VAHC RESIDENCY

[kingkay]

I am about to begin interviewing at VAs for residencies all over the United States. If anyone has done a residency at a VA please let me know where you did it and the pros/cons.
I did one of my externships at a VA hospital and absolutely loved it!

If you work at a VA hospital currently as an optometrist what are your pros and cons??

I have a few job offers and am a little overwhelmed so any advice would be appreciated

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[UnicornOpt]

Glad you loved it. I did not like my externship.

 

[Ryan_eyeball]

I absolutely loved my VA externship as it was interesting and rewarding. As an outsider looking at a full time VA position some pro's/cons I could observe.

1) Job security with salary, retirement, and health insurance
2) No scheduling or insurance billing/hassles
3) Complete health record in the VA medical system
4) No contact lens patients (100% a pro for me) unless it's changed since 2006
5) No pediatric (pro/con). Personally I like kids

Cons:
1) Very busy (could be a pro?)
2) No Pediatric patients nor CL patients
3) Little control over your schedule per day
4) Mostly a male population patient base your examining
5) Lower starting salary vs private practice but I think this balances itself with pension