Hmm...$50k/year after 150k loans and 8yrs school!!!

[megaton]

Reliable sources? All you did was make reference to one two year old classified ad you claimed you recently saw but could not produce a link to. Is that your reliable source?

if you look hard enough, you will find it. Actually, you probably would not even have to look for it; it will appear in your local classifieds

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[xmattODx]

Megaton,
It's become obvious that you're a troll but I thought I'd tell you about my last tax year.

I worked VERY part-time as an optometrist (probably a total of 5 months) and I made more than the figure you're throwing around.

I know that this is an n of 1 but if you're truly interested in optometry income this is some evidence that the income can be good.

 

[megaton]

Well, I'm assuming with your grades, you were expelled from your school.

Anyways, please show me your reliable resources. I am waiting.

In the mean time, here is one of mine (from Dr. Patel, an awesome OD I shadowed):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZheTysK0W2A

i have already, you can browse through the classifieds.

I know what i saw, and i have no intentions on making something up.

Besides, lol, someone on another thread claimed that they were sick of seeing 45-60k salaries. Need I say more?

 

[megaton]

Megaton,
It's become obvious that you're a troll but I thought I'd tell you about my last tax year.

I worked VERY part-time as an optometrist (probably a total of 5 months) and I made more than the figure you're throwing around.

I know that this is an n of 1 but if you're truly interested in optometry income this is some evidence that the income can be good.

what, troll?

people, why do you all revert to something other than the topic? are we all kids in here or what.

So you are saying, after going thourgh school for 8 years and having 150k in loans, it is worth it, because there is one oppurtunity in the usa to work part time and get paid more than 55k?

 

[xmattODx]

what, troll?

people, why do you all revert to something other than the topic? are we all kids in here or what.

So you are saying, after going thourgh school for 8 years and having 150k in loans, it is worth it, because there is one oppurtunity in the usa to work part time and get paid more than 55k?

I am on topic. My wife, also an OD, worked LESS than me and also earned more than your above salary. It should be noted that we were not employees at any of our positions and we worked multiple positions throughout the year.

You are basing your entire discussion on one job ad you saw. I can tell you that in the many, many interviews I've had for optometric positions all started higher than your listed salary.

For the sake of discussion what income (remember most optometrists do not receive "salary" as they are self employed) would you need to justify the cost of an optometric education? How many weeks would you be willing to work in a year? How many hours in a day? All of these are important question to answer as you decide what you want to do with your life. You need to find a career/job that satisifies your income needs as well as your time-off needs. This could be a useful discussion.

 

[megaton]

I am on topic. My wife, also an OD, worked LESS than me and also earned more than your above salary. It should be noted that we were not employees at any of our positions and we worked multiple positions throughout the year.

The topic of this thread was to discuss why one would choose to make significantly less then what they put in. You and others are avoiding that question; going of tangents to call some a troll is not on topic.

You are basing your entire discussion on one job ad you saw. I can tell you that in the many, many interviews I've had for optometric positions all started higher than your listed salary.

Likewise, many other OD's can say they had been offered salaries similar to the amount i have listed. If 80k is the average (as quoted by schools), and its not btw, then there is a siginificant amount of people making less than that.

For the sake of discussion what income (remember most optometrists do not receive "salary" as they are self employed) would you need to justify the cost of an optometric education? How many weeks would you be willing to work in a year? How many hours in a day? All of these are important question to answer as you decide what you want to do with your life. You need to find a career/job that satisifies your income needs as well as your time-off needs. This could be a useful discussion.

Its almost pointless to discuss what income one should take home to justify the cost of od school, as its all relative to the person. However, a good comparison would be the income of dentists. Same amount of schooling and similar tuition.

Like I said earlier, OD's should not have to exceed average working hours and whatnot due to their education.

The topic of this thread was to discuss why one would choose to make significantly less then what they put in. You and others are avoiding that question; going of tangents to call some a troll is not on topic.

Many other OD's can say they had been offered salaries similar to the amount i have listed. If 80k is the average (as quoted by schools), and its not btw, then there is a siginificant amount of people making less than that.

As for the discussion bit, like I said earlier, OD's should not have to exceed average working hours and whatnot due to their education.

 

[xmattODx]

The topic of this thread was to discuss why one would choose to make significantly less then what they put in. You and others are avoiding that question; going of tangents to call some a troll is not on topic.

Many other OD's can say they had been offered salaries similar to the amount i have listed. If 80k is the average (as quoted by schools), and its not btw, then there is a siginificant amount of people making less than that.

As for the discussion bit, like I said earlier, OD's should not have to exceed average working hours and whatnot due to their education.

Let me see if I understand you and please correct me if I'm wrong. You think that the cost of an education should be less than the average annual income of a profession?

If I grant you that an optometrist will make 55k/year optometry school should only cost 55k for the entire four years?

