Why does the US want to destroy Optometry?

[q1we3]

---

Members don't see this ad.

So just received I letter from MCPHS which is Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. They are very pleased to launch their new OD program for fall 2012. Now these are direct quotes from the letter

"impressive earning trajectory"
"optometry job market expected to grow by 24 percent through 2018"
"annual income for self-employed optometrists was cited $175,329 in 2007 by AOA"

WHY? there is already NECO, this makes no sense

God help this profession because soon there will 30-40 optometry schools, graduates struggling to find work in most states. Entire US job market for ODs will be like California, NO FULL-TIME WORK!

 

[Jason K]

So just received I letter from MCPHS which is Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. They are very pleased to launch their new OD program for fall 2012. Now these are direct quotes from the letter

"impressive earning trajectory"
"optometry job market expected to grow by 24 percent through 2018"
"annual income for self-employed optometrists was cited $175,329 in 2007 by AOA"

WHY? there is already NECO, this makes no sense

God help this profession because soon there will 30-40 optometry schools, graduates struggling to find work in most states. Entire US job market for ODs will be like California, NO FULL-TIME WORK!

Yup. The new optometry schools are in it to make $$$ from hugely over-priced seats costing over 200K per student. The senior admin people like Leslie Walls, OD,MD are quick to advertise the school's "amazing opportunities" because he and others are being paid big salaries to push the school. The fact that most pre-optometry students on this site have no idea how bad the future will be given all of the of the unopposed forces that are driving optometry into the trash can is sad. There's going to be a lot of very unhappy ODs coming out of school - they just won't know it until it's too late, mostly because they buy into all the hype about how great optometry's future is. Optometry is heading in one direction and it's certainly not upward. Anyone who doesn't see that is in for a very big and very expensive surprise.

Like the old saying goes..."There's a sucker born every minute." As long as there are people who are willing to fork over the cash to buy an OD, there will be schools opening up to take their money. Like you said, God help this profession.

 

[q1we3]

Why are you even pre-optometry if you think optometry is not that good? I don't get why some people choose to bash on optometry when they aren't even in optometry school?

I have been accepted to top US optometry schools for fall 2012 with big scholarships. If I hated optometry I wouldn't have come this far but I do hate what is being done to this profession right now especially in US. I am Canadian so it does not affect me that much since I don't plan on practicing in US anyways. But, it makes me sad when I see how this profession is being flushed down the toilet with unnecessary new schools.

 

[q1we3]

So because you are sad, you decided to create a thread addressing something that you have no idea about? ....

What makes you think that you know that new schools are unnecessary?

Have you even been to the US for more than a week and actually worked here?



I really find it funny that a person from Canada is judging American Optometry...and what is more funny is that they are a pre-optometry student.

You are right, there seems to be shortage of Optometrists in US. I agree with you, more optometry schools are needed ESPECIALLY IN STATES WHICH ALREADY HAVE SCHOOLS. You win and I lose 🙂. I will make no further argument with you.

 

[blazenmadison]

Eliminate all those non-TPA/glaucoma refractionist doctors. I hate the way board certification was rammed through the AOA, but I understand the purpose of it now.

 

[Jason K]

Eliminate all those non-TPA/glaucoma refractionist doctors. I hate the way board certification was rammed through the AOA, but I understand the purpose of it now.

I really don't think this is the reason for the BC nonsense. As with most of the crap that's falling on optometry these days (and in the past), it's all about $$. There is a TON of money to be made of the backs of ODs if they have to shell out cash for BC. The ABO was born with no other purpose than to collect money from ODs who are desperate to make themselves valuable to someone. The BC attempt by the AOA/ABO was an embarrassing fail. As far as getting rid of non-TPA ODs - think about all the TPA certified ODs practicing in settings in which they never use or rarely use TPAs. There's thousands of them out there.

It's not about anything related to health care; it's really about the AOA realizing they're going to have to get money from ODs somehow. They're not getting it from dues (since more and more ODs are deciding they're getting screwed). It's about taking money from the OD's pockets and placing it into the hands of the AOA via the newly minted ABO.

 

[thecgrblue]

I have been accepted to top US optometry schools for fall 2012 with big scholarships. If I hated optometry I wouldn't have come this far but I do hate what is being done to this profession right now especially in US. I am Canadian so it does not affect me that much since I don't plan on practicing in US anyways. But, it makes me sad when I see how this profession is being flushed down the toilet with unnecessary new schools.

I agree with what you're saying about more programs, but I've gotta stop you at your first sentence. There aren't any true rankings and such a statement isn't much more than anecdotal.

Also, if you're from Canada and coming to the USA for school then planning on heading back up north afterwards this is going to have an impact on you. I highly doubt you'll be the last to ever do so.

 

[thecgrblue]

I really don't think this is the reason for the BC nonsense. As with most of the crap that's falling on optometry these days (and in the past), it's all about $$. There is a TON of money to be made of the backs of ODs if they have to shell out cash for BC. The ABO was born with no other purpose than to collect money from ODs who are desperate to make themselves valuable to someone. The BC attempt by the AOA/ABO was an embarrassing fail. As far as getting rid of non-TPA ODs - think about all the TPA certified ODs practicing in settings in which they never use or rarely use TPAs. There's thousands of them out there.

It's not about anything related to health care; it's really about the AOA realizing they're going to have to get money from ODs somehow. They're not getting it from dues (since more and more ODs are deciding they're getting screwed). It's about taking money from the OD's pockets and placing it into the hands of the AOA via the newly minted ABO.

What were they hoping to accomplish with BC? Have you heard of any docs going through with it? To me it seemed like a tool to push towards mandatory residencies (aside from also just banking more $).

 

[Jason K]

"why does US want to destroy optometry"

What the heck does that even mean? And really, is one school, mass or even a couple of schools going to "Destroy" optometry?

Yes, it can. There aren't one or two new schools. It's more like 5 or 6 added to the 17 in place a few years ago. And 5 or 6 new schools added to an already massively oversupplied nation can most definitely help to "destroy" optometry.

I think its the people in the profession who will have a lasting effect, like khe for example...not the schools etc. Maybe, its people like you who shouldn't be in the profession....why are you even wanting to do optometry if you think "the US will destroy optometry"??? I mean, that sounds pretty crazy to me.

You've clearly bought into the nonsense put out by the AOA and schools. You're right where they want you. As far as new grads coming out of school in the future, thousands of you will be fighting over a few golden tickets on the floor in the middle of the playing field. A few of you will get one of those tickets, the rest will end up with a consolation prize called commercial optometry. It's going to be a long way down to the bottom. Enjoy the ride - you'll have plenty of company. And when you get there, don't forget that someone did try to warn you.

 

[Jonbrout]

That's what I thought...you're just producing random facts of your own about optometry etc...it's just stupid.

"why does US want to destroy optometry"

What the heck does that even mean? And really, is one school, mass or even a couple of schools going to "Destroy" optometry?

I think its the people in the profession who will have a lasting effect, like khe for example...not the schools etc. Maybe, its people like you who shouldn't be in the profession....why are you even wanting to do optometry if you think "the US will destroy optometry"??? I mean, that sounds pretty crazy to me.

I'm really not sure if you're trolling or not. If not...you seem pretty clueless.