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Hi,
I'm 27 and currently working in ophthalmic oncology as a technician. Recently I have been pondering the idea of going back to school and pursuing optometry. I'm not interested in performing surgeries but am interested in helping people manage their vision. Ideally, I would like to help people with diabetes, as a lot of my family members have diabetes and are not aware of how badly it can affect their vision. I wasn't as motivated about school in my early 20's as I feel now so I would need to bump up the grades from the classes I took in the past. I'm learning a lot about the eyes and it has really grab my interest.
The only worry I have, other than high tuition fees, is that it would be difficult to find a job as an optometrist. I look around online and don't find much options in my area (San Francisco). So I would probably need to start my own business, which I'm not excited about. If I become an optometrist I would love to join a group practice with other optometrists and possibly ophthalmologists.
My question is, how do-able is it to be part of a group practice or link up with an ophthalmologist? I just want to know the risks of finding stability in the field before I dive in head first. I am also trying to obtain my C.O.M.T (Certified Ophthalmic Medical Technologist) certification this year since I have been shadowing our medical technologist at work while she performs diagnostic tests on patients (A & B scan ultrasound, OPT/Wide Angle, Angios, Biometry, Fundus Pictures).
I'm 27 and currently working in ophthalmic oncology as a technician. Recently I have been pondering the idea of going back to school and pursuing optometry. I'm not interested in performing surgeries but am interested in helping people manage their vision. Ideally, I would like to help people with diabetes, as a lot of my family members have diabetes and are not aware of how badly it can affect their vision. I wasn't as motivated about school in my early 20's as I feel now so I would need to bump up the grades from the classes I took in the past. I'm learning a lot about the eyes and it has really grab my interest.
The only worry I have, other than high tuition fees, is that it would be difficult to find a job as an optometrist. I look around online and don't find much options in my area (San Francisco). So I would probably need to start my own business, which I'm not excited about. If I become an optometrist I would love to join a group practice with other optometrists and possibly ophthalmologists.
My question is, how do-able is it to be part of a group practice or link up with an ophthalmologist? I just want to know the risks of finding stability in the field before I dive in head first. I am also trying to obtain my C.O.M.T (Certified Ophthalmic Medical Technologist) certification this year since I have been shadowing our medical technologist at work while she performs diagnostic tests on patients (A & B scan ultrasound, OPT/Wide Angle, Angios, Biometry, Fundus Pictures).