Job decision

[Ryan_eyeball]

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I was just kinda wondering what others thought about this. I have a few prospects for both private and corporate commercial optometry. Now I have a great opportunity with a Glaucoma specialist offering me more than I expected. The kicker is that I woulnd't see any patients for refractions or CL fitting. I would be handling purely glaucoma cases with him. It would entail seeing 40 to 60 patients a day (although not doing any type of techy work). ALthough I feel like others that glaucoma workup and care is higher levels of patient care.

Would you mind that you go through 4 years of school and then not refract or fit a CL lens at all? I would probably still try to get a fill-in job for saturday morning to just keep my skills sharp.

A key to help finding job. 1) Stay the heck out of the city where you go to OD school. 2) Be willing to move. I know this doesn't apply to all but I have found it much easier locating jobs.

 

[S_SEEN2020]

I am going to start optometry school this fall, and I notice a lot of talk about obtaining a job. How does that work? Do places seek you, or is a combo/matter of seeking them? If you want to practice outside o fthe state you went to school, how do you find jobs, or make yourself known in other states while still in school? 😕

 

[aarlan]

Would you mind that you go through 4 years of school and then not refract or fit a CL lens at all? I would probably still try to get a fill-in job for saturday morning to just keep my skills sharp.

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I know of a number of ODs that would KILL for an opportunity such as you just described. There is no requirement that you refract and fit (although your saturday idea is a good one).
If it meets all of your requirements...Go for it.

Good luck!
AA

 

[cpw]

it sounds like a great opportunity to learn a lot.. and you could definitely do fill in work on the occasional saturday to "keep up the skills". Just make sure at the glaucoma clinic that you're doing more than tech work. (40 patient a day of nothing but GAT)

 

[vtrain]

What exactly are you doing for this glaucoma specialist? Will you be interpreting VFs, ONHs, adjusting meds? My main concern will be just that - is that you'll be a tech. I worked with an optometrist at Bascom Palmer and he was managing patients and had his own separate clinic. When the pts IOPs were stable and nerves looked good, they'd go to him for monitoring. As soon as there was a problem, the opto would send the pt back to the ophtho. This Dr. was excellent and he didn't get this type of position overnight. You seem to be a new grad and I believe that would be alot of responsibility at your stage. I'd just make sure this really isn't a tech position and that you really do have some say in managing the patient. Otherwise, it's not worth it. Also, you lose out on the immense gratification of giving people glasses and making them see better instantly. My two cents.

 

[gsinccom]

best wishes ryan eyeball. would you mind saying where this opportunity is located and what kind of $ and benefits he is offering you?

 

[rpames]

It sounds like a good part time job to me. Seeing glaucoma all day every day seems pretty rough to me. If you could get it so you could have a job on the side, I would jump on it. As far as the money part of things, if all you are doing to see his glaucoma pts, you will never really be able to make more than you salary. If you have a practice on the side, you could run the optical too. I think that is one of the great things about optometry, doing the optics part of eyecare.