Feeling like a PROSTITUTE

Bootcamp for OAT
This forum made possible through the generous support of
SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.
Tasteestuff said:
Woww. Unbelievable...

I have a close friend who is an Ophthalmology resident and he once told me that he needed some extra income and decided to moonlight at Walmart and PearleVision. (He was paid $600 at Walmart and $550 at Pearle)

He came back from those offices and complained to me that he felt like a 'Prostitute'. I could not believe what he was saying since I have many friends (from my class) who are currently working for those commercial stores. I thought he was disrespecting our profession and I serioulsy felt upset about it until......

I filled in for a friend at Walmart and Sam's Club. Wow.. What an experience.. I did feel like I was a 'PROSTITUTE'. That is not what my profession was supposed to be. Patients attitude said it all. They came in with the same attitude as entering the Nail/Hair Salon next door. Their attitude was "Can you quickly rotate some dials and give me a new pair of glasses??" Holy $$$hhhiiiittt.. :mad: Dammmnn it..

Please.. Let's not lower the standard of our profession any more.. Please don't take those idiotic positions. Let's go back to our roots and re-introduce what our profession was and what it is supposed to be: "A DOCTOR'S OFFICE"

If you want to be called a 'Doctor', please... work/live like one. You will never see a MD, DO, DDS setting up an office at Walmart, what the hell are we doing?

In addition to "Free exam with purchase of glasses", "$19.99 for an eye exam if you purchase glasses." WTF !!! While Medicare reimburses roughly $130 for comprehensive eye exam, some loser/Bozo fuc#$%ing idiot charges $20 if you purchase glasses from him..

I am just getting so 'mad' with where our profession is going. How do you call yourself a doctor if 'my medical/optometric exam is free if you buy glasses from me'. What a *****..

Sorry for my crazy RANT
Click to expand...

What a nice and controversial thread. Interesting point about the prices the MD fellow was paid: 600 at walmart and 550 at pearle. Seems a bit high.
Members don't see this ad.
 
Members don't see this ad :)
Haha, I love when old threads get revived. I don't notice until I read something that doesn't sound quite right, and then I finally figure it out.

But anyway, I'm going to go cry in a corner now since I still don't have a job. :oops:
 
4Eyes said:
Haha, I love when old threads get revived. I don't notice until I read something that doesn't sound quite right, and then I finally figure it out.

But anyway, I'm going to go cry in a corner now since I still don't have a job. :oops:
Click to expand...

If you don't mind living by the ocean, I may have a job for you!
 
Well greetings everyone on this forum. I have been reading posts here from the OAT tips, interviews (I am going to three interviews next month), and finance the education. I realized that this is slightly off the topic, but since there are lots of informative answers in this thread, I am hoping to get some response :p

from what I understand, most OD students borrow loans to pay for tuition, and with 100k-150k in debt, it's hard for a newly grad to do what he wants and shift focus on the repayments. That being said, I am sure people have thought about the military/government scholarship program (?).

What is your take on that? I have heard many of my medical friends talking about this option, and so far the answers have been pretty extreme. I haven't seen a whole lot of discussion on this topic for optometry students (and maybe there's a reason why), and I would like to hear people's opinion. One of the things (seems to me) that's nice about the program (besides the monetary rewards) is that you have more training in the military/government hospital/clinic because you have exposure to very sick people (although pathology is the same everywhere---like my boss said), and they teach you how to treat these patients (but I am sure that you can probably get as good of a training/experience if you work in pathology settings long enough). And you don't have to worry about landing a job after graduation, and it looks like when you receive your professional training from the military, it carries more weight (?)---please correct me if I am wrong.

I am just a newbie in the field who is trying to figure out her game plan :) Thanks for all the responses in advance, appreciated it :)
 
I don't understand what people are talking about when they say that eye exams are "free" at corporate locations. I work in corporate as a Certified Optician in Alabama and believe me, the exams are NOT free. Here in Alabama, we are begging for OD's and there is a lot of opportunity and money to be made here. The only place that I know that advertises free exams is America's Best, but the OD still gets paid by the corporation, right?? I hope so. If he/she doesn't get paid, then he/she is STUPID. OD's shouldn't be criticizing other OD's like they do. As long as you treat your patients good and give them the care that they expect and deserve, then it shouldn't matter where you practice.
 
Senorwes1 said:
I don't understand what people are talking about when they say that eye exams are "free" at corporate locations. I work in corporate as a Certified Optician in Alabama and believe me, the exams are NOT free. Here in Alabama, we are begging for OD's and there is a lot of opportunity and money to be made here. The only place that I know that advertises free exams is America's Best, but the OD still gets paid by the corporation, right?? I hope so. If he/she doesn't get paid, then he/she is STUPID. OD's shouldn't be criticizing other OD's like they do. As long as you treat your patients good and give them the care that they expect and deserve, then it shouldn't matter where you practice.
Click to expand...