Now changing gears I'm not sure how the average of 80k was found. Was that the average of all full-time ODs? All ODs? Employed ODs? Was it a true average or was it the median (a better measurement)?

You say that the average income for ODs is NOT 80K. What do you think it is? Is it the 55k? I think that's very low. Perhaps for academics and those who work in HMOs? I'm not sure.

Average working hours means 40? I don't think anyone will be successful in life if they become 9-5 people. "I'm so educated I'm not going to put in any hours over 40/week!". That doesn't sound like a driven person to me.

I think you're approaching this from the wrong angle. Just because one is educated does not mean they are owed anything. You can succeed as a high school drop out. You can succeed having a double PhD. Its a matter of making wise choices, putting forth effort and being a little bit lucky.

Are you wanting to be an OD? If yes, is income holding you back? A lot of other things would hold me back from being an OD before income because the income is comfortable with very little real "work". If you've decided against optometry what are you planning to pursue?

Good luck.

 

[jvelos3]

The topic of this thread was to discuss why one would choose to make significantly less then what they put in. You and others are avoiding that question; going of tangents to call some a troll is not on topic.

Many other OD's can say they had been offered salaries similar to the amount i have listed. If 80k is the average (as quoted by schools), and its not btw, then there is a siginificant amount of people making less than that.

As for the discussion bit, like I said earlier, OD's should not have to exceed average working hours and whatnot due to their education.

Here are the facts...
Average income is around $100,000. Heck starting salaries at Pearle Vision, Lenscrafters, etc. for full time ODs are $89,000.

So according to these figures it doesn't matter what your question is. Your topic is flawed!! You ask why are all of you going into optometry when education is 155k while pay is 55k/yr. and you don't accept the answer, which many here have already stated, that pay is much higher than 55k/yr. and it is worth it...you continue to ignore everything people here are saying. It's so comical when you keep saying stop dancing around the topic when you are the only one doing the dancing...

 

[JeffChou]

Ad hominem attacks, however gratifying they may be, have not gotten this thread anywhere; we should all do our best to try and stay on topic.

megaton, I see your point. 8 years of hard work and 150k in debt is tough to handle on 55,000 a year before taxes. I can make no effort to justify it financially. It's true that people should do what they enjoy and make the best of it. There's always give and take between what will feed the family, and what makes you happy. In my case, I have chosen to go into optometry school--luckily, with minimal debt from undergrad--in spite of the almost 200k it will cost me for the next four years (with 6.8% interest!). I would not and could not afford this (now, remember, everyone's financial plan and aspirations are different) profession if it indeed paid 55k a year. Yearly payments over 5 years would add up roughly 27.6k a year. You would not even qualify for any mortgage on that income/debt ratio. If spread out over 25 years (more likely), it would be 15.6k a year in student loans and a little bit more credit for a mortgage, but still nothing lavish, hell, I'd just be 4 years older and still making what my friends would been making without going to 200k worth of grad school.

Now you're really wondering why I'd go into OD school. It's because in my personal network, every optometrist has given me a positive outlook on their profession. All the optometrists I have spoken to or the incomes I have been told of have been close to or above six figures (sorry, I can't exactly advertise the phone numbers to all my sources, it's an anecdote!) and none have expressed regret over their choice of profession. Now this may not be enough to convince you, and I wouldn't expect anything less than a courtroom deposition to do so, but hopefully you can understand why I chose to go into optometry and take on the debt load you're speaking of. I recommend you speak to more optometrists in your local area and discuss this issue with them. The default rate for student loans is rather low according to the financial aid advisors at our school so it seems that people have been managing to make their payments reliably. You've really gotta find out for yourself if this is worth it to you.

I do enjoy optometry for what it is, and will take pride in the work as all any of the optometrists that I've shadowed do, and I do expect to earn a comfortable living in doing so. I'll address your question: I wouldn't work more for something to get less than I put in; the juice has to be worth the squeeze to me. I guess we're really in disagreement over is what the average optometrist salary is. It's worth it to me.


Addendum: I was browsing the Berkeley optometry job listings page you linked to earlier and here is what I found as of 03/18/2009 (http://optometry.berkeley.edu/opt_txtpp/positions_practices/positions_nonopt_list.html)

Of the posts that do list a pay, a rough approximation seems to be about $50 an hour, or $400 a day. These positions are part time, but I would expect a full time pay to be in the ballpark. If you take $400 a day and make that 5 days a week and 48 weeks a year, you're looking at $96,000. Above that, the hiring doctor must make a specific % above that (some say you should be bringing in 3x-5x what your salary/pay is into the practice's gross revenue to make it financially worth it for the doctor to hire you. One would assume that the doctor who owns a practice may be reasonably expected to be able to net at least $96,000 a year working full time. The only jobs I've heard of that pay as low as 60k for full time work are military jobs where they pay for a big chunk of your tuition, and even then, going into military optometry is another personal choice where you have many factors to consider beyond just pure cost.

