Optometry career information

[Stick]

After seeking advice from a lot of medical professionals and careers staff I've been told that a career in health science other than medicine should be considered due to the obvious problems with the current medical pathway in Australia. So, that basically leaves: Dentistry, Optometry, Pharmacy and Physiotherapy, and out of those four, I think optometry is the most interesting. From doing my own research, however, it seems that there is a very big oversupply of optometry graduates and consequently a shortage of jobs, despite a very promising income. I guess I just wanted to verify if this was true or not - it probably won't affect my decision very much because I find all of these health science careers quite interesting, and I'm still leaning towards medicine anyway.

[paulsterio]

Do what you love doing, whether you'll get a job or not, that matter will resolve itself, same with pay.

There are many things money can't buy and one of them is satisfaction - doing what you love and want to do.

[Stick]

Yes, I hear your sentiment and believe me, I definitely cannot do something I won't enjoy. Ask my friends - I did 4 work experiences in Year 10 and I plan to do even more to make sure I get into the right career. But I just need the hard facts so that I can begin to come to terms with them. ^^

[paulsterio]

Well if it helps, I wear glasses so I go to my optometrist every year to get new lenses (and a new frame if my ones break) and she usually has a stable influx of customers.

While I won't say that she's busy like a dentist or a doctor, I'd say that she earns above average, she also drives a decent, new car, not a top of the line, expensive car, but a reasonably good one, so I guess she's pretty well off.

[Jenny_2108]

After seeking advice from a lot of medical professionals and careers staff I've been told that a career in health science other than medicine should be considered due to the obvious problems with the current medical pathway in Australia. So, that basically leaves: Dentistry, Optometry, Pharmacy and Physiotherapy, and out of those four, I think optometry is the most interesting. From doing my own research, however, it seems that there is a very big oversupply of optometry graduates and consequently a shortage of jobs, despite a very promising income. I guess I just wanted to verify if this was true or not - it probably won't affect my decision very much because I find all of these health science careers quite interesting, and I'm still leaning towards medicine anyway.

I thought pharmacy was oversupply too? Anyways, everything is gonna change in the future!

[Stick]

I also find pharmacy quite interesting, Jenny, but yeah, I've heard there are way too many graduates coming out and consequently employment and earnings are quite poor. It's still an option for me, because I really enjoy Chemistry at school. Physiotherapy has never really interested me at all, and I did a work experience with a Dentist and I don't think I could work in people's mouths.

[paulsterio]

Pharmacy probably involves mixing drugs and talking to patients moreso than any chemistry, if you're interested in chemistry, you should go into pharmaceutical engineering, pharmaceutical science or pharmacology.

[Jenny_2108]

I also find pharmacy quite interesting, Jenny, but yeah, I've heard there are way too many graduates coming out and consequently employment and earnings are quite poor. It's still an option for me, because I really enjoy Chemistry at school. Physiotherapy has never really interested me at all, and I did a work experience with a Dentist and I don't think I could work in people's mouths.

Same here, I like Chem and hate becoming a dentist as well I hope when we graduate, everything will be better than now.

Pharmacy probably involves mixing drugs and talking to patients moreso than any chemistry, if you're interested in chemistry, you should go into pharmaceutical engineering, pharmaceutical science or pharmacology.

Yeah, if you like chem, you can do bachelor of pharmaceutial science at Monash. Its cool though except staying in the lab whole day, I cant bear with it

[paulsterio]

It doesn't have to be all lab work, there's job prospects out of the lab as well

[Stick]

OK, some very helpful information here, but other than Paul's anecdotal contribution, I don't have any answers to my questions. ^^

[pi]

After seeking advice from a lot of medical professionals and careers staff I've been told that a career in health science other than medicine should be considered due to the obvious problems with the current medical pathway in Australia. So, that basically leaves: Dentistry, Optometry, Pharmacy and Physiotherapy, and out of those four, I think optometry is the most interesting. From doing my own research, however, it seems that there is a very big oversupply of optometry graduates and consequently a shortage of jobs, despite a very promising income. I guess I just wanted to verify if this was true or not - it probably won't affect my decision very much because I find all of these health science careers quite interesting, and I'm still leaning towards medicine anyway.

From what I've heard, Pharm has much bigger problems than med does currently

[Starlight]

I was talking to a few optometry students at melb uni at the start of semester and they said they hated it :S

I don't remember why that was the case though.

[Stick]

Bump? :3

[WINGARDIUM]

My methods tutor is currently doing his Masters of Optom at melb uni and loves it! The course certainly does sound really interesting 

With the oversupply issue I'm pretty sure Deakin's optom course is funded by specsavers and hence offers contracts to their graduates - not sure about future job prospects etc but we do have an ageing population!

[mystikal]

it depends what you wanna do, I orignally wanted to do optom as well but i thought going through the uni of melb method wasnt worth it since it wasnt guranteed and the timeframe was just too long. deakin is interesting but it wasnt offered during my year. 

I also found out the cliche' of working as optometrist wore out pretty fast, as it is very monotonous and if you work for a commercial store (franchises) it gets to the point where your appointments are really short and half the time is wasted trying to sell specs instead of getting to know your patients.

At the moment the situation is fine, you will not have a problem finding a job as more and more stores are opening. Pay is decent as well. It is not as bad as pharmacy since there is more monopoly with that situation.

If you want more clinical i suggest studying as an orthoptist (mini optometrist) at latrobe and then go into UoM postgard or study ophthalmologist via medicine