Is optometry a flexible career?

[Raora]

▪️Is it worth being an optometrist?
▪️If you had another chance to choose your
career would you go for optometry again ?
▪️What are the pros and cons of being an optometrist?

I'm looking for a career in medicine that offers flexibility in time and that is less stressful, this is because I want to pursue acting and singing alongside my career professionally, so I want it to rovide me time to pursue my other interests .

Is optometry right career for me ?
If not , which career would you suggest?

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[Snakedoctor1]

I hate to be a debbie downer, and of course I know nothing about you, but from the information you've provided it looks like you are looking for a nice laid back side job to tide you over while you pursue your real interests. Based on that, I do not recommend you pursue a career in optometry.

To answer your other questions, I personally am very happy with my career choice. For me, it is absolutely worth it, and I would choose it again. For me. But I chose optometry for two main reasons: I believed it could provide a comfortable living for my family, and I had a genuine interest in the field. I have maintained that interest and have been fortunate enough to start my own business and practice the way I want, doing what I enjoy doing. I made it my career, and that has made it worth the price of my student loans.

However, I do not recommend optometry for anyone looking for a side job, or even for a nice backup in case they end up needing to work at some point. While there is the possibility of a flexible work/life balance in optometry, the most comfortable in the field are in private practice, particularly group practice. It very much depends on the job you get. If you are working for another doc, and they expect you to work x amount, you may have little to no control over your schedule, especially if you choose to work in an area where optometrists are a dime a dozen, which considering your interest in singing/acting, seems quite likely.

You will pay upwards of $250,000 for a job you'd rather not do full time, and if left doing full time may not enjoy. You might get the first job you land in a metropolitan area paying less than six figures (much less if you don't work full time) and begin to realize it wasn't worth the quarter million dollar loan you've saddled yourself with. That seems like a pretty high risk to take.

There is a common theme here where we see people who have not planned their careers well, assuming that putting in the time to get through OD school will guarantee a high paying job in their desired location, only to become completely disillusioned with the entire profession, crying that they were ripped off, and how no one told them about reality. Please don't become one of them, it really doesn't sound like optometry is right for you. There are easier ways to make a buck while you pursue your true interests.

 

[OD 1993]

▪️Is it worth being an optometrist?
▪️If you had another chance to choose your
career would you go for optometry again ?
▪️What are the pros and cons of being an optometrist?

I'm looking for a career in medicine that offers flexibility in time and that is less stressful, this is because I want to pursue acting and singing alongside my career professionally, so I want it to rovide me time to pursue my other interests .

Is optometry right career for me ?
If not , which career would you suggest?

The only one that can answer is it worth being an optometrist is you. Only you can answer that. Make sure you

Know what you’re getting into before becoming one. It’s not side gig to pursue your acting or singing unless you’re very well off financially speaking. Bust tables as a side gig and pursue ur passion.

The profession has made great strides over the decades and the curriculum has changed several times geared towards medicine and the medical mode.
It’s a great job. It’s a wonderful profession helping people with their most precious sense, vision. However I’ll let you in a secret that NO ONE will dare to tell you. There’s no money in it anymore. You have to go out there and practice medical mode and bill medically to add much more to your salary.

Optometry is one of the highest debt to income ratio at the moment. For the amount of schooling work energy and investment put into it, you’re return is low.

Can I be more honest with you ? No. I’ve said everything you need to know by being real.

Is it worth it ? There’s one person that can answer that. It’s YOU.

 

[Raora]

I hate to be a debbie downer, and of course I know nothing about you, but from the information you've provided it looks like you are looking for a nice laid back side job to tide you over while you pursue your real interests. Based on that, I do not recommend you pursue a career in optometry.

To answer your other questions, I personally am very happy with my career choice. For me, it is absolutely worth it, and I would choose it again. For me. But I chose optometry for two main reasons: I believed it could provide a comfortable living for my family, and I had a genuine interest in the field. I have maintained that interest and have been fortunate enough to start my own business and practice the way I want, doing what I enjoy doing. I made it my career, and that has made it worth the price of my student loans.

However, I do not recommend optometry for anyone looking for a side job, or even for a nice backup in case they end up needing to work at some point. While there is the possibility of a flexible work/life balance in optometry, the most comfortable in the field are in private practice, particularly group practice. It very much depends on the job you get. If you are working for another doc, and they expect you to work x amount, you may have little to no control over your schedule, especially if you choose to work in an area where optometrists are a dime a dozen, which considering your interest in singing/acting, seems quite likely.

You will pay upwards of $250,000 for a job you'd rather not do full time, and if left doing full time may not enjoy. You might get the first job you land in a metropolitan area paying less than six figures (much less if you don't work full time) and begin to realize it wasn't worth the quarter million dollar loan you've saddled yourself with. That seems like a pretty high risk to take.

There is a common theme here where we see people who have not planned their careers well, assuming that putting in the time to get through OD school will guarantee a high paying job in their desired location, only to become completely disillusioned with the entire profession, crying that they were ripped off, and how no one told them about reality. Please don't become one of them, it really doesn't sound like optometry is right for you. There are easier ways to make a buck while you pursue your true interests.

Thanks a lot for your answere.