1. Part-time Position: TPA-certified optometrist wanted in Lancaster, CA to work Thursdays and Fridays. Average daily salary is $400-$600 a day. Call [xxx-xxx-xxxx] for more information.
Ad expires May 13

3. Part-time Position: Optometrist needed for 2 days a week (Mon. and Tues.) in Coalinga, CA for a Correctional Facility. Hours are 8:00-4:00. Optometrist must be board licensed in CA, have a clean history, registered to use TPA, and have 2 professional references. Only apply if you can commit long-term (12-24 Months. Pay: $50 - $55 per hour. Please send resume to [email protected].
Ad expires May 13

5. Temporary Position: Vacation coverage: Looking for OD to work for me April 6-16, Mon. thru Thurs, 8 days total. New equipment including Marco RT-5100 refractor. Outstanding staff. Compensation $400 day. Office located in Clearlake, CA (Lake County). Please call Dr. Bonner or Tami at [xxx-xxx-xxxx]. Email: [email protected].
Ad expires April 5

 

[megaton]

Let me see if I understand you and please correct me if I'm wrong. You think that the cost of an education should be less than the average annual income of a profession?

If I grant you that an optometrist will make 55k/year optometry school should only cost 55k for the entire four years?

Now changing gears I'm not sure how the average of 80k was found. Was that the average of all full-time ODs? All ODs? Employed ODs? Was it a true average or was it the median (a better measurement)?

Virtually any website accounting for salaries of various proffessions, states that the average/median salary of all OD's who submitted their salary data is 80k.

You say that the average income for ODs is NOT 80K. What do you think it is? Is it the 55k? I think that's very low. Perhaps for academics and those who work in HMOs? I'm not sure.

Pre-tax you could say it is 80k. After taxes it is much lower.

Average working hours means 40? I don't think anyone will be successful in life if they become 9-5 people. "I'm so educated I'm not going to put in any hours over 40/week!". That doesn't sound like a driven person to me.

Pretty much. You should not have to work more hours, unless your job demanded it, and you explcitly knew before going into that profession that it would require more commitment.

I think you're approaching this from the wrong angle. Just because one is educated does not mean they are owed anything. You can succeed as a high school drop out. You can succeed having a double PhD. Its a matter of making wise choices, putting forth effort and being a little bit lucky.

Yes, you can tell that to the dentist that nets 100k more than the optometrist. Just using those proffesions as examples.

Are you wanting to be an OD? If yes, is income holding you back? A lot of other things would hold me back from being an OD before income because the income is comfortable with very little real "work". If you've decided against optometry what are you planning to pursue?

Good luck.

No. The cost of an education should complement the income, more or less. For example, after going to school for 8 years and accumulating 150k in debt (which will likely double), you should be able to atleast earn 100k post-tax. Thats being generous.

Virtually any website accounting for salaries of various proffessions, states that the average/median salary of all OD's who submitted their salary data is 80k.

Yes, you can tell that to the dentist that nets 100k more than the optometrist. The dentist has similar education and debt levels, however, they get paid more.

To be honest, salary should not be an issue at all. However, due to the debt level, and time commitment, it is.

I dont think many people understand what you can do in 8 years time, rather then accumulate debt, which you will be paying off for 30 years...

 

[blysssful]

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics:

Median annual earnings of salaried optometrists were $91,040 in May 2006. The middle 50 percent earned between $66,530 and $118,490. Median annual earnings of salaried optometrists in offices of optometrists were $86,760. Salaried optometrists tend to earn more initially than do optometrists who set up their own practices. In the long run, however, those in private practice usually earn more.

According to the American Optometric Association, median net annual income for all optometrists, including the self-employed, was $105,000 in 2006. The middle 50 percent earned between $84,000 and $150,000.


Self-employed optometrists, including those working in partnerships, must provide their own benefits. Optometrists employed by others typically enjoy paid vacation, sick leave, and pension contributions.

Since it was previously noted that you aren't so hot with academics, I'll break that down for you:

• the MIDDLE FIFTY PERCENT (which means those that fall within the 25th percentile to the 75th percentile) of salaried ODs (which does not include self employed ODs) earn between $66,530 and $118,490 a year. This means that 75% of salaried ODs make more than $66,530 a year.
• the MIDDLE FIFTY PERCENT of all ODs (which does include self employed ODs) earn between $84,000 and $150,000a year. This means that 75% of all ODs make more than $84,000 a year.

You previously mentioned that ODs should have comparable salaries to dentists, however there are other factors that have to be considered other than length of schooling and amount of debt accrued (which, by the way, dental school is on average more expensive than OD school).

