On this episode of Ryan Reflects, Dr. Ryan Corte sits down with Josh Reese, a fourth-year optometry student at the Arizona College of Optometry. Josh has been doing an incredible job educating current and future optometry students while navigating the ever-evolving landscape of optometric education.
Josh Reese's Journey Into Optometry
Josh's journey into optometry began unexpectedly. Originally considering a career in medicine, he realized that he had no interest in dealing with blood and surgical procedures. That all changed when he went in for his first eye exam and had a revelation: optometry didn’t involve the kind of medical gore he wanted to avoid.
“I got out and said, ‘There’s no blood, there’s no guts. That sounds like something I could do,’” Josh shared.
From there, he pursued a job as an optician and later as a vision therapist, where he fell in love with the neuro-rehab and low-vision aspects of optometry. Now, as a fourth-year student applying for residencies, his passion lies in vision therapy, neuro-rehabilitation, and private practice.
Facing NBEO Challenges
The National Board of Examiners in Optometry (NBEO) exams have been a major stressor for optometry students and Josh’s class has been particularly impacted by recent changes.
The introduction of the Performance-Based Examination of Practical Skills (PEPS) for Part III of the NBEO brought about unexpected delays. Josh took the exam in August, expecting his results in December, but his score was withheld due to an external investigation. He ultimately received his score in January, months later than anticipated, making residency applications even more stressful.
Then, another curveball: the release of Part II scores came with a shocking twist. Initially, students received their scores, many of whom passed and quickly submitted them to residency programs. But within hours, scores were changed. Some dramatically decreased, leading some students to fail after they had already celebrated passing.
“My score went down by 21 points,” Josh explained. “A friend of mine initially passed TMOD and later found out she failed. She had to send an embarrassing follow-up email to residency programs saying, ‘Actually, I failed.’”
NBEO later acknowledged the issue and offered students a chance to retake TMOD at no cost, but the damage to confidence and trust was already done.
Calls For Transparency and Reform
Josh and many other optometry students believe that greater transparency from NBEO would go a long way in restoring faith in the system.
“Just admitting, ‘Yeah, we made a spreadsheet error,’ would go a long way,” Josh noted. “Because right now, a lot of this feels malicious, even though we know it’s not.”
Beyond the recent mistakes, students have long questioned the relevance and cost of NBEO exams.
The cost of the three NBEO exams is nearly $4,500, which is significantly higher than the licensing exams in other healthcare professions like dentistry and medicine.
The pass rate for NBEO Part I has been as low as 64%, compared to nearly 90% for medical boards.
Students often feel unprepared because some board questions seem disconnected from what is taught in optometry school.
“There are bright students, smarter than me, who have failed these exams because they focused on the wrong material,” Josh said.
The Future of Optometry Education
Despite these challenges, Josh remains optimistic about the future of optometry and encourages students to advocate for change.
“Optometry gives me life,” he said. “We need more people sharing about how great this profession is.” He also highlights the importance of positive content creation for optometry students, something he has embraced through his YouTube channel.
“When I was looking for information on the OAT, there were only a few videos out there,” Josh recalled. “I realized this was an underserved community, so I started making content to help future students.”
Final Thoughts
Josh and I agree that optometry is a fantastic profession. Furthermore, improvements in NBEO transparency and affordability would make the pathway to becoming an optometrist smoother and more accessible.
If you’re an optometry student, Josh’s advice is simple: Don’t give up. Keep pushing forward.
For more from Josh Reese, follow him on YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, and other social platforms under @JoshReeseOptometry.
To hear the full episode and more inspiring stories, subscribe to Ryan Reflects on your favorite podcast platform.
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