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Kraena Pre-Health
Career Library

Diagnose & Treat

Ophthalmologist

Physician who medically and surgically treats eye disease and vision loss.

Years after high school

12–14 years

Degree

MD or DO

Entrance exam

MCAT

Median pay

$275,930 national median for physicians and surgeons (BLS, May 2025). Ophthalmology is a physician specialty; residents earn substantially less while training.

What the job is actually like

Physician who medically and surgically treats eye disease and vision loss. Typical work is moderate paced with high patient contact, usually in Eye clinics, physician offices, hospitals, and optical practices. Procedure intensity is very high, and schedules are typically described as: Mostly outpatient; evenings or weekends vary by employer.

The path

  1. 01Complete the typical education pathway: Bachelor's degree, medical school, residency, and optional fellowship.
  2. 02Complete MCAT if required by the school, credential, or employer.
  3. 03Build supervised or role-specific experience for work in Eye clinics, physician offices, hospitals, and optical practices.
  4. 04Meet credentialing or licensure requirements: State medical license and board certification.

Good fit if

  • Students whose interests align with ophthalmologist work and who are comfortable with the listed training, schedule, and responsibility level.
  • Clear healthcare impact
  • Transferable professional skills

Think twice if

  • Education, scope, compensation, and daily duties vary by state and employer. Verify local requirements and shadow or interview a working ophthalmologist before committing.
  • Requirements vary by state and employer
  • Compensation varies by setting

Worth knowing

Career requirements can vary by state, employer, and credentialing body. Use this profile as a planning guide and verify current local requirements before enrolling in a program.

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All salary figures here are median annual wages from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook, May 2025 — the most recent full national dataset. 'Median' means half of workers earn more and half earn less. Three things to keep in mind: (1) pay varies enormously by state, city, setting, and experience — a nurse in California and a nurse in rural Alabama earn very different salaries; (2) training lengths are typical, not guaranteed, and programs differ; (3) these numbers change every year. Always verify current figures at bls.gov/ooh before making a decision. For context, the BLS median wage for all U.S. occupations was $50,980, while healthcare practitioner and technical occupations had a median of $86,530 — one of the reasons health care is such a stable field.