• In addition to the academic courses that dental students take that are of similar nature to those in optometry school, dental students spend COUNTLESS HOURS learning to perfect certain hand skills that are 100% pertinent to their future success. ODs don't need to worry about this.
• Dentists also can be swiftly put out of work because of back injuries or chronic back problems because of their dependence of proper posture. ODs don't need to worry about this.
• Dentists have the highest suicide rate, in addition to having the youngest life expectancy of any profession in the US. People aren't terrified of going to see their OD.
• Dental schools are subjectively more competitive to get into than OD schools, on average.

In your posts you make it seem like the more money someone makes, the less effort they should make if they're of a certain education level. Of course there are going to be exceptions to everything, but that notion hardly seems like a general rule. Think of other health care professions. They may work longer hours, may have to be on-call all the time, may have LIFE AND DEATH situations daily, among other stressful situations.



With all that said, I realize that you're still probably going to pull out some random outlier example from a "reliable source" that makes you believe optometry is still a terrible profession to go into. Even if no one ever gets through to you, its okay because, I promise, you won't have to ever lose sleep about the future of your optometry career. One will never exist for you... well unless it starts snowing in hell.

 

[thanotoriousfob]

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics:



Since it was previously noted that you aren't so hot with academics, I'll break that down for you:

• the MIDDLE FIFTY PERCENT (which means those that fall within the 25th percentile to the 75th percentile) of salaried ODs (which does not include self employed ODs) earn between $66,530 and $118,490 a year. This means that 75% of salaried ODs make more than $66,530 a year.
• the MIDDLE FIFTY PERCENT of all ODs (which does include self employed ODs) earn between $84,000 and $150,000a year. This means that 75% of all ODs make more than $84,000 a year.

You previously mentioned that ODs should have comparable salaries to dentists, however there are other factors that have to be considered other than length of schooling and amount of debt accrued (which, by the way, dental school is on average more expensive than OD school).

• In addition to the academic courses that dental students take that are of similar nature to those in optometry school, dental students spend COUNTLESS HOURS learning to perfect certain hand skills that are 100% pertinent to their future success. ODs don't need to worry about this.
• Dentists also can be swiftly put out of work because of back injuries or chronic back problems because of their dependence of proper posture. ODs don't need to worry about this.
• Dentists have the highest suicide rate, in addition to having the youngest life expectancy of any profession in the US. People aren't terrified of going to see their OD.
• Dental schools are subjectively more competitive to get into than OD schools, on average.

In your posts you make it seem like the more money someone makes, the less effort they should make if they're of a certain education level. Of course there are going to be exceptions to everything, but that notion hardly seems like a general rule. Think of other health care professions. They may work longer hours, may have to be on-call all the time, may have LIFE AND DEATH situations daily, among other stressful situations.



With all that said, I realize that you're still probably going to pull out some random outlier example from a "reliable source" that makes you believe optometry is still a terrible profession to go into. Even if no one ever gets through to you, its okay because, I promise, you won't have to ever lose sleep about the future of your optometry career. One will never exist for you... well unless it starts snowing in hell.

Couldn't have said it better myself.

 

[megaton]

Here are the facts...
Average income is around $100,000. Heck starting salaries at Pearle Vision, Lenscrafters, etc. for full time ODs are $89,000.

So according to these figures it doesn't matter what your question is. Your topic is flawed!! You ask why are all of you going into optometry when education is 155k while pay is 55k/yr. and you don't accept the answer, which many here have already stated, that pay is much higher than 55k/yr. and it is worth it...you continue to ignore everything people here are saying. It's so comical when you keep saying stop dancing around the topic when you are the only one doing the dancing...

anecdotes, anecdotes and more anecdotes.

btw, if you state that the average salary is 100k or 89k somewhere in that range, after taxes it will be reduced by atleast 38%.

Where does that put you know? ~60k range which is almost 55k.

You seriosuly belive that I will listen to a bunch of pre-opts or soon to be OD's over an advertisment by an optometrist?

 

[megaton]

Ad hominem attacks, however gratifying they may be, have not gotten this thread anywhere; we should all do our best to try and stay on topic.

megaton, I see your point. 8 years of hard work and 150k in debt is tough to handle on 55,000 a year before taxes. I can make no effort to justify it financially. It's true that people should do what they enjoy and make the best of it. There's always give and take between what will feed the family, and what makes you happy. In my case, I have chosen to go into optometry school--luckily, with minimal debt from undergrad--in spite of the almost 200k it will cost me for the next four years (with 6.8% interest!). I would not and could not afford this (now, remember, everyone's financial plan and aspirations are different) profession if it indeed paid 55k a year. Yearly payments over 5 years would add up roughly 27.6k a year. You would not even qualify for any mortgage on that income/debt ratio. If spread out over 25 years (more likely), it would be 15.6k a year in student loans and a little bit more credit for a mortgage, but still nothing lavish, hell, I'd just be 4 years older and still making what my friends would been making without going to 200k worth of grad school.

