Shadow or work at an eye center?

[preti9cboi]

Is it better to shadow a doctor or work at a clinic?

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[Ning]

Hey,

I would definitely try to work at the clinic. You can get experience and make money at the same time! I think the schools my like that better too. But you should also try shadowing at different types of practices, schools like to see that.

Ning-Ju

 

[rpames]

Work experience is much better. I would make sure that the place you get a job at knows you are not looking to just be a receptionist. Let them know that you would like to work more with patients in the exam rooms or be involved with pre-testing. Having direct "doctor-patient" contact would not only look good to the schools, it would really help you make sure this is what you want to do.

 

[RLK]

Work experience is much better. I would make sure that the place you get a job at knows you are not looking to just be a receptionist. Let them know that you would like to work more with patients in the exam rooms or be involved with pre-testing. Having direct "doctor-patient" contact would not only look good to the schools, it would really help you make sure this is what you want to do.

When you say a clinic, what do you mean? Do you just mean an optometrist's office or what exactly is a clinic?

 

[hoosier1]

I believe the clinic he was referring to was the optometric center.

 

[JennyJet]

I definitely would do work over just shadowing. When I did shadowing, I found the doctors did not have enough time to spend with you personally. It's not that they didn't want to. It's just the time really belongs to the patient and not you.

I've been working for an optometrist for over a year now. During that time I've learned a lot about insurance, how to recommend the best frames and lens materials, auto refraction, non contact tonometry, working with all types of patient personalities, contact lens insertion and removal, etc. Also, since I've been exposed to many patients, I've learned more about different eye conditions (dry eyes, glaucoma, macular degeneration, etc.) just by listening to the what the doctor tells the patients. I also believe that working for an optometrist will make me more confident when it comes time to see my first patient.

 

[r_salis]

Shadowing has its benefits, too -- it's a great way to get a look at many different modes of practice.

 

[RLK]

Shadowing has its benefits, too -- it's a great way to get a look at many different modes of practice.

I work at a pharmacy now because I was considering pharmacy as a backup plan. I have learned a lot about retail pharmacy because of where I work which is good. That's the only thing though bad about working somewhere instead of shadowing - you only learn about the type of business where you work.

If there's time, doing both may be helpful. Then you would get see all the different aspects of the profession as well as making some money at it too.

 

[aimeeee]

*sigh* those of you who have been able to find a job in an optometry office being able to work with an optometrist personally and working with the patients are so lucky. i've been looking but its kind of hard. im subscribed to so many job alerts thru email, but no such luck. i think im going to go to some nearby chains and ask if they're hiring and see what they have open. how did u guys manage to find those jobs? any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.



*EDIT* oops i just saw some other thread answering the questions im asking about. so never mind. thanks though!

 

[RLK]

An observation - Every optometrist office I've been to has only females working there. I don't imagine this is a rule, but is it possible for a guy like me to get a job at an optometrist's office or is it more likely to go to a woman?

 

[stompy]

An observation - Every optometrist office I've been to has only females working there. I don't imagine this is a rule, but is it possible for a guy like me to get a job at an optometrist's office or is it more likely to go to a woman?

I worked as an "intern" (it's how they justified themselves in paying me min wage at $6.75 in CA) at a private/group practice before. I felt like I got more attention from one particular OD (of four) there because I'm a male while the other interns were females.

Also, I volunteered at this OD's vision therapy private practice...I definately got more attention because I was the only male there (out of something like 10 or more pre-opt students)...For example, the OD remebers my name while mistaking or forgetting some of the names of the girls. His LOR got me pretty far. =)

On the flipside, it was hard for me to find a better paying job at a private practice. I haven't really tried commerical, however.

 

[PLPrincess]

An observation - Every optometrist office I've been to has only females working there. I don't imagine this is a rule, but is it possible for a guy like me to get a job at an optometrist's office or is it more likely to go to a woman?

In general I suppose that's true of any medical profession. MOst of my doctor's offices are filled with female receptionists, etc. The only males i've seen working in private optometric practices were the actuall optometrists, or the opticians. I think it's definitely possible for you to find a job in an office, especially in the optical section. I would definitely give it a shot.

 

[RLK]

I worked as an "intern" (it's how they justified themselves in paying me min wage at $6.75 in CA) at a private/group practice before. I felt like I got more attention from one particular OD (of four) there because I'm a male while the other interns were females.

Also, I volunteered at this OD's vision therapy private practice...I definately got more attention because I was the only male there (out of something like 10 or more pre-opt students)...For example, the OD remebers my name while mistaking or forgetting some of the names of the girls. His LOR got me pretty far. =)

On the flipside, it was hard for me to find a better paying job at a private practice. I haven't really tried commerical, however.

I'm gonna have to try to find something. I think I'm going to feel a little awkward going to an optometrist's office and ask if they're hiring. It's not quite the same as asking for a job application at wal-mart or something. I don't really care too much if the pay sucks. I work at a pharmacy now part time and the paychecks I get there are barely enough for a tank of gas. I just want some experience and want to do whatever might help me get into an optometry school.

 

[J.opt]

Also, I volunteered at this OD's vision therapy private practice...I definately got more attention because I was the only male there (out of something like 10 or more pre-opt students)...For example, the OD remebers my name while mistaking or forgetting some of the names of the girls. His LOR got me pretty far. =)

I shadowed a vision therapy practice last summer, and out of their 12 or so staff members, there was only one guy (an OD). Do men practice VT as much as women, or is it a “women’s field”?