Suggestions on how to land a job?

[thecgrblue]

---

Members do not see this ad.

This is posed towards the O.D.s on the board. Any wisdom you gained from looking for that first job?

*Note*- no sarcastic crap is needed...I know a fair amount may say, "You're going to end up at Wal-Mart anyway, so just drop off your app after you pick up some fried chicken at the deli"

I'm not accepting that as my fate and would appreciate any advice so I can be the most competitive new-grad I can be when it comes time.

 

[KHE]

This is posed towards the O.D.s on the board. Any wisdom you gained from looking for that first job?

In retrospect, I probably shouldn't have taken the first job I was offered. It was a poor fit. lol.

I'm not accepting that as my fate and would appreciate any advice so I can be the most competitive new-grad I can be when it comes time.

I think you need to have an idea on the job you want. The skills needed in a situation like a VA for instance are different than in a private practice or in an opthalmologists office.

At the end of the day however, I think that the way to approach this is the same as for any job....whether it's medicine, or the business world, or selling toys at Toys R Us. Ask yourself:
"How can I use my skills to make money for these people?"

Because that's what it's all about in most cases. What can you do to make money for people? Understand that most private practices are not in a situation where they need someone to come in on a full time basis and do more of the same thing they are already doing. Sometimes that's the case but usually not. You need to do something different.

 

[Tippytoe]

In retrospect, I probably shouldn't have taken the first job I was offered. It was a poor fit. lol.



I think you need to have an idea on the job you want. The skills needed in a situation like a VA for instance are different than in a private practice or in an opthalmologists office.

At the end of the day however, I think that the way to approach this is the same as for any job....whether it's medicine, or the business world, or selling toys at Toys R Us. Ask yourself:
"How can I use my skills to make money for these people?"

Because that's what it's all about in most cases. What can you do to make money for people? Understand that most private practices are not in a situation where they need someone to come in on a full time basis and do more of the same thing they are already doing. Sometimes that's the case but usually not. You need to do something different.

Good advice. But in reality, there is nothing different anyone can do in an optometry practice. Vision therapy, low vision........maybe. But this stuff really isn't a money-maker (at least not much of one) which is why the current OD isn't already offering it.

Now maybe you can find 100 year old OD that isn't therapeautically certified and start treating his glaucoma and doing some visual field testing (after you buy your own VF). Or perhaps you can offer an ophthalmologist something he isn't doing like doing tough contact lens fits but know you will also be his refractionist/post-op boy.

So to the original poster, I found the absolute best thing I did was to start my own practice before I became too entrenched in making money commercially or at another private practice. From what I have seen, it's just very difficult to go from a $80,000 Walmart (or where ever) salary to $20,000 while starting your own office. It's best to continue to live as a student as you gradually gain income.

You can do a residency but in reality, it won't mean much. It might help you land a teaching job at one of the OD mills.....errr, I mean schools 🙂 Not worth the loss of income or time in my opinion. You can get plenty of experience filling in part-time at busy practices along the way (OMDs usually).

The only other advice I can offer is to try to find that 1 or 2 places left in the U.S. that may need another eye care provider.

 

[IandI]

Good advice. But in reality, there is nothing different anyone can do in an optometry practice. Vision therapy, low vision........maybe. But this stuff really isn't a money-maker (at least not much of one) which is why the current OD isn't already offering it.

Now maybe you can find 100 year old OD that isn't therapeautically certified and start treating his glaucoma and doing some visual field testing (after you buy your own VF). Or perhaps you can offer an ophthalmologist something he isn't doing like doing tough contact lens fits but know you will also be his refractionist/post-op boy.

So to the original poster, I found the absolute best thing I did was to start my own practice before I became too entrenched in making money commercially or at another private practice. From what I have seen, it's just very difficult to go from a $80,000 Walmart (or where ever) salary to $20,000 while starting your own office. It's best to continue to live as a student as you gradually gain income.

You can do a residency but in reality, it won't mean much. It might help you land a teaching job at one of the OD mills.....errr, I mean schools 🙂 Not worth the loss of income or time in my opinion. You can get plenty of experience filling in part-time at busy practices along the way (OMDs usually).

The only other advice I can offer is to try to find that 1 or 2 places left in the U.S. that may need another eye care provider.

If you were a recent grad and wanted to start your own practice, do you think it makes sense to partner with another recent grad and try to build it together ? Share the start up cost and put the time in it takes to get it going, maybe working part time elsewhere so that one of you can always be around.

 

[KHE]

Good advice. But in reality, there is nothing different anyone can do in an optometry practice. Vision therapy, low vision........maybe. But this stuff really isn't a money-maker (at least not much of one) which is why the current OD isn't already offering it.

Now maybe you can find 100 year old OD that isn't therapeautically certified and start treating his glaucoma and doing some visual field testing (after you buy your own VF). Or perhaps you can offer an ophthalmologist something he isn't doing like doing tough contact lens fits but know you will also be his refractionist/post-op boy.

The only other advice I can offer is to try to find that 1 or 2 places left in the U.S. that may need another eye care provider.

I'm not necissarily talking about VT or Low Vision, the standard non money makers get thrown out there.