Now you're really wondering why I'd go into OD school. It's because in my personal network, every optometrist has given me a positive outlook on their profession. All the optometrists I have spoken to or the incomes I have been told of have been close to or above six figures (sorry, I can't exactly advertise the phone numbers to all my sources, it's an anecdote!) and none have expressed regret over their choice of profession. Now this may not be enough to convince you, and I wouldn't expect anything less than a courtroom deposition to do so, but hopefully you can understand why I chose to go into optometry and take on the debt load you're speaking of. I recommend you speak to more optometrists in your local area and discuss this issue with them. The default rate for student loans is rather low according to the financial aid advisors at our school so it seems that people have been managing to make their payments reliably. You've really gotta find out for yourself if this is worth it to you.

I do enjoy optometry for what it is, and will take pride in the work as all any of the optometrists that I've shadowed do, and I do expect to earn a comfortable living in doing so. I'll address your question: I wouldn't work more for something to get less than I put in; the juice has to be worth the squeeze to me. I guess we're really in disagreement over is what the average optometrist salary is. It's worth it to me.


Addendum: I was browsing the Berkeley optometry job listings page you linked to earlier and here is what I found as of 03/18/2009 (http://optometry.berkeley.edu/opt_txtpp/positions_practices/positions_nonopt_list.html)

Of the posts that do list a pay, a rough approximation seems to be about $50 an hour, or $400 a day. These positions are part time, but I would expect a full time pay to be in the ballpark. If you take $400 a day and make that 5 days a week and 48 weeks a year, you're looking at $96,000. Above that, the hiring doctor must make a specific % above that (some say you should be bringing in 3x-5x what your salary/pay is into the practice's gross revenue to make it financially worth it for the doctor to hire you. One would assume that the doctor who owns a practice may be reasonably expected to be able to net at least $96,000 a year working full time. The only jobs I've heard of that pay as low as 60k for full time work are military jobs where they pay for a big chunk of your tuition, and even then, going into military optometry is another personal choice where you have many factors to consider beyond just pure cost.

1. Part-time Position: TPA-certified optometrist wanted in Lancaster, CA to work Thursdays and Fridays. Average daily salary is $400-$600 a day. Call [xxx-xxx-xxxx] for more information.
Ad expires May 13

3. Part-time Position: Optometrist needed for 2 days a week (Mon. and Tues.) in Coalinga, CA for a Correctional Facility. Hours are 8:00-4:00. Optometrist must be board licensed in CA, have a clean history, registered to use TPA, and have 2 professional references. Only apply if you can commit long-term (12-24 Months. Pay: $50 - $55 per hour. Please send resume to [email protected].
Ad expires May 13

5. Temporary Position: Vacation coverage: Looking for OD to work for me April 6-16, Mon. thru Thurs, 8 days total. New equipment including Marco RT-5100 refractor. Outstanding staff. Compensation $400 day. Office located in Clearlake, CA (Lake County). Please call Dr. Bonner or Tami at [xxx-xxx-xxxx]. Email: [email protected].
Ad expires April 5

Thats pretty much a good reason to go into optometry.

However, what if the OD's who i talked to complained about optometry and how bad it was? Whos right? The OD's you talked to, or the OD's i talked to? (i say this, because ive looked at the archives, and some OD's are not happy with optometry)

Those figures may seem high, but after taxes they are reduced.

While I do agree that 45-50k is a rare occurence, it still should not be a reasonable amount. You do have to realize that anyone in optometry school, maybe even you, will earn that amount.

 

[megaton]

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics:



Since it was previously noted that you aren't so hot with academics, I'll break that down for you:

• the MIDDLE FIFTY PERCENT (which means those that fall within the 25th percentile to the 75th percentile) of salaried ODs (which does not include self employed ODs) earn between $66,530 and $118,490 a year. This means that 75% of salaried ODs make more than $66,530 a year.
• the MIDDLE FIFTY PERCENT of all ODs (which does include self employed ODs) earn between $84,000 and $150,000a year. This means that 75% of all ODs make more than $84,000 a year.

You previously mentioned that ODs should have comparable salaries to dentists, however there are other factors that have to be considered other than length of schooling and amount of debt accrued (which, by the way, dental school is on average more expensive than OD school).

• In addition to the academic courses that dental students take that are of similar nature to those in optometry school, dental students spend COUNTLESS HOURS learning to perfect certain hand skills that are 100% pertinent to their future success. ODs don't need to worry about this.
• Dentists also can be swiftly put out of work because of back injuries or chronic back problems because of their dependence of proper posture. ODs don't need to worry about this.
• Dentists have the highest suicide rate, in addition to having the youngest life expectancy of any profession in the US. People aren't terrified of going to see their OD.
• Dental schools are subjectively more competitive to get into than OD schools, on average.