Well, of course I was planning to work in my private practice, so that I could have control over my schedule. But that's just sth that I planned without knowing so much about the optometry in reality, and the possibility to open one right after graduation.

The point is that my dad doesn't think of singing and acting as a good and main career choice.

Because right know I'm studying in one of the top high schools in my country, he doesn't want all my intelligence to be wasted, so he wants me to study sth good in medicine and afterwards pursuing my passions.

That's because I asked this question.

Plus I'm really not going to underestimate the amount of hard work and years I put into optometry school by not working at all.

I just want a flexible job that allows me to work for any hours that I want. So that I can act and sing alongside it .

So do you have any further advice for me ?

 

[Snakedoctor1]

So do you have any further advice for me ?

I would just reiterate that there is no guarantee of a stable, high paying, flexible job after optometry school. Your schedule and pay could vary wildly from job to job, and being in private practice is no guarantee of freedom. If you work for another OD, they are likely to want you to work as much as possible. If you work for yourself and open cold, you will be looking a massive practice loan on top of your quarter million worth of student loans.

Think very carefully before you saddle yourself with that kind of debt. My general advice to anyone who isn't interested in really becoming an optometrist and investing themselves into the profession is simply don't do it. Optometry needs people who are genuinely interested in the field, and not simply looking for a flexible side job. I'm sorry if that sounds harsh, but it's your future.

 

[Raora]

Do you plan on relocating to study or work in the US? What country are you currently living in?

Private practice is actually MORE stressful than being an employee at a hospital or an employee for someone else. You can't just "control your schedule". Your patients will want you to be available 5+ days a week. You can't just decide to open 9-2 PM 3x a week and call it a day.

This applies to anything whether it's dentistry, medicine, optometry, or what have you.

For example, if I want a relaxed schedule/lifestyle in my desired medical specialty the best option for me is in academia. However, I will make 30-40% less than my counterparts in private practice (who prioritize efficiency, productivity, and don't teach). That will translate to ~$3m+ less in lifetime earnings, not including interest.

Well I'm planning to study and hopefully work in the UK .
and , I'm so confused. So what medical career do you think would best suit my situation? (considering the fact that I would want to work in private practice)

I actually considered several careers that seemed interesting to me and optometry was one of them .Initially I thought it would give me enough flexibility to pursue my passion as well, but it apparently turned to be the opposite.

 

[Raora]

I would just reiterate that there is no guarantee of a stable, high paying, flexible job after optometry school. Your schedule and pay could vary wildly from job to job, and being in private practice is no guarantee of freedom. If you work for another OD, they are likely to want you to work as much as possible. If you work for yourself and open cold, you will be looking a massive practice loan on top of your quarter million worth of student loans.

Think very carefully before you saddle yourself with that kind of debt. My general advice to anyone who isn't interested in really becoming an optometrist and investing themselves into the profession is simply don't do it. Optometry needs people who are genuinely interested in the field, and not simply looking for a flexible side job. I'm sorry if that sounds harsh, but it's your future.

You're very young (I believe you said 11th grade) so it's reasonable that you don't know what to pursue. However, it seems like you enjoy the arts but not so much enjoy science. At least here in the US, ANYONE can become a doctor if you put them on enough stim and anti-depressant meds (even if they hate science).

If I were you I would pursue the arts and if it doesn't work out by the time you're 26-28 you can always switch careers then (I have a lot of female classmates who started medical school at 28+, and a few in their 30s). I assume your father will also pressure you to have children early and tell you this plan is no good but that will be your decision to make in the future.

Thanks for the answere .

Well, optometry seems more interesting to me comparing to other career in Healthcare.

I somhow like learning about eyes and helping people to choose their eyeglasses and stuff like that,I was considering to open my private practice and also have my own special brand of eyeglasses.
So you think optometry isn't the career that allows me to work 9-3 or 9-4 some days, or generally offer flexible hours so that I could switch off and go doing acting or singing ?( that was my plan initially)
Do you think it's possible to do both?
What career in Healthcare do you suggest me that would match my interests and that is less stressful?

You're very young (I believe you said 11th grade) so it's reasonable that you don't know what to pursue. However, it seems like you enjoy the arts but not so much enjoy science. At least here in the US, ANYONE can become a doctor if you put them on enough stim and anti-depressant meds (even if they hate science).

If I were you I would pursue the arts and if it doesn't work out by the time you're 26-28 you can always switch careers then (I have a lot of female classmates who started medical school at 28+, and a few in their 30s). I assume your father will also pressure you to have children early and tell you this plan is no good but that will be your decision to make in the future.

Thanks for all your guidance.
I should say that he does not want me to marry and have children early, all he wants is to make sure that I'll be a successful person in the future, he thinks by pursuing arts I will waste many years of my life and my intelligence which I could put in more academic subjects.
So I though I would find a way to do both .
Dentistry, physical therapy, optometry, cosmetic chemist , radiology tech and few other more career was in my mind .
I actually know a few famous people who succeeded to do both like: Jemima Osunde, DR.sid, Kiki Omeili,Beautiful Nubai, Dexter holland and so on.
But as you said I'm very young with no idea of the things and struggles in real world .
That's why I thought I should ask for advice