Should I apply for Opt School?

[Haga]

I am very glad that I found this forum. Ive been debating where I should apply for optometry school next year. I am currently going to school, to become an Middle School Science Teacher, with plans on getting Education Admin as a Masters to become a Principal. Principal pay in my area is around 70k a year, with a month in the summer off. Health insurance is good, and they dont pay social security. I have all the classes almost complete to go to opt school, since my area of emphasis is Science.

I dont know which to do. I really like optometry, and thought of owning my own practice. But, I dont know which would be better in the long run

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[IceNine]

Interesting dilemma. Perhaps you should think in terms of which do you value most? 'Casue to me, what you got is a trade off between educating the youth of our future, or preserving and sustaining human health. Tough Decision. Both are rewarding professions, and come to think of it, you can't really ask which of the two you'd be better off with in the long run.

In the end, it comes down to what you picture yourself doing for the rest of your life. Optometry school is a very pricy decision. The best way would be to shadow both occupations, and talk to teachers/optometrists about the pros and cons of their jobs. That's pretty much how I narrowed down my decision. I was contemplating on becoming a science high school teacher, and so I taught some lessons, and became a T.A. and realized that it wasn't for me. I also shadowed an optometrist on/off for a year, and realized that it suited me more.

"Knowledge is nothing without experience."

 

[Haga]

Thanks for the reply.

Ive worked as a Science/Math Tutor, and I know what the teaching profession is all about. Its more paperwork than teaching. I think I would much rather be a Optometrist. I am more of a community-oriented person, and love interacting with people. But, reading through these forums have rattled my decision a little bit. They seem to say that ODs are struggling now, and have to take corperate jobs rather than private practices. Do private practice ODs even break 70k? Whatever I do, I want to make sure me and my family have a comfortable living, that is my primary concern. According to the Dept. of Bearu Stats and Labor, they report that ODs make over 114k in private practices, and on SCOs Website, they say 132k....

Also, I hear over population of ODs, and the competition by Opthamologist.

I dont know which is right, the people on the forum or the statistics?

 

[blazenmadison]

I dont know which is right, the people on the forum or the statistics?

The people on this forum...of course! Consider pharmacy...you make 90-100k easily WITH benefits.

Some ODs don't break 70k until they've established a huge patient base. Plus you're in tons of debt from tuition and purchasing a practice. The path to an OD isn't easy either. Boards...OATs...

I do have questions about your teaching career...
How many middle school principal vacanies are there? Wouldn't the school admin put someone with more experience as a teacher/vice principal than someone who just graduated from college? I'm just saying that it will take a few years to work up to the level of principal. Just like you would work up from 70k to maybe 90-100k as an OD. You really need to work/shadow an optometrist to make a decision.

 

[Haga]

Thanks for all the advice.....

To answer your question....you must have 3 years teaching experience, and a masters in Education Admin, to become a principal in my state....Becoming a Principal is a hard job to apply for.....


Shadowing is what I need to do, thanks for the help.

 

[Hines302]

There are positives and negatives to the OD profession... and too many times do the negatives come out on this bored and bot enough of the positives.

The average pharmacist can make 100K right out of school or more... the average OD closer to 80K. Here is the difference tho... a pharmacist is always going to be an employee. An experienced pharmacist makes about the same as a pharmacist right out of school. There is not much salary growth. On the other hand...if an OD chooses to open their own practice, they become their own boss, and their income has much more potential.

You best bet is to shadow and talk to RECENT optometry and pharmacy grads!

 

[carol_J]

As for experience...
I was wondering if it would be best to shadow an opt in a private or commercial business.

 

[pre-O.D.]

I personally would stay out of the education arena. I taught for three years, and do not regret my decision to leave education at all. I love working with children, but all the crap that comes along with it just doesn't make it worth it. If you thing optometrists are unsatisfied in their careers, you should talk to educators. 75% of the teachers quit the same year I did. If I were a principal I would hate to deal with replacing all the teachers that are leaving education. It is happening all over the country. I don't know where you live, but no principals that I know make 70k a year.

I think that in the end, it is all about the amount of research you do. Talk to a lot of people in each field and volunteer to get a real sense of what it is like. The more you educate yourself on each career, the easier the decision will be. Every career has it's own set of negatives and positives. It is essential for you to find out how much those negatives bother you and if you are willing to deal with them. If you are looking to make a decent living financially, I would steer clear of education, but that's just my experience.

Good luck!

 

[IceNine]

I personally would stay out of the education arena. I taught for three years, and do not regret my decision to leave education at all.

Its funny that you should mention that....during my interview at ICO the student that showed me around, had an education degree as well. And he taught for a year or so, and then quit his job to get into optometry...his reason being:
"Kids aren't the same as they used to be!"

 

[KHE]

I personally would stay out of the education arena. I taught for three years, and do not regret my decision to leave education at all. I love working with children, but all the crap that comes along with it just doesn't make it worth it. If you thing optometrists are unsatisfied in their careers, you should talk to educators. 75% of the teachers quit the same year I did. If I were a principal I would hate to deal with replacing all the teachers that are leaving education. It is happening all over the country. I don't know where you live, but no principals that I know make 70k a year.

I think that in the end, it is all about the amount of research you do. Talk to a lot of people in each field and volunteer to get a real sense of what it is like. The more you educate yourself on each career, the easier the decision will be. Every career has it's own set of negatives and positives. It is essential for you to find out how much those negatives bother you and if you are willing to deal with them. If you are looking to make a decent living financially, I would steer clear of education, but that's just my experience.

Good luck!

Interestingly enough, I left optometry to teach high school math and science and I make only marginally less teaching than I did as an OD though I am certified in three different areas and I live in a state that is known for higher teacher salaries.

 

[in_translation]

As for experience...
I was wondering if it would be best to shadow an opt in a private or commercial business.

Do both if you can, because then you get more than one view of the profession.

 

[JustTiff]

There are positives and negatives to the OD profession... and too many times do the negatives come out on this bored and bot enough of the positives.

The average pharmacist can make 100K right out of school or more... the average OD closer to 80K. Here is the difference tho... a pharmacist is always going to be an employee. An experienced pharmacist makes about the same as a pharmacist right out of school. There is not much salary growth. On the other hand...if an OD chooses to open their own practice, they become their own boss, and their income has much more potential.

You best bet is to shadow and talk to RECENT optometry and pharmacy grads!

Unless a pharmacist owns their own pharmacy. Then they are their own boss and they make even more money. That is the case with the pharmacist I start shadowing this week. Him and his wife own what used to be the local Medicine Shoppe and they are making their own hours and making way more then your typical pharmacists. This is a rare case, I'm sure, but the opportunity is there. Just an FYI.

 

[gochi]

I am very glad that I found this forum. Ive been debating where I should apply for optometry school next year. I am currently going to school, to become an Middle School Science Teacher, with plans on getting Education Admin as a Masters to become a Principal. Principal pay in my area is around 70k a year, with a month in the summer off. Health insurance is good, and they dont pay social security. I have all the classes almost complete to go to opt school, since my area of emphasis is Science.

I dont know which to do. I really like optometry, and thought of owning my own practice. But, I dont know which would be better in the long run

Consider the tuition.

Route 1: Get that master which will allow you to become a teacher. 6yrs=~40k

Route 2: Get the OD degree. 8yrs=200k+

If you are able to do math, then it would be difficult to choose route 1.