In your posts you make it seem like the more money someone makes, the less effort they should make if they're of a certain education level. Of course there are going to be exceptions to everything, but that notion hardly seems like a general rule. Think of other health care professions. They may work longer hours, may have to be on-call all the time, may have LIFE AND DEATH situations daily, among other stressful situations.



With all that said, I realize that you're still probably going to pull out some random outlier example from a "reliable source" that makes you believe optometry is still a terrible profession to go into. Even if no one ever gets through to you, its okay because, I promise, you won't have to ever lose sleep about the future of your optometry career. One will never exist for you... well unless it starts snowing in hell.

Those figures are pre-tax, so expect atleast 20% less pay.

Its funny that you are stating all these differences between dentistry and optometry, yet you have not completed dental school. So whatever you have said about the dentistry bit can be thrown out. Serisouly, who do you think you are?

Get it through your head that dentists get paid more than optometrists, yet both accumulate comparable debt and go to school for 8 years. How does that make you feel? Probably like ****.

If you still belive that earning 50k after going through 8 years of school and accumulating 150k in debt, than your are a random idiot who should not even be going to optometry school.

You know what, it doesnt take a genious to say what is better, 1 or 2, so therefore i dont see why i cant become an optometrist.



sike.

 

[Tizzle]

This guy is hilarious. As much as I do not like to feed the trolls, it certainly makes reading this forum interesting.

Among the many illogical reasons against optometry that you make, at least be consistent. You haven't completed your OD degree, much less maintained above a 2.5 GPA in your bachelor's, but you feel you can comment on optometry. On the other hand, once someone compares dentistry to optometry, you blab on about how that person hasn't completed a dentistry program so he has no right to comment about it. What's even juicier is you compared optometry to dentistry yourself. The irony is so amusing!

Please, continue posting. Quote my reply and insult my intellect. Please. It just makes me smile.

P.S. Since you obviously cannot make it in the professional world, you should try becoming a comedian.

 

[megaton]

This guy is hilarious. As much as I do not like to feed the trolls, it certainly makes reading this forum interesting.

Among the many illogical reasons against optometry that you make, at least be consistent. You haven't completed your OD degree, much less maintained above a 2.5 GPA in your bachelor's, but you feel you can comment on optometry. On the other hand, once someone compares dentistry to optometry, you blab on about how that person hasn't completed a dentistry program so he has no right to comment about it. What's even juicier is you compared optometry to dentistry yourself. The irony is so amusing!

Please, continue posting. Quote my reply and insult my intellect. Please. It just makes me smile.

P.S. Since you obviously cannot make it in the professional world, you should try becoming a comedian.

again, my gpa is not of concern. i could easily bump that up. besides, what difference does it make if my gpa is high or low?

the low salaries that od's face, is not a result of my gpa.

i was comparing credit hours between optometrists and dentists, genious.

can you answer the question now? ive read your litlle rant, which seems more like a little child trying to convice his dad why he should be able to drive.

i could imagine you as one of those people in a class of 100, who laughs at a joke, when it's not supposed to be one to begin with.

 

[jvelos3]

anecdotes, anecdotes and more anecdotes.

btw, if you state that the average salary is 100k or 89k somewhere in that range, after taxes it will be reduced by atleast 38%.

Where does that put you know? ~60k range which is almost 55k.

You seriosuly belive that I will listen to a bunch of pre-opts or soon to be OD's over an advertisment by an optometrist?

I saw an ad for a nonprofit lawyer in the paper...all lawyers must work for free!

A small business owner aka CEO is in debt for many years after founding his/her company...CEOs must not make any money!

You fail to look at the whole picture. This 55k figure...location? hours...full time or part time? and this is only 1 offer!

What a joke...

 

[jvelos3]

again, my gpa is not of concern. i could easily bump that up. besides, what difference does it make if my gpa is high or low?

the low salaries that od's face, is not a result of my gpa.

i was comparing credit hours between optometrists and dentists, genious.

can you answer the question now? ive read your litlle rant, which seems more like a little child trying to convice his dad why he should be able to drive.

i could imagine you as one of those people in a class of 100, who laughs at a joke, when it's not supposed to be one to begin with.

Low GPA will make you unable to become an OD. Your work ethic...if you continue your path...will make you unable to obtain a degree.

Can anyone say unemployed?

 

[Kally]

close this thread lol, this is so bad..... everyones fighting with a guy who has like 2.0 gpa and relies on one source actually 0 sources since he cant find the link, to judge all optometrists.....

 

[megaton]

I saw an ad for a nonprofit lawyer in the paper...all lawyers must work for free!

A small business owner aka CEO is in debt for many years after founding his/her company...CEOs must not make any money!

