Pharmacy or Optometry?

[gsinccom]

Anyone else struggled with this decision. I've ruled out all other health professions although I did consider MD/DO for a while, but I'm down to these two. Why did you all choose pharmacy? And why might you persuade me to do one over the other? If I can't decide by the end of this year I may actually apply to both pharmacy and optometry schools.

Thank you.

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[insipid1979]

It would be helpful to know what about these two professions attracted you?
I assume since the salaries are almost the same...that might be one reason. But what are other ones?

 

[creestoL]

Anyone else struggled with this decision. I've ruled out all other health professions although I did consider MD/DO for a while, but I'm down to these two. Why did you all choose pharmacy? And why might you persuade me to do one over the other? If I can't decide by the end of this year I may actually apply to both pharmacy and optometry schools.

Thank you.

I was down to opt and pharm also.... opt seemed fun and stuff.. but then i chose pharm over it and i'm goin to apply to pharm schools this year. reasons- pharm is more stable, there's so many different things you can do with a pharm d (retail, clinical, etc), pharmacy seems more broad whereas opt is so concentrated on only eye refraction, the field of pharmacy is very much its own and very well developed, plus u get to work with medicine! .. mm stuff like that yeah

 

[DownonthePharm]

How much experience do you have in both? I would really recommend shadowing both a pharmacist and an optometrist (preferably several of each) before you make up your mind. Are you reading the optometrist boards too??

 

[gsinccom]

thanks everyone. I've been on both the pre-opt and pre-pharm boards. I've been attracted to both careers cause the lifestyle seems preety decent (not as insane as MD/DO) and I think I'd enjoy them cause you aren't dealing with sick things and death on a daily basis but are still helping people with their health. So far I've been a bit more into pre-OD cause it seems like you have more freedom to own your own practice and more patient interaction and also you don't have to work as many nights/weekends. Pharm-D has attracted me cause of the stability(If I am going to work retail then retail pharmacy seems to have more benefits than retail Optometry) and cause of the diversity of jobs and the way the field is booming...I'm really interested that Pharm-Ds seem to be taking on some of the role of traditional family mds preventitive medicine work...anyone know if/when this will really happen? I've already shadowed optometrists and need to pharm-D soon. I do have quite a few friends/family members that are Pharm-Ds so that is one reason why I haven't shadowed any Pharmds yet.

Thanks for all your help and if you have a chance please respond some more and to my thread on lifestyle as well: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=265378

thanks again.

 

[meow004]

gsinccom, i've been on this road before. i was stuck between optometry and pharmacy for the longest time, and decided that i'll apply to both. maybe it was just me, but that was a lot of work and therefore, a bad choice at the end. my suggestion to you is to pick one and stick by it. that way, you'll be able to concentrate purely on that path. believe me, when it comes down to having to do applications for BOTH opt and pharm, you'll be overwhelmed (or that was how it was for me anyway :/).

 

[gsinccom]

gsinccom, i've been on this road before. i was stuck between optometry and pharmacy for the longest time, and decided that i'll apply to both. maybe it was just me, but that was a lot of work and therefore, a bad choice at the end. my suggestion to you is to pick one and stick by it. that way, you'll be able to concentrate purely on that path. believe me, when it comes down to having to do applications for BOTH opt and pharm, you'll be overwhelmed (or that was how it was for me anyway :/).

meow004,

thanks for your response.

I am preety sure I could get into pharm and opt school. My g.p.a. is above average and I just need to take the admissions tests which I think I'll do average or above on. I actually am thinking of just applying to one opt school and one pharm school (the two least expensive for me to attend), and think I'll get into them both but am not sure of course.

what did you decide and why? any more advice.

 

[ultracet]

they're so similar...

i can't imagine anyone who has not thought about this at one point or another...

 

[doublezero]

I was actually pre-opt for a couple of years, but I decided against it after working in an optometry practice for a year. It requires a certain level of manual dexterity that I just don't have (I'm soo uncoordinated and klutzy) and I think it's becoming more hands-on (e.g. new legislation will likely allow more optometrists to perform Lasik in the future). Pharmacy is also becoming more hands-on, but one thing I like about it is how many different areas of specialization there are to choose from.

 

[creestoL]

gsinccom, i've been on this road before. i was stuck between optometry and pharmacy for the longest time, and decided that i'll apply to both. maybe it was just me, but that was a lot of work and therefore, a bad choice at the end. my suggestion to you is to pick one and stick by it. that way, you'll be able to concentrate purely on that path. believe me, when it comes down to having to do applications for BOTH opt and pharm, you'll be overwhelmed (or that was how it was for me anyway :/).

wow u applied to both.. how'd that work out? just curious

 

[imprecious]

In choosing a profession, sometimes, what it comes down to is whether or not you can imagine your life without that career. My gen chem professor told me that during my freshman year. I didn't think that anyone could possibly love their profession that much. But as I progressed in my studies in the pre-pharmacy profession, academically and also as a pharm tech, I've learned to really enjoy and love the pharmacy profession. I know that 10 years from now, I won't wake up dreading to go to work. I'll know that for that day, I would hopefully be able to make a difference in one patient's life. To me, being a pharmacist is about compassion, sensitivity, and passion in the profession, in addition to the academic knowledge of course. Whatever field you decide to go into, think about why you are getting into it. The educational path to health professions are all rigorous. In the end, all you have left to motivate you is your passion for that career. Best wishes

 

[fidelio]

Well, there are only 17 optometry schools total, as opposed to Pharmacy, which has, well, much more than that.

I think knowing that more pharmacists were needed got me leaning towards this profession. I want to go where I'm wanted.

 

[gsinccom]

I was actually pre-opt for a couple of years, but I decided against it after working in an optometry practice for a year. It requires a certain level of manual dexterity that I just don't have (I'm soo uncoordinated and klutzy) and I think it's becoming more hands-on (e.g. new legislation will likely allow more optometrists to perform Lasik in the future). Pharmacy is also becoming more hands-on, but one thing I like about it is how many different areas of specialization there are to choose from.

thanks again everyone for all your comments: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=230639
I had some of the same concerns about manual dexterity. check out the thread above.
pill cutting requires some precision too. what other procedures in Pharm require manual dexterity? Aren't pharmicists giving vaccinations now?

thanks again.

 

[DownonthePharm]

thanks again everyone for all your comments: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=230639
I had some of the same concerns about manual dexterity. check out the thread above.
pill cutting requires some precision too. what other procedures in Pharm require manual dexterity? Aren't pharmicists giving vaccinations now?
thanks again.

Yes, some states are allowing pharmacists to vaccinate. As for other things requireing dexterity: Making sterile products does because you have to be able to work with your hands in the hood. Compounding does because of needing to be able to measure out small amounts....

But you can train your hands to do a lot of things so dont worry about it. No microsurgery in the pharmacists future yet.

 

[meow004]

yup both! lets jus say, it was double the work at the end, i made up my mind and chose pharmacy, for various reasons :]

 

[gsinccom]

yup both! lets jus say, it was double the work at the end, i made up my mind and chose pharmacy, for various reasons :]

what were those reasons? if you don't want to share here then PM me please.