Board Certified Ophthalmologist Fort Myers, FL
Does it matter whether your ophthalmologist is board certified? Absolutely. An ophthalmologist is a medical doctor who specializes in treating eye problems. If you are looking for a board-certified ophthalmologist in Fort Myers, FL, you will find him or her at Elmquist Eye Group.
Patients from across Southwest Florida have visited Elmquist Eye Group since 1992 for the highest quality eye care, including evaluation and treatment or surgery for cataracts, glaucoma, dry eye, and other eye conditions that affect people of all ages.
Our skilled team includes Yasaira Rodriguez, MD who is a board certified ophthalmologist, as well as Kate Wagner, OD and Nina Burt, OD, who are board certified optometrists.
As a board-certified ophthalmologist, Dr. Rodriguez has received certification from the American Board of Ophthalmology (ABO), the oldest medical specialty board in the United States. In fact, ABO certificates are the only ophthalmology certificates recognized by both the American Medical Association (AMA) and the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS). The certification process is rigorous and can take one to two years to complete.
Before an ophthalmologist can become board certified, he or she must have completed medical school, an internship and a 3-year or longer residency, and must also have a medical license. Many of us have also received additional training from a fellowship program focused on a specific sub-specialty of eye medicine.
It is also important to understand the difference between medical licensing and board certification. All doctors must be licensed in a particular state to practice medicine in that state. As such, each state has its own physician licensing process.
Board certification is different and much more stringent than licensing. While doctors are not required to become board certified, doing so shows that we go to a higher level to ensure the best possible care for our patients.
As a patient, you already know how important it is to fully research your doctors to find the right one who provides the right level of care. Board certification tells you that our physicians have met the stringent requirements of the ABO, and that we’ve gone a step further than obtaining our license. It is significant, and we do it for you.
When you see that a physician is board certified, it shows that the doctor has superior knowledge, and it is also a testament to the doctor that he or she has taken extra training in order to provide patients with the best possible medical care.
Ophthalmologists sign a pledge as part of our board certification. That pledge binds us to a promise to respect our patients and practice with both compassion and integrity. This is definitely a pledge that we take very seriously at Elmquist Eye Group. When you see that an eye doctor is a board-certified ophthalmologist, like our doctors at Elmquist, you can trust that we have gone the extra mile beyond the basic requirements of our medical licenses.
If you are looking for a Fort Myers, FL board certified ophthalmologist, come see us or give us a call at (239) 936-2020 for an evaluation of your eye health today.