For example, if perhaps the practice doesn't see kids under a certain age. Perhaps the doc doesn't like seeing seniors. Perhaps the seniordoc is very formal and very stuffy and you can be the fun, cool, young doc.

Perhaps the seniordoc is a old hippie who wears flip flops in the exam room and you can be the more buttoned down, conservative doc.

Perhaps the practice has zero online presence and a young doctor who is more comfortable with computers can explore e-marketing for a practice.

Perhaps the young doctor speaks another language.

 

[KHE]

If you were a recent grad and wanted to start your own practice, do you think it makes sense to partner with another recent grad and try to build it together ? Share the start up cost and put the time in it takes to get it going, maybe working part time elsewhere so that one of you can always be around.

I think that's a very dangerous thing that has to planned for very very carefully.

While the idea of sharing expenses sounds great in theory, in reality a cold start up is not going to be able to generate income for one doctor, let alone two. If either of you is going to depend on the income of the cold start in any way, you're likely to have a situation where you can breed a lot of resentment really quickly.

 

[Tippytoe]

I'm not necissarily talking about VT or Low Vision, the standard non money makers get thrown out there.

For example, if perhaps the practice doesn't see kids under a certain age. Perhaps the doc doesn't like seeing seniors. Perhaps the seniordoc is very formal and very stuffy and you can be the fun, cool, young doc.

Perhaps the seniordoc is a old hippie who wears flip flops in the exam room and you can be the more buttoned down, conservative doc.

Perhaps the practice has zero online presence and a young doctor who is more comfortable with computers can explore e-marketing for a practice.

Perhaps the young doctor speaks another language.

Yea, I see what you're getting at. Personally, I don't know of any ODs that do not see kids, or older adults or any warm body that has insurance or a credit card. I"m sure they are out there but most I have spoken with (around the country on the w.w.w.) are much too under-utilized to even think about not seeing any particular patient demographic. But like I say, they are probably out there.

Not sure about the hippie vs conservative thing. Most patients find a practice nowadays based on an insurance list and they probably don't really care if the doc has dreadlocks and a nose ring or wears a tuxedo at work. Again this proabably matters if you are in an very upscale community or in San Francisco.

But as a general rule, I think what you are saying would require just as much work for a new OD than just starting their own practice (where they make 100% of the rules and mistakes).

 

[thecgrblue]

Perhaps the young doctor speaks another language.

Along those lines, do you know any doc that knows ASL (sign language) and finds a good niche with that?

If you need someone for your strictly Italian speaking patients call me up in 4 years. 🙁 only thing I use it for now is impressing waitresses at Olive Garden.

 

[KHE]

Along those lines, do you know any doc that knows ASL (sign language) and finds a good niche with that?

If you need someone for your strictly Italian speaking patients call me up in 4 years. 🙁 only thing I use it for now is impressing waitresses at Olive Garden.

I speak Italian quite well at the Olive Garden. They are always impressed when I order the pasta ***-ee-oli.

*edit* well I guess the word f-a-g is censored. lmao. I wasn't trying to be homophobic. I was trying to order soup.

 

[q1we3]

Perhaps the young doctor speaks another language.

Being able to speak another language is a huge advantage especially if the city has huge immigrant population. I can speak and understand three different language and plan on practicing where I can put these to good use. Where I live there is huge population of east indian community and many of them have a language barrier so unless so can speak their language they will never come to you. KHE does your city have lot of people from India, Pakistan, Iran etc. If it does then hire me in 4 years. lol.

 

[KHE]

Being able to speak another language is a huge advantage especially if the city has huge immigrant population. I can speak and understand three different language and plan on practicing where I can put these to good use. Where I live there is huge population of east indian community and many of them have a language barrier so unless so can speak their language they will never come to you. KHE does your city have lot of people from India, Pakistan, Iran etc. If it does then hire me in 4 years. lol.

The town where my practice is is mostly white middle of the road socio-economically. We have a small hispanic and african american population.

It's kind of a strange town because the town to our west is very afflurnt, the town to our north is quite poor, and ours is right in the middle. Not much demand for foreign language other than Spanish and a teeny bit of Polish.

 

[Shnurek]

Yup

 

[q1we3]

Oh, I speak Polish and Spanish hire meee lol

looks like you are all set! Might as well start negotiating a 6 figure salary.

 

[Shnurek]

looks like you are all set! Might as well start negotiating a 6 figure salary.

 

[CL Doc]

Oh, I speak Polish and Spanish hire meee lol

You're always talking about how you are going rural, maybe you should learn to speak redneck.

 

[Shnurek]

You're always talking about how you are going rural, maybe you should learn to speak redneck.

Derogatory Doc, classy.

 

[CL Doc]

Derogatory Doc, classy.

Apparently you thought I was trying to be funny. If you don't know what a Saturday night at the Grange is like, then you and I have different ideas about what rural practice is. I know, I grew up and have practiced in the sticks.

Besides, I think the OP was looking for advice from practicing ODs.

thecgrblue... My best advice is to start networking with Drs in the area where you want to practice. Attend local society meetings and let people know you want to practice there.