I need some advice!

[JDunc]

Hello SDN,

I have graduated undergrad with a 3.060 GPA on a 4.0 scale. I took the OAT and scored a 280. I have been accepted to a university to pursue my Master of Science in Biology with 100% funding which is a tuition waiver, stipend, and scholarship to covers the fees. So I would essentially be getting paid to get my M.S. I thoroughly enjoy doing research h as I have worked in a research lab for 2 years. I also devoted a lot of time to shadowing optometrists (my uncle is an optometrist and my cousin is in optometry school) so it was easy to find some of their colleagues to shadow.

Should I pursue my M.S. and see if research is in fact my true calling? My M.S. would only take 2 years and after that I could either continue on for my PhD or OD.

Any and all advice is greatly appreciated! Thanks!

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[undecisiveone1]

You can do a joint OD/MS program do you really like optometry though? Enough to turn down this tuition waiver?

 

[JDunc]

You can do a joint OD/MS program do you really like optometry though? Enough to turn down this tuition waiver?

My uncle started his practice in 1993. I was born in 1992. I've been around optometry for my entire 23 years of life. I know the ins and outs of the office setting. I have a firm grasp on what it's like to live as an optometrist. I like the science behind optometry i.e. the causes of glaucoma, cataracts, retinal detachments, etc. I'm just not sure if i would see enough of that stuff to warrant spending 4 years of school to do refractions and dispense glasses/contacts. In no way do I mean the derogatory either. My uncle has told me though that 99% of what he does is retractions. Day in and day out. He said he rarely does foreign body removals or have patients with a cool ocular disease. He sees glaucoma and cataracts with the occasional AMD patient.

 

[whymisha]

You could always get your MS and then get your OD after if you find that the MS isn't exactly what you want. It's not like you would be wasting money if you are getting all the funding

 

[darknightzzz]

My uncle started his practice in 1993. I was born in 1992. I've been around optometry for my entire 23 years of life. I know the ins and outs of the office setting. I have a firm grasp on what it's like to live as an optometrist. I like the science behind optometry i.e. the causes of glaucoma, cataracts, retinal detachments, etc. I'm just not sure if i would see enough of that stuff to warrant spending 4 years of school to do refractions and dispense glasses/contacts. In no way do I mean the derogatory either. My uncle has told me though that 99% of what he does is retractions. Day in and day out. He said he rarely does foreign body removals or have patients with a cool ocular disease. He sees glaucoma and cataracts with the occasional AMD patient.

still, the problem is probably your OAT. retake it with you would like.

I believe the optometry still makes more money than the regular jobs the MS in biology can get. A job is a job after all.

 

[Snakedoctor1]

Consider the cost of becoming an Optometrist. You need to look at the ROI, not just average gross earnings.

 

[JDunc]

still, the problem is probably your OAT. retake it with you would like.

I believe the optometry still makes more money than the regular jobs the MS in biology can get. A job is a job after all.

After my M.S. if research is what I truly enjoy then I'm going for my PhD in either Microbiology or Cell Biology. It would be in the biomedical sciences though and I'd hope to find a position as a research scientist at a place like the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation or Stowers Institute for Medical Research.

As for money, I just want to make a solid living, provide my family with a nice life. An optometrist salary would allow that. Of course though I'd be stuck paying about $1,500 per month for student loans and having a starting salary of about $80,000. I would obviously be able to open my own practice and potentially make $150,000+. As a PhD holder I would obviously start off as a post-doc making around $50,000-$60,000 but no student loan payments with the opportunity to become a research scientist or principal investigator and making $100,000-$125,000 depending on location.

In the end though I'm just struggling figuring out what it is I want to do for the next 40+ years of my life.

 

[JDunc]

Consider the cost of becoming an Optometrist. You need to look at the ROI, not just average gross earnings.

It seems like the costs of any medical education is rising. My brother is a medical student and when it is all said and done he will have about $250,000 in student loans.

Obviously the cost for an optometry education is cheaper as my cousin is a 2nd year at NSUOCO and will graduate with about $125,000 in student loans.

The problem I am seeing with myself is the loan factor. NSUOCO costs went up and now it is $100,000 for in-state students. Not that bad compared to other schools. My uncle though told me if you have to get a loan out for your education then do it....only if your income after the degree is equal to or greater than the loan amount. Add in interest rates on the $100,000 and I'm looking at about $125,000 with a starting income of about $80,000. Money does not buy happiness and I do not want to sound like I'm picking a career based on money. My wife will want to buy a house and all that good stuff and it just seems like optometry school may be a bad investment for me personally.

I find early 20s kind of like putting together a swing set with no instructions lol

 

[Snakedoctor1]

I have classmates who will graduate with 200k plus. I would only recommend Optometry school if you are confident that you would enjoy the field (preferably having researched some of the major problems facing the profession), and you have a pretty solid plan for cutting down on loans.

 

[JDunc]

I have classmates who will graduate with 200k plus. I would only recommend Optometry school if you are confident that you would enjoy the field (preferably having researched some of the major problems facing the profession), and you have a pretty solid plan for cutting down on loans.

After talking to my wife and other close family I have decided optometry is not for me.

As of now a M.S. and PhD is my goal. Maybe as I get closer to finishing my M.S. I may look into medical school but my end goal for now is a PhD and doing research.


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[Snakedoctor1]

After talking to my wife and other close family I have decided optometry is not for me.

As of now a M.S. and PhD is my goal. Maybe as I get closer to finishing my M.S. I may look into medical school but my end goal for now is a PhD and doing research.


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Glad you came to a decision. My brother has a PhD and loves research. I hate research, love clinical practice. Best of luck!