You fail to look at the whole picture. This 55k figure...location? hours...full time or part time? and this is only 1 offer!

What a joke...

what the hell?

why would i talk about this job offer if it were not full-time? location was in texas

you could be calling it a joke, but i bet, most will earn that much in the near future. 3 new schools opening folks, and currently ODs are being offered 55k.

What will happen when the supply of OD's will grossly out-weigh the demand? 55k, lol.

why cant people just answer the question?

 

[megaton]

close this thread lol, this is so bad..... everyones fighting with a guy who has like 2.0 gpa and relies on one source actually 0 sources since he cant find the link, to judge all optometrists.....

this thread is to discuss why OD's get paid 55k.

If you have nothing to contribute to it, then just leave.

The way people are arguing here is by changing my original claim LOL! Its quite sad to know that some OD's are infact idiots.

However, I will say, two people here, xmatt and jeffchou have made highly uncertain, but valid points.

 

[Tizzle]

again, my gpa is not of concern. i could easily bump that up. besides, what difference does it make if my gpa is high or low?

the low salaries that od's face, is not a result of my gpa.

i was comparing credit hours between optometrists and dentists, genious.

can you answer the question now? ive read your litlle rant, which seems more like a little child trying to convice his dad why he should be able to drive.

i could imagine you as one of those people in a class of 100, who laughs at a joke, when it's not supposed to be one to begin with.

I brought up your GPA to show you aren't capable of attending optometry school. Since you told someone not to talk about dentistry since he did not attend dentistry school, why don't you follow your own demands and not talk about optometry? You obviously do not know much about the profession.

To help your self-esteem a little, you are right. I am one of the few who laughs at something that isn't meant to be a joke. It doesn't have to be a joke to be funny.

 

[megaton]

I brought up your GPA to show you aren't capable of attending optometry school. Since you told someone not to talk about dentistry since he did not attend dentistry school, why don't you follow your own demands and not talk about optometry? You obviously do not know much about the profession.

To help your self-esteem a little, you are right. I am one of the few who laughs at something that isn't meant to be a joke. It doesn't have to be a joke to be funny.

wow, ok, i guess you did not understand what i meant about the joke thing. in simplest terms, what i meant was that you were an idiot

Have you read just 3 posts in this thread?

Your assertions are so pathetic, honestly. This is what the majority of people are doing here when arguing.

I never stated that he/she shouldnt talk about dentistry. I simply stated that he/she should not compare the two if he/she hasnt gone through dentistry and optometry school.

My basis of comparison was on the amount of credit hours dentists and optometrists graduate with; his/her was on the suicide rate, lol.

You claim i have no knowledge of the proffession, yet you cannot answer the topic of this thread, which DIRECTLY relates to optometry.

After reading some posts here, I really think there should be another test to screen out the idiots who get 4.0's in undergrad.

 

[Commando303]

I feel persuaded to chime in with my two cents' worth. First, let's not pretend money doesn't matter. I imagine a great many of us want to be optometrists because we are interested in the field and would enjoy the opportunity to apply what we learn to improving people's lives. We're also citizens of a capitalist economy, and we want stuff — clothes and electronics and an apartment and a couple of automobiles. If it weren't about money, we might get an O.D., open up a practice, and donate everything that isn't necessary to maintain the practice, to the Red Cross. Money matters to the vast majority of us, and if the mean income of an optometrist after a decade's experience were something around $60,000, I feel this board would serve a far smaller number of persons.

Second, it is my belief that optometrists are, indeed, "doctors." They hold O.D.s, which are doctorate degrees, and they practice in the medical field. If all you need to be a "real doctor" is an M.D., I suppose dentists don't qualify, either. We should bear in mind, too, that any given "family practitioner" with an M.D. doesn't necessarily make more money than does any given optometrist — a lot of how much you earn depends on how good you are at running a business and how well you handle and invest money.

Let's remember, too, jobs can't give you everything; likely, you have to have other things in your life to feel fulfilled and happy. The myth that rich people are miserable and, I don't know, monks, are euphoric, too, should be dispelled: it sounds like nothing more than a fable poor people tell themselves to feel all right about not having very much money.

Lastly, to answer the question, "Why be in x amount of debt to make a fraction of x per year?" not only does your quoted fraction sound questionable, you must take into consideration, perhaps someone simply wants to do this in his or her life; the money will eventually be earned back, and the person, then, will continue to do what he or she wishes to (i.e., practice optometry).

 

[Commando303]

Here's another argument for the O.P.: A lot of people come out of undergrad. study owing about as much as you quoted, and they're not necessarily set for any profession. Why do they do it?

The odd thing is, you actually have a point, but it's not the one you're trying to make. A good question is, why the hell is education as expensive, in our nation, as it is?