Of course the docs get paid, one way of the other. It's the image problem that is created when people see "free exams" or $29 eye exams that you should worry about.
 
eyepoker said:
Well greetings everyone on this forum. I have been reading posts here from the OAT tips, interviews (I am going to three interviews next month), and finance the education. I realized that this is slightly off the topic, but since there are lots of informative answers in this thread, I am hoping to get some response :p

from what I understand, most OD students borrow loans to pay for tuition, and with 100k-150k in debt, it's hard for a newly grad to do what he wants and shift focus on the repayments. That being said, I am sure people have thought about the military/government scholarship program (?).

What is your take on that? I have heard many of my medical friends talking about this option, and so far the answers have been pretty extreme. I haven't seen a whole lot of discussion on this topic for optometry students (and maybe there's a reason why), and I would like to hear people's opinion. One of the things (seems to me) that's nice about the program (besides the monetary rewards) is that you have more training in the military/government hospital/clinic because you have exposure to very sick people (although pathology is the same everywhere---like my boss said), and they teach you how to treat these patients (but I am sure that you can probably get as good of a training/experience if you work in pathology settings long enough). And you don't have to worry about landing a job after graduation, and it looks like when you receive your professional training from the military, it carries more weight (?)---please correct me if I am wrong.

I am just a newbie in the field who is trying to figure out her game plan :) Thanks for all the responses in advance, appreciated it :)
Click to expand...

The navy screwed myself and a few other ODs out of $90K of "promised" student loan money. I got nada, zilch, nothing...I think that's really all I need to say.
 
eyestrain said:
This thread is 2.5 years old. WTF?
Click to expand...

omg, if the problems the OP mentioned occured 2.5 year's ago then how bad is it gotten since ? How bad will it be in the next 10 years ? Any logical predictions doc's ?
 
Members don't see this ad :)
gochi said:
omg, if the problems the OP mentioned occured 2.5 year's ago then how bad is it gotten since ? How bad will it be in the next 10 years ? Any logical predictions doc's ?
Click to expand...


Yeah, it will be exactly the same.
 
gochi said:
omg, if the problems the OP mentioned occured 2.5 year's ago then how bad is it gotten since ? How bad will it be in the next 10 years ? Any logical predictions doc's ?
Click to expand...

Had there been online optometry message boards in 1988 you know what ODs would be posting? The exact same **** they are in 2008. Ah, if only we had the technology then I could dig up an archive that would say..."Egad everybody get the hell out now, we're all going to be doomed by the turn of the century." But we're still standing and much stronger than 20 years ago aren't we?

Let's take a moment and be honest with ourselves. The problems that many ODs complain about are no doubt true and even the most naive of people cannot deny that. Unfortunately, most of the current issues are exaggerated to a degree that gives an inaccurate perception of reality. For every 1 OD that's pissed at the world you're going to find hundreds of others that couldn't be happier. This is true of any career.

Another things to take into consideration is that ODs think that their problems are so super unique. Guess what...they aren't. Do you honestly think that general physicians, lawyers, accountants, teachers, and the guy that owns the deli shop down the street doesn't have a list of grievances just as long as yours that may have complaints of, but not limited to:
1. commercialization
2. oversupply
3. unfairness/discrimination of some kind

The point I'm trying to make is that too many times people are blaming the profession itself for their unhappiness or lack of success when in reality it's just themselves and/or the side effects of the American economy.
 
Yeah, screw the negativity. Its good that OD's report and whatnot, but its all relative and maybe an anecdote...

It makes sense that things will be the same in 10 years, though if 10 schools open up in the next 10 years, will things still be the same ?

Just a question...who makes the decision of opening up a new school etc. ? Is it only a prime source or are there external sources such as the AOA besides the people that give accreditation to the school? If so, why don't they just prevent additional schools from opening if the problems that OD's report are true ? I'm sure they know the dynamics of supply and demand, if not.....well what can I say that matters.
 
gochi said:
Yeah, screw the negativity. Its good that OD's report and whatnot, but its all relative and maybe an anecdote...

It makes sense that things will be the same in 10 years, though if 10 schools open up in the next 10 years, will things still be the same ?

Just a question...who makes the decision of opening up a new school etc. ? Is it only a prime source or are there external sources such as the AOA besides the people that give accreditation to the school? If so, why don't they just prevent additional schools from opening if the problems that OD's report are true ? I'm sure they know the dynamics of supply and demand, if not.....well what can I say that matters.
Click to expand...


All the new schools are opening for one reason: profit. They are all private schools with $$ as motivation. They don't care about the success of ODs as long as they get the tuition money.

As long as they meet accrediting standards no one can stop them from opening as a private school. That AOA is paralized from Anti-Trust.
 
