Employed? - Be aware of what you're getting into.

[Dr. Dangerfield]

I felt the need to post this for any new docs, or even those who are maybe switching over from self-employed to employed, after a conversation I had with, believe it or not, a patient I had earlier today. If you're reading this right now, there's about a 50% chance you are employed by another doctor or entity - in other words, you're not working for yourself or have your "own" practice. So this is hopefully relevant information for you. The reason I'm posting this is that I feel most ODs are loyal almost to a fault and can have the wool pulled over their eyes.

I've essentially been an "employed" OD my entire 13+ year career. I know MANY other ODs who have done the same for years. From our collective experience I can tell you that, in many cases, the integrity of employing docs can be shady, at best. I only have experience with optometry, but it would be naive to say this doesn't happen in every profession. However, I think that as doctors we at least hold ourselves and each other to a higher standard of integrity. Or at least one would hope that were the case.

For the record, I do not fault any employing doc from trying to negotiate the best possible scenario for themselves when it comes to employing other doctors or negotiating buy-ins, partnerships, out-right sales etc. The problems that I, and others, have seen doesn't have as much to do with the initial negotiations, it has to do with the following through with on the employing doctor's part with those negotiations.

A sample of what I've heard in my 13+ years, keep in mind these are all from different docs:

3 docs are still owed months of salary that they were never paid from practices they left. They left on "good" terms and fulfilled their end of the contract.

3 docs were cheated out of their commission when the employing doc changed the rules on them or outright stole patients from them. In other words "we've been doing this wrong, sorry." It NEVER benefits the employed doc.

Almost every employed doc I know were promised certain wages, benefits, raises, etc. with time. "We'll add that later..." Guess what? "Later" (almost) never comes.

2 docs were in the midst of practice buy-in and had the selling doc completely change the terms. Attorneys ended up having to be hired in both cases to settle.

It's a small sample size, but I can tell you if you talk to enough employed ODs with any mileage on them, many, if not most, will have had a bad experience somewhere.

I'm not saying this to scare anyone. That's not my intent.

My first point is to do your due diligence, make sure contract terms are clear, EVERYTHING needs to be spelled out from salary, commission, PTO, how you get paid, retirement, optical sales, etc. Get an attorney or someone who does that type of thing to look it over. Make sure you research before you take the job. Find other employees to talk to. The eye care business is a small world, everybody knows somebody else who has worked there. Don't trust online ratings and reviews by patients. I would actually be very wary of a practice with fifty 5 star Google ratings. If you find your employer is not following through, start looking to get out!

My second point is, it's highly disturbing how prevalent this is in our profession. Integrity has been laid aside. Just because you're "green" doesn't mean you should be taken advantage of. Unfortunately a lot of docs in our profession have no qualms about taking advantage of your perceived naivety. It's an insult to you, and an insult to the profession.

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[KHE]

For the record, I do not fault any employing doc from trying to negotiate the best possible scenario for themselves when it comes to employing other doctors or negotiating buy-ins, partnerships, out-right sales etc. The problems that I, and others, have seen doesn't have as much to do with the initial negotiations, it has to do with the following through with on the employing doctor's part with those negotiations.

A sample of what I've heard in my 13+ years, keep in mind these are all from different docs:

3 docs are still owed months of salary that they were never paid from practices they left. They left on "good" terms and fulfilled their end of the contract.

I would sue the previous employer.

3 docs were cheated out of their commission when the employing doc changed the rules on them or outright stole patients from them. In other words "we've been doing this wrong, sorry." It NEVER benefits the employed doc.

I would sue the previous employer.

Almost every employed doc I know were promised certain wages, benefits, raises, etc. with time. "We'll add that later..." Guess what? "Later" (almost) never comes.

You need a contract that considers these things. Do not just start working for someone without one. There are a few advantages of working without a contract but to do so mostly benefits the employer.

2 docs were in the midst of practice buy-in and had the selling doc completely change the terms. Attorneys ended up having to be hired in both cases to settle.

With any negotiation, you have to be prepared to walk away from a deal.

My second point is, it's highly disturbing how prevalent this is in our profession. Integrity has been laid aside. Just because you're "green" doesn't mean you should be taken advantage of. Unfortunately a lot of docs in our profession have no qualms about taking advantage of your perceived naivety. It's an insult to you, and an insult to the profession.

This is true and unfortunately not unique to optometry. That is common in medicine, dentistry and the law. My philosophy as an employer is that I would never offer someone a contract that I myself would not sign.

 

[Optogal]

I must say that while I wouldn't have used the same tone as the OP (it's a bit more negative/pessimistic than I would have used), I can't say I disagree with a single thing he said.

 

[Dr. Dangerfield]

I must say that while I wouldn't have used the same tone as the OP (it's a bit more negative/pessimistic than I would have used), I can't say I disagree with a single thing he said.

It comes across as a bit pessimistic because I've personally experienced a few of these myself. I'm in a much better situation now in [GASP!] a corporate setting, believe it or not.

I think the thing I have the hardest time with is this: If you want your associate OD to buy or buy into your practice, wouldn't you be sure to treat him or her like the "heir apparent"? In many cases it's more like how Seniors would treat Freshman in High School... Makes no sense to me.

 

[20DOC20]

The profession has become a feeding frenzy because there are too many of us. Your worst enemy is not the Optician who envies your job or the MD who thinks you're trying to steal his. No. It's other ODs.

They have no shame. The OD's who I've had a negative experience with are not fly-by-night OD's who you'll never see again. They're the local OD who you'll regularly see at local CE meetings and Association meetings! What amazes me is that they can look you straight in the eye after screwing you and act as if nothing had happened. They're a group of remorseless snakes.

Watch yourselves out there. It's become ugly and I'm embarrassed and ashamed of this profession. It is NOT the dignified profession it once was. I don't even like telling people I'm an optometrist.

 

[Dr. Dangerfield]

They have no shame. The OD's who I've had a negative experience with are not fly-by-night OD's who you'll never see again. They're the local OD who you'll regularly see at local CE meetings and Association meetings! What amazes me is that they can look you straight in the eye after screwing you and act as if nothing had happened. They're a group of remorseless snakes.

Sorry for very late response on this, but this statement is totally accurate. Not ALL are like this, but a surprising amount are. And THAT'S why you've got to be vigilant. Don't be fooled!