Pharmacy versus optometry

[iiiimonica]

Hello fellow pre healthers!

Over in the optometry forum some students have asked about the differences between pharmacy and optometry. I was hoping that a few of you kind pre-pharms would be willing to travel over to our forum and talk about what a pharmacist does all day (those of you who have experience in the field).

Optometry is thought of as a profession that spins dials all day, and phramacy is thought of a profession that counts pills all day. I know that both these generalizations are not true. So come on over and educate fellow pre-healthers.


Feel free to start a new thread - "Pharmacy from pre-pharm" or whateverr! We can get it stickied since there are many people who consider both.

Thanks soooo much

Monica

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[Apteka]

Hello fellow pre healthers!

Over in the optometry forum some students have asked about the differences between pharmacy and optometry. I was hoping that a few of you kind pre-pharms would be willing to travel over to our forum and talk about what a pharmacist does all day (those of you who have experience in the field).

Optometry is thought of as a profession that spins dials all day, and phramacy is thought of a profession that counts pills all day. I know that both these generalizations are not true. So come on over and educate fellow pre-healthers.


Feel free to start a new thread - "Pharmacy from pre-pharm" or whateverr! We can get it stickied since there are many people who consider both.

Thanks soooo much

Monica

Funny that you mention it b/c i considered both... i got scared when i saw the pre-optometry exam (a standardized test...)

Anyhoo, I am friends with a couple- he is the pharmacist and she's the optometrist, and it's interesting how similar, but different the fields are.
The optometrist is SO knowledgable about light/lenses and the physics of that type of stuff.
The pharmacist understands the anatomy/physiology of the eye and how certain drugs can treat various conditions of the eye. (Plus, he is up to date on the new meds that are coming out.)


Good luck deciding, and have fun researching!

 

[TrojanAnteater]

Hello fellow pre healthers!

Over in the optometry forum some students have asked about the differences between pharmacy and optometry. I was hoping that a few of you kind pre-pharms would be willing to travel over to our forum and talk about what a pharmacist does all day (those of you who have experience in the field).

Optometry is thought of as a profession that spins dials all day, and phramacy is thought of a profession that counts pills all day. I know that both these generalizations are not true. So come on over and educate fellow pre-healthers.


Feel free to start a new thread - "Pharmacy from pre-pharm" or whateverr! We can get it stickied since there are many people who consider both.

Thanks soooo much

Monica

Without knowing a whole lot about optometry, I would say that this comparison is very hard to do, considering the vast range of positions a pharm.D can get. Unless you just mean an optometrist vs. retail pharmacist.

 

[WVUPharm2007]

Welder vs. Pharmacist.

 

[damon]

Welder vs. Pharmacist.

It takes 6 years of college to become a welder? Yikes!

 

[Seveneighty]

It takes 6 years of college to become a welder? Yikes!

Actually, twice that. 12 years. The comparison is closer to Welder vs. Physician.

 

[damon]

Actually, twice that. 12 years. The comparison is closer to Welder vs. Physician.

Perhaps we should just make it
Welder vs. Sub-Specialty Surgeon

 

[WVUPharm2007]

Welder vs Pediatric Neurosurgeon

 

[ForcedEntry]

Welder vs. Pharmacist.

I would love to see you try and purge a nuclear chiller pipe.

 

[pharmwannebe2]

Actually, twice that. 12 years. The comparison is closer to Welder vs. Physician.

Oh gosh that is too many years of schooling for me.

 

[Chuckwalla]

I actually have the same debate going on. One of the things about optometry that really turned me off was that a very high percentage is self-employed and very few people are hiring optometrists. There are many many jobs for pharmacists. Not to mention optometrists will always come second to opthalmologists.

 

[Darvocet]

I actually have the same debate going on. One of the things about optometry that really turned me off was that a very high percentage is self-employed and very few people are hiring optometrists. There are many many jobs for pharmacists. Not to mention optometrists will always come second to opthalmologists.

opthalmologists are MDs. with that thinking you could just as easily say Pharmacists will always come second to physicians.

 

[Chuckwalla]

opthalmologists are MDs. with that thinking you could just as easily say Pharmacists will always come second to physicians.

I am well aware opthamologists are MDs. They do everything an optometrist does plus they do surgery. Pharmacists and physicians on the other hand do different things.

 

[Charles01]

I've talked to several Ph D. pharmacists (at pharmacy schools and other places) and they all say that the employability of pharmacists is amazing and is only going to get better.

I love the idea of this, because if I get a lousy position it won't be too hard to just pack up and leave after while.

Also, there's lots of scholarship money out there for pharmacy school. I've met several first year practicing pharmacists who, as a sign on bonus, get REAL help with paying off their student loans.

I was heavily thinking about optometry, but I'm too concerned about the employability issue and how ~80% of eye care profits come from selling eyeglasses, frames, contacts and such - which is what the millions of optical chains get - while the eyecare exams are ~20%.

There's a yahoo group called "optometrysucks" (that's what they named it not me ) that scared the bejesus out of me regarding optometry. It has all these testimonials about disgruntled o.d.'s. It's scary enough to make you never consider going to od school.

I've already abandoned one career (teaching), so I chose pharmacy over optometry because it seems to have a much brighter and stable future.