 

[thanotoriousfob]

We could make this into a drinking game (I'm sure everyone could use a drink after reading this interesting thread). Every time our star player megaton says "pathetic" you drink. This could get ugly folks.

 

[blysssful]

Those figures are pre-tax, so expect atleast 20% less pay.

Its funny that you are stating all these differences between dentistry and optometry, yet you have not completed dental school. So whatever you have said about the dentistry bit can be thrown out. Serisouly, who do you think you are?

Get it through your head that dentists get paid more than optometrists, yet both accumulate comparable debt and go to school for 8 years. How does that make you feel? Probably like ****.

If you still belive that earning 50k after going through 8 years of school and accumulating 150k in debt, than your are a random idiot who should not even be going to optometry school.

You know what, it doesnt take a genious to say what is better, 1 or 2, so therefore i dont see why i cant become an optometrist.



sike.

The comments about dentistry are based upon:

• the curriculum established by dental schools that requires competency in tooth carving, drilling, etc
• the method by which dental exams are conducted (i.e. hunched over a patient's mouth), and the corresponding methods that are, once again, established by dental schools to correct improper posture
• the associated stress that comes from a profession that inflicts so much pain on patients
• the ratio of applicants vs accepted students for dental vs OD; the average GPA required

You are quite right, I have not completed dental school, nor would I ever have any intention of doing so. I certainly do not consider myself an expert on dentistry. However, I do know enough about dentistry to be able to recognize there are in fact HUGE factors that make the two related professions different enough that trying to make a direct comparison stems from flawed logic. HOW do I know about dentistry even though it is not my field? I learned about it just like I would learn about anything I have not, nor will not experience first hand: through other means (reading, talking to dentists, spending copious amounts of time with friends in dental schools, spending time AT dental schools while visiting said friends, etc). Honestly, I would put money down that even with my very limited knowledge about dentistry, I understand more about dentistry than you do about optometry.

I am FULLY aware that dentists make more money than ODs on average. I am also fully aware that if I were to go to dental school instead of optometry school, that I would graduate in the same length of time and potentially be able to make more money. If I went to law school, I could graduate in THREE years with about the same debt (law school is expensive), and potentially be able to make more money. These statements don't make me feel bad, and I certainly do not feel like I made the wrong choice. I don't want to be a dentist. I don't want to be a lawyer. There are plenty of people who don't even GO to graduate school who will no doubt make more money than I will. However, I want to be an optometrist because vision is where my passions lie-- not teeth; not law; not xyz-profession-that-makes-more-money-than-an-OD.

You're right that I might not be rolling in dough and it's gonna take some time to pay back my loans. I'm okay with that. You wanna know why? My mother is a prominent figure in the IT industry. She essentially worked away 24/7 her entire adult life, momentarily pausing twice to pop out a couple kids. Both my parents gave me every single tangible thing that they never had. The problems: 1) I never saw her growing up, 2) she hates her job but can't find the will to leave, 3) doing something you hate everyday because the monetary reward is high will wear a person down to an unrecognizable point.

The income of an OD is highly variable, however, I am confident that I will be able to make enough money that satisfies my wants and needs, while pursuing a career that I have passion for and still be able to have the personal and family life that comes first to me.

 

[megaton]

The comments about dentistry are based upon:

• the curriculum established by dental schools that requires competency in tooth carving, drilling, etc
• the method by which dental exams are conducted (i.e. hunched over a patient's mouth), and the corresponding methods that are, once again, established by dental schools to correct improper posture
• the associated stress that comes from a profession that inflicts so much pain on patients
• the ratio of applicants vs accepted students for dental vs OD; the average GPA required

You are quite right, I have not completed dental school, nor would I ever have any intention of doing so. I certainly do not consider myself an expert on dentistry. However, I do know enough about dentistry to be able to recognize there are in fact HUGE factors that make the two related professions different enough that trying to make a direct comparison stems from flawed logic. HOW do I know about dentistry even though it is not my field? I learned about it just like I would learn about anything I have not, nor will not experience first hand: through other means (reading, talking to dentists, spending copious amounts of time with friends in dental schools, spending time AT dental schools while visiting said friends, etc). Honestly, I would put money down that even with my very limited knowledge about dentistry, I understand more about dentistry than you do about optometry.

I am FULLY aware that dentists make more money than ODs on average. I am also fully aware that if I were to go to dental school instead of optometry school, that I would graduate in the same length of time and potentially be able to make more money. If I went to law school, I could graduate in THREE years with about the same debt (law school is expensive), and potentially be able to make more money. These statements don't make me feel bad, and I certainly do not feel like I made the wrong choice. I don't want to be a dentist. I don't want to be a lawyer. There are plenty of people who don't even GO to graduate school who will no doubt make more money than I will. However, I want to be an optometrist because vision is where my passions lie-- not teeth; not