Ultimately I would want nothing other than to be in private practice but I understand the need for corporate optometry, at least from an immediate, superficial, financially gratifying point of view. My plan was to work part-time at the private office as well as part-time at one of the corporate positions until I am financially "stable" enough to take on the whole responsibility of the private practice. Obviously there will be plenty of bricks in the wall that will make it difficult for me to put my plan into fruition, so I am definitely not looking at my plan through rose-colored lenses.
As far as what am I looking for? I think I have pretty high, yet realistic financial goals I have set for myself the first few years out. From an employees standpoint, any job offering your standard medical coverage would be a definite plus--from a business standpoint I understand this may be unrealistic working part-time at the private practice, but from a corporate position I think this would be attainable. As far as hours are concerned, I'm used to working weekends and holidays from my years in the food industry so if that's what has to happen to make money a few years out, so be it.
What am I not looking for? Any hourly paying job. For me it's difficult to find motivation to work hard if you're not working towards anything yourself. I think a fee percentage is a fair and realistic goal. No offense to the doctors that work in some of the corporate places like Sam's, Walmart, Sears, JC Penny, Visionworks, etc., but from what my limited point of view has seen these places really undermine our profession and I would not perpetuate the negative conotation they bring to our profession by working at one of these locations, regardless of financial gain. I'm sorry to some if that seems brash but let's face it, monthly coupons offering $39 eye exams does terrible things for our profession that I don't have the energy to even go into right now.