IndianaOD said:
All the new schools are opening for one reason: profit. They are all private schools with $$ as motivation. They don't care about the success of ODs as long as they get the tuition money.

As long as they meet accrediting standards no one can stop them from opening as a private school. That AOA is paralized from Anti-Trust.
Click to expand...

That's not right- all professional schools should undergo a voting of some sort by all the professionals in that state...but if that were the case then I guess no schools would ever open :)

But why profit from optometry ? Why not audiology, physical therapy etc...
 
gochi said:
That's not right- all professional schools should undergo a voting of some sort by all the professionals in that state...but if that were the case then I guess no schools would ever open :)

But why profit from optometry ? Why not audiology, physical therapy etc...
Click to expand...


Why not DENTISTRY?
 
gochi said:
But why profit from optometry ? Why not audiology, physical therapy etc...
Click to expand...

Because our own association does everything in it's power to create the illusion that optometry is the career of the future. They assert that there is a vast undersupply of ODs and our average income is $250K (my personal opinion is that the average is more like $150K). Hell, who wouldn't want to be a part of that?

Don't get me wrong, I'm happy as an OD and I really couldn't see myself doing anything else but I don't think we are underserved and this has the potential to be very harmful to optometry by virtue of flooding the market with unneeded ODs that will be forced to take terrible jobs by virtue of the folks doing the hiring being able to hire the lowest bidder.
 
That's what I also thought...

Where does AOA get its funding from besides the schools ? Aren't there AOA members, such as OD's contributing to the AOA, and if so why dont they just ALL stop ?

Wouldn't that deliver a stimulating message ? Sure there will be harm done to the current doc's but I guess you gotta sacrifice something in order to gain something, which in this case is the non-development of additional schools and the removal of lies concerning salary.

With no extreme knowledge of the history of Optometry, it seems as if the doc's who worked so hard to build this profession are currently building it's grave.
 
WOW!!! I can honestly say I'm shocked from reading this entire post!!! :eek:

.... this thread is 2.5 years old and I as a 3rd yr pre-opt student am bearly reading it :eek:

I had an idea of what a career in optometry might be like, but ..... let just say after reading this I am seriously SHOCKED!!! it is just so negative .....
 
Tasteestuff said:
Woww. Unbelievable...

I have a close friend who is an Ophthalmology resident and he once told me that he needed some extra income and decided to moonlight at Walmart and PearleVision. (He was paid $600 at Walmart and $550 at Pearle)

He came back from those offices and complained to me that he felt like a 'Prostitute'. I could not believe what he was saying since I have many friends (from my class) who are currently working for those commercial stores. I thought he was disrespecting our profession and I serioulsy felt upset about it until......

I filled in for a friend at Walmart and Sam's Club. Wow.. What an experience.. I did feel like I was a 'PROSTITUTE'. That is not what my profession was supposed to be. Patients attitude said it all. They came in with the same attitude as entering the Nail/Hair Salon next door. Their attitude was "Can you quickly rotate some dials and give me a new pair of glasses??" Holy $$$hhhiiiittt.. :mad: Dammmnn it..

Please.. Let's not lower the standard of our profession any more.. Please don't take those idiotic positions. Let's go back to our roots and re-introduce what our profession was and what it is supposed to be: "A DOCTOR'S OFFICE"

If you want to be called a 'Doctor', please... work/live like one. You will never see a MD, DO, DDS setting up an office at Walmart, what the hell are we doing?

In addition to "Free exam with purchase of glasses", "$19.99 for an eye exam if you purchase glasses." WTF !!! While Medicare reimburses roughly $130 for comprehensive eye exam, some loser/Bozo fuc#$%ing idiot charges $20 if you purchase glasses from him..

I am just getting so 'mad' with where our profession is going. How do you call yourself a doctor if 'my medical/optometric exam is free if you buy glasses from me'. What a *****..

Sorry for my crazy RANT
Click to expand...

this is one old but hilarious post yo!
 
lenscrafters does 1.1 billion in sales of glasses because it doesn't own the ODs. The ODs run their own independent offices... again, a legal situation. ODs are NOT allowed to be employed or controlled by corporate entities.
Click to expand...

Must be like that in florida I guess? :rolleyes:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Next unread thread

Similar threads

G
How many patients a day do you as an optometrist? Do you feel you have enough time with each one or do you feel rushed?
Replies
10
Views
5K
zyg0te
zyg0te
preoptstudent3
What changes would you like to see in the profession?
Replies
9
Views
3K
OD 1993
O
P
Those who passed NBEO part 1,2 can you please share what was it like before and during the exam?
Replies
0
Views
2K
pk916
P
S
What is the final year of the optometry (US) like?
Replies
3
Views
2K
AcademicEyes
A
SleepyGene
Does Optometry school require the extra 'fluff' for applications like med school?
Replies
3
Views
3K
Snakedoctor1
S
Top