Becoming an Optometry Professor

[Soccerjoe]

I am strongly considering becoming an optometry professor. But, I want to know a couple of things.

1) What do you need to do to become an optometry professor?
2) How much do professors usually make?

I can't seem to find that much information anywhere... Any help would be great.

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[DawgOD]

It's a must that u do a residency.. as far as pay.. not sure.. but the set up is similar to a regular professor..

you would come in at the bottom of the totem pole in regards to pay, and you can get increases based on different things..

 

[Blondiechick919]

It's a must that u do a residency.. as far as pay.. not sure.. but the set up is similar to a regular professor..

you would come in at the bottom of the totem pole in regards to pay, and you can get increases based on different things..

I would imagine being board certified would increase your chances too. This is a track I might look into pursuing as well.

 

[DawgOD]

Being a fellow (FAAO) also increases pay I believe..

 

[Jason K]

In order to become a FT optometry professor, you really do need to do a residency of some kind. You won't be taken seriously as a FT faculty member in a program if you don't have a residency/fellowship competed.

As far as pay, expect from about 60K-80K as a junior faculty member, with the higher numbers coming from new private schools that have to create a draw. Experienced faculty (15 yrs+) can make around 100K, with the highest I'm aware of pulling in about 115K. Those are going to be people who publish frequently and have developed recognition in their disciplines. This does not include senior administrators (Assistant Deans, Deans, Presidents, etc) who can make hundreds of thousands of dollars for doing almost nothing beyond warming a desk chair in an admin building in some cases. If you think all of those tuition dollars are being wisely spent by your school, nope - a lot of it goes to paying padded salaries of the folks at the top of the food chain.

Obtaining fellowship status in the Academy (FAAO) is a good idea for anyone in academics, but it's not going to give you a huge salary boost. In academics, the number of letters after your name often takes precedence over skills and knowledge, but it does not often translate directly to much higher pay. That said, OD faculty who move up the ladder quickly usually have another advanced degree such as an MS, PhD, MBA, etc.

Regarding ABO Board Certification, that will likely get you absolutely zeeeeeero in terms of additional pay or clout within the OD community, at least as things stand now. As a matter of fact, I'd imagine a lot of ODs who took the exam are in the process of hiding it since they may have some egg on their face after the recent AOS lawsuit. If you're after something that will actually give you some street-cred, sit for the diplomate exam in your section of the academy (Peds and BV, Cornea and CL, Disease, Low Vision, etc). Diplomates in their respective sections are given more respect by those in their field, but don't expect to be paid more for having it.

 

[Soccerjoe]

In order to become a FT optometry professor, you really do need to do a residency of some kind. You won't be taken seriously as a FT faculty member in a program if you don't have a residency/fellowship competed.

As far as pay, expect from about 60K-80K as a junior faculty member, with the higher numbers coming from new private schools that have to create a draw. Experienced faculty (15 yrs+) can make around 100K, with the highest I'm aware of pulling in about 115K. Those are going to be people who publish frequently and have developed recognition in their disciplines. This does not include senior administrators (Assistant Deans, Deans, Presidents, etc) who can make hundreds of thousands of dollars for doing almost nothing beyond warming a desk chair in an admin building in some cases. If you think all of those tuition dollars are being wisely spent by your school, nope - a lot of it goes to paying padded salaries of the folks at the top of the food chain.

Obtaining fellowship status in the Academy (FAAO) is a good idea for anyone in academics, but it's not going to give you a huge salary boost. In academics, the number of letters after your name often takes precedence over skills and knowledge, but it does not often translate directly to much higher pay. That said, OD faculty who move up the ladder quickly usually have another advanced degree such as an MS, PhD, MBA, etc.

Regarding ABO Board Certification, that will likely get you absolutely zeeeeeero in terms of additional pay or clout within the OD community, at least as things stand now. As a matter of fact, I'd imagine a lot of ODs who took the exam are in the process of hiding it since they may have some egg on their face after the recent AOS lawsuit. If you’re after something that will actually give you some street-cred, sit for the diplomate exam in your section of the academy (Peds and BV, Cornea and CL, Disease, Low Vision, etc). Diplomates in their respective sections are given more respect by those in their field, but don’t expect to be paid more for having it.

Thanks for the information! It's really helpful.

Hmmm, 60K-80K seems like a pretty low salary for putting in tons of school... So when you say that the new private schools pay higher - you mean schools like midwestern? hmmmm I don't think that I'd like to work there...

How do you become a dean or assistant dean?

 

[Jason K]

Thanks for the information! It's really helpful.

Hmmm, 60K-80K seems like a pretty low salary for putting in tons of school... So when you say that the new private schools pay higher - you mean schools like midwestern? hmmmm I don't think that I'd like to work there...

How do you become a dean or assistant dean?

60-80K IS pretty low considering the effort required, but that's all you're worth to an optometry school as a new professor. Academics pays less in just about every discipline, but I still think the numbers are too low. Apparently, you're alone as a pre-optometry student who'd like to be paid more than a mid-level government office worker after so much expense, effort, and education. I know Midwestern is starting their new inexperienced faculty off at around 80K which is much higher than most. I don't know what experienced faculty are getting there, but I hear much of their faculty is right out of residency so that may be how they can afford to pay more to newly minted professors.

If you're wondering how to land a dean's position, it's easy.....just be at the right place at the perfect time and have an impressive resume. I don't have any concrete numbers to work with, but I'd make an educated guess that most deans are brought in from the outside, as opposed to inside hiring of an existing faculty member. Dean's are often recruited after they make a name for themselves in the optometry world. If you're just an average joe with an OD, no other advanced degree, and 15+ years of experience, you're not going to be considered a competitive candidate.

The turnover for dean's spots is extremely low since those positions pay way too much given the workload. Once someone lands a position like that, they ride it out to eternity. I've worked in a school that had assistant deans who should have retired 20 years ago, but they stay on the payroll, wandering around the halls striking up conversations to look busy, just to keep the gravy train moving. I can't say I blame them. If someone were paying me 160K to fart around all day and hang out with my buddies, I'd probably consider it. In the programs I've worked at, many of the deans/assistant deans would spend a good amount of the week just moseying around campus trying to look like they've got things to do and people to see. Some of those guys haven't picked up an ophthalmoscope in 20 years. Its a pretty good gig if you can get it and you're ok with admin work, but those types of jobs come up once in a blue moon.