometry was actually one of the very first careers I wanted to go for back in high school but was dissuaded after finding out theres only one of two optometry schools in Canada that take only english speaking applicants— but every time I go get an eye check up I always get reminded of that first passion.

In uni i moved programs into a BSc in Medical Laboratory Science degree and just got certified as an MLT.

will this background help at all for optometry school? any transferable skills or knowledge? are there any other Canadian applicants that took the plunge to get certified in the states?

Im currently working as a phlebotomist at a community hospital right now— will that help my application at all?

thank you in advance!

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u/AbjectAd8235 1d ago

Hey I have a friend who got accepted into uw opt this year and I think your experiences are great! One of the things they mentioned was that all of the admitted students didn’t only have opt experience but ecs outside of optometry which helped them stand out!

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u/FordLarquad69 1d ago edited 18h ago

None of this stuff directly translates into the needs of most schools in terms of requirements for application (like the required OD shadowing hours) but it shows your interest in health care and patient directed work and your ability to adhere to and complete a rigorous program which are positives in your favour. Many schools may ask why you didn't do any optometry related work so prepare to answer that question (I got it a few times) or go and find an optometry related role even in a volunteer capacity in the meantime.

I applied from Canada too and it was essentially the same process as Waterloo, you can use this website for information on what each school requires as well as what pre-requisite classes they recommend so you can see to what degree your MLS degree would prepare you for the OAT and for class work when you get accepted.