Optometry in Hawaii?

[luvely]

Specifically Honolulu.. Just wondering if anyone practices there and can share some insights on job prospects and scope of practice? I'm from NY but for personal reasons may have to move there for a few years. I'm still a student btw,
Thanks so much in advance 🙂

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[xmattODx]

Specifically Honolulu.. Just wondering if anyone practices there and can share some insights on job prospects and scope of practice? I'm from NY but for personal reasons may have to move there for a few years. I'm still a student btw,
Thanks so much in advance 🙂

Saturated. Low pay. High cost of living. Very difficult place for an optometric outsider to make work.

 

[310]

One of the worst places to go for optometry, from what I've heard.

 

[luvely]

I guess in comparison in NY, both saturated and high cost of living but more opportunities for jobs and higher salaries in NY :T


Thank you guys for your input-- I'll still have to look into how easily I could get licensed for Hawaii if I had to move there.

Thanks again for your responses 🙂

 

[xmattODx]

I guess in comparison in NY, both saturated and high cost of living but more opportunities for jobs and higher salaries in NY :T


Thank you guys for your input-- I'll still have to look into how easily I could get licensed for Hawaii if I had to move there.

Thanks again for your responses 🙂

Licensing is not hard. Just a form and proof that you had a certain amount of ocular disease experience (this won't be a problem for a new grad). Scope of practice is great.

Hawaii is, obviously, awesome, but it is beyond stressful to live there without familial support. It is very hard to meet obligations while living there. Between the cost for rent, the cost of day-to-day expenses, student loan repayment, and the low pay ($40-$45/hour - and days were often not 8 hours - i.e. you would get a gig but it was for 6 or 7 hours - this was also generally paid as an independent contractor) it is very difficult. If you can make it work (and some can) you'll love it. If you can't, it is not like other places where you can live in your favorite place and commute 100 miles to a job. If you can't find something full-time, you're sunk. There are a lot of local new grads that (rightfully) get looked at for the very few opportunities first.

We gave it a good two years (we were there for other reasons as well) and just couldn't make it work. We tried a number of different avenues in our attempt. Opening a practice was not feasible given the cost of commercial real estate, we almost had a sub-lease with a commercial optical that would have made being there easy (but that is a long, sad story). Some optometrists were very kind to us and I was able to pick up enough work as an optometrist to survive, but it required working 6-7 days/week (and I was also going to school full-time...). It is tough. Think about it long and hard before going. Try to make sure you have something lined up before heading over. Check for military jobs as well. If you have to move there, make the best of it but you'll have better opportunities on the mainland.