Just questions from a newbie

[MC92]

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Hey guys,

So I just recently (as of last summer) decided that I want to do optometry as my career of choice. The problem is the my university doesn't have any kind of major or program for Optometry, so thinking that I want to eventually open up my own practice, I started taking classes for a business management major but now I'm starting to question how much I want to do that.

I know for sure that I want to help out the less fortunate. How feasible is free clinic work or working on getting free or discounted eye care and glasses to them? Will I need to start my own clinic in order to do this or are there existing clinics that will help me out?

Knowing that I want to do my part for my community (I currently live in the suburbs with my parents but my school, Wayne State University, is in Midtown Detroit and I feel myself growing more and more passionate about helping out this city), would it be wise to do like an Urban Studies major? Or does that look super lame for my application? Or should I just stick to a business undergrad since it's a good safety net?

Also, as much as I intend on doing my part, I still want to make a really comfortable living. How do I NOT end up at Walmart or Costco? I read in one of the forums here that the key to making good money is to open up my own private practice. Is that true? Is it hard to just get a job as an optometrist at an established practice?

One more thing: For those of you who are in the same boat as me in a university that doesn't offer an optometry major, how are you going about choosing your classes? I've been looking off the Admission Requirements page of Michigan College of Optometry, Illinois, and Ohio. They all have just about the same(ish) requirements but there are still some differences and I can't help but feel like I'm missing something. How do I know I have all bases covered?

Sorry this was so long, I just have a lot of questions. I know for sure that I want to pursue this career but I really don't have any peers or counselors (that I know of) with valuable info on all this.

Thanks so much guys! ♥

 

[cults]

There is no such thing as an "optometry major." As you've noticed, prerequisites vary between schools. Take the classes required for the school you want to apply to. I'd also suggest majoring in what you enjoy. If you are passionate about Urban Studies than major in it. Why would that be lame?

 

[Roffles]

Let's break this post down...

Major:
Major in anything you want. In my class, we have a teacher, a music major, some business majors, etc. Your best bet is to go with a Biology degree as most of the required courses for optometry fall into the program. If you want to speak with an advisor at your undergraduate institution, they'll probably be confused so you can just say that it follows the pre-medical program. The degree you choose will not affect your application, so choose something you like. As long as you get a degree (required for most optometry schools) and take the required courses, you'll be fine. Keep that GPA up! It gets significantly more difficult to get in once you drop below a 3.5 unless your OAT score is amazing. Don't worry about business classes. I don't know about other schools, but we get a good business base here at OSU, and I'm sure other schools give you the basics. Anything beyond that is on your own. Taking a few in undergrad might help, but I can't comment on that.

Clinic:
There are many clinics and programs out there to help the less fortunate. Some operate within the country, some operate outside. These cost money to run, so you'll likely be spending lots of time gathering donations (money, glasses, etc) and promoting your cause. If you want to work in a specific area, you may need to start your own.

Money:
If you want to make money, there are a few routes. The first is the chain route. A Walmart in some areas might get you a ton of money, but will probably bore you and you'll be working yourself to death. The same job in other locations might be a complete waste of time and net you little money. Buying into an established private practice is a good route as it already has patients and office staff. The office is also already set up with equipment and advertising. The problem is that many practices will not take a new partner and will simply higher you on staff at a salary. Finding a practice that will take a partner is a bit harder and may take you to an area you did not initially wish to live in. Make contacts now and spend time shadowing. Maybe you'll find an optometrist wishing to retire or take on a partner. If neither of those is an option, then you can try to find a nice, quiet place to settle and start a practice. Starting a practice cold is very tough (read the post by LikeABauce), but if you can put in the work and have a bit of luck on your side, it's possible and profitable. Optometry can be a very lucrative career, just don't plan on living somewhere amazing (like southern california) and making hundreds of thousands per year.

Admissions/Classes:
I did not have an optometry program, and most schools don't. I simply followed the biology program and closely follows the Ohio State optometry requirements. Following their program might be a little much for some programs, but it gets all of the requirements for almost all of the optometry schools taken care of. Berkeley, I believe, requires a few more.

Hope this cleared some stuff up for you. This forum is a great resource, but watch out for the negativity as it will likely come soon. If you have any other questions, you can always post on here. I also check my PMs daily, so please message me if you feel the need.

 

[optoapp2012]

Hey guys,

So I just recently (as of last summer) decided that I want to do optometry as my career of choice. The problem is the my university doesn't have any kind of major or program for Optometry, so thinking that I want to eventually open up my own practice, I started taking classes for a business management major but now I'm starting to question how much I want to do that.

I know for sure that I want to help out the less fortunate. How feasible is free clinic work or working on getting free or discounted eye care and glasses to them? Will I need to start my own clinic in order to do this or are there existing clinics that will help me out?

Knowing that I want to do my part for my community (I currently live in the suburbs with my parents but my school, Wayne State University, is in Midtown Detroit and I feel myself growing more and more passionate about helping out this city), would it be wise to do like an Urban Studies major? Or does that look super lame for my application? Or should I just stick to a business undergrad since it's a good safety net?

