an old debate, advice regarding optometry or dentistry

[browneyes4]

I know there have been previous threads regarding dentistry vs optometry which I have already read, but I still need some advice.

I don't necessarily believe that "following your heart" helps, but I used to be really into optometry when I was in college, but sort of found it repetitive from when I was shadowing. I see the good points in it -that people come in happy, that it's less manual labor, etc. But I wasn't sure what coming out as an optometrist is like? In school you learn about a lot of things, but when you come out, is it repetitive? is it disheartening? A few of the optometrists I talked to said that they were disappointed with compensation, but that they were satisfied with their jobs. What does real life "typical" work for a suburban area optometrist look like? And are there ODs who regret or are happy who can speak on this (financial/satisfaction) who DONT' own their own practice?


In regards to dentistry, I have had a lot of hands on based on missions trips abroad. I found the work to be challenging physcially but as a subject matter, I find dentistry and the anatomy and the things that go on in the mouth fascinating. Again, it's the day to day I want to know about (which I'll post in the dental section). I have to confess that the compensation is attractive to me but I know that you can't do it just for the money or you'll be miserable.

Any thoughts? And any advice to how the market for optometrists is now? I am going to start O school soon and really want to know now that I still have (a little ) time to back out.

THANK you so much.

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[eyestrain]

From a business aspect, go to dental school. And it sounds like your more interested in it anyway, so it seems like an easy decision to me.

 

[browneyes4]

well the thing is, I don't want to own my own practice because I want time for family for sure.

 

[Oculomotor]

Optometry and dentistry are both 4 year clinical doctorates about equal in didactic difficulty (I take General Pharmacology for a year with them as well as Gross Anatomy and General Physiology). Dentistry is more financially lucrative than optometry and is not hindered by the same inconsistencies in terms of scope of practice laws which vary from state to state for optometry. DOING SOMETHING BECAUSE YOU WANT TIME FOR A FAMILY IS A POOR REASON TO PICK ONE OF THESE CAREERS! Follow your interests and make the choice based on what you LIKE. There are several people in my class who are miserable because they wanted to be called "Dr" and have "time to raise a family"-----terrible reasons to suffer through a difficult 4 yr clinical doctorate program such as optometry...


Good Luck

 

[4Eyes]

Even if you own your own practice as an optometrist, chances are you'll have to work Saturdays and maybe an evening here and there. When you DON'T own your own practice, there's an even better chance you'll have less desirable hours. Retail often has crummy hours because their priority #1 is when people SHOP (evenings, weekends). If you work for another private OD they'll want to unload the hours they don't want. There are some opportunities out there that don't fall into these categories (e.g. civilian optometrist for military, the occasional private gig), but you'll likely have to be very flexible on location.

If you think mouths are more interesting than eyeballs, but you go for eyeballs, you will very likely be unhappy. Good luck making your decision!

 

[IndianaOD]

This isn't a question, Dentistry all the way. Don't let the Opto schools and AOA pull one over on you.

Unless socialized medicine or dental graduation rates skyrocket it a gold mine.

 

[prettygreeneyes]

I know there have been previous threads regarding dentistry vs optometry which I have already read, but I still need some advice.

I don't necessarily believe that "following your heart" helps, but I used to be really into optometry when I was in college, but sort of found it repetitive from when I was shadowing. I see the good points in it -that people come in happy, that it's less manual labor, etc. But I wasn't sure what coming out as an optometrist is like? In school you learn about a lot of things, but when you come out, is it repetitive? is it disheartening? A few of the optometrists I talked to said that they were disappointed with compensation, but that they were satisfied with their jobs. What does real life "typical" work for a suburban area optometrist look like? And are there ODs who regret or are happy who can speak on this (financial/satisfaction) who DONT' own their own practice?


In regards to dentistry, I have had a lot of hands on based on missions trips abroad. I found the work to be challenging physcially but as a subject matter, I find dentistry and the anatomy and the things that go on in the mouth fascinating. Again, it's the day to day I want to know about (which I'll post in the dental section). I have to confess that the compensation is attractive to me but I know that you can't do it just for the money or you'll be miserable.

Any thoughts? And any advice to how the market for optometrists is now? I am going to start O school soon and really want to know now that I still have (a little ) time to back out.

THANK you so much.

If you have ANY doubt before you start school - defer. Take a year and figure out what you want to do. If you just plunge into optometry school and decide later that perhaps it wasn't what you really wanted, you've wasted time and money, and may be at the point where you wouldn't want to quit.