Also, as much as I intend on doing my part, I still want to make a really comfortable living. How do I NOT end up at Walmart or Costco? I read in one of the forums here that the key to making good money is to open up my own private practice. Is that true? Is it hard to just get a job as an optometrist at an established practice?

One more thing: For those of you who are in the same boat as me in a university that doesn't offer an optometry major, how are you going about choosing your classes? I've been looking off the Admission Requirements page of Michigan College of Optometry, Illinois, and Ohio. They all have just about the same(ish) requirements but there are still some differences and I can't help but feel like I'm missing something. How do I know I have all bases covered?

Sorry this was so long, I just have a lot of questions. I know for sure that I want to pursue this career but I really don't have any peers or counselors (that I know of) with valuable info on all this.

Thanks so much guys! ♥

Most important to consider: chances are, you will have to choose between working with the less fortunate and living comfortably. Optometry doesn't pay enough as a profession unless you have plenty of private pay patients. Insurance reimbursements are pretty low. Medicare will make you want to rip your hair out.

At UHCO, there's a professor who teaches (obviously), but also runs some low income clinics around the town (which I think might be tied to the university somehow, hence the funding). But that route obviously requires being close to a university.

Picking classes: make a list of all the optometry schools you might possibly apply to and list their requirements. Most all schools require:

- 2 semesters of biology with labs
- 2 semesters of physics with labs (calculus-based physics NOT required)
- 2 semesters of general chemistry with labs
- 1 semester of organic chem with lab
- microbiology (sometimes required, sometimes not, sometimes requires lab)
- biochemistry (sometimes required, sometimes not, not sure if lab is required anywhere)
- 2 semesters of anatomy/physiology or 1 semester of anatomy + 1 semester of physiology (both options with labs)
- 2 semesters of English/composition classes
- 1 semester of Calculus
- 1 semester of Psychology
- 1 semester of Statistics (they prefer it be applied stats in the sciences, but they will take general stats too)

Then after that there are variations. Some require more social sciences. Some require more advanced biology classes.

UHCO's website has the matching courses for a lot of other colleges, so if someone from your university has ever applied there, then they would definitely have a list of which courses at your university match their requirements (which will be like most other schools).

 

[MC92]

These responses were really helpful, thank you so much. I'm starting to feel a lot less stressed out about all this now.

 

[balltc]

Here's a link to the Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry website. They have a lot of valuable information collected and organized for you to look at. They have info about admissions requirements for each school, profiles of entering classes and applicants for each school. Very helpful resource to look at. If you click on the link below and scroll to the bottom of the page you will find that info, mostly in pdf formation. I would highly encourage you to browse their site and check things out. Good luck

http://www.opted.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3343

 

[caleyedoc]

Regarding your questions about helping humanity and making money, private practice and working at Walmart, I would say that the key is to excel at what you do, whether it is as a student or as an optometrist. My first 10 years as an optometrist I worked at a big HMO, the next 22 years I have worked at my private practice. We opened cold and now have 5 ODs and a staff of about 16 support staff. So yes, eventually private practice is the most lucrative, but it's also the most work and the most risk. On the way to that point you will have to work and rent and save. And have fun. At one point I quit optometry and went to film school. I still teach film, but mostly I manage and work at my practice. I have made several humanitarian trips to Mexico and Central America doing free eye exams and free eyeglasses (donated by my patients). Keep in mind that all this takes time. Optometry has been very good to me. I hope it works out well for you too.

 

[balltc]

Uh oh, this thread is reaching the threshold for optimism. Something tells me an action potential is about to occur......

trolls?

 

[optoapp2012]

Uh oh, this thread is reaching the threshold for optimism. Something tells me an action potential is about to occur......

trolls?

Bahaha...I know, right? To the original poster - expect a lot of negativity from Jason K or one of his buddies. It's only a matter of time.

 

[xmattODx]

I know for sure that I want to help out the less fortunate. How feasible is free clinic work or working on getting free or discounted eye care and glasses to them? Will I need to start my own clinic in order to do this or are there existing clinics that will help me out?

There are many ways to help the "less fortunate" with optometry. In many urban settings there are free clinics at which you can volunteer time.

You can seek employment at a community health centre (although this is a rare form of practice).

You can work at a medicaid practice (a difficult way to make a living).

You can see patients through various social service programs at your own practice, or you can develop your own way of forgiving fees for those who cannot afford them.

I do not suggest volunteering your time on international missions. This is no longer an acceptable form of care. All respected public health eye organizations are moving toward the development of sustainable eye care in developing countries. This includes human resource and infrastructure development locally. It definitely does not include the distribution of recycled spectacles which has been shown to be more expensive than the distribution of new ready-made spectacles. Furthermore, the WHO Refractive error work group along with all respected public health organizations and countless peer-reviewed papers discourage the use of recycled spectacles in the developing world.

Contact the folks at the American Public Health Association Vision Care Section for more ideas on how to integrate public health care as well as care for vulnerable populations into your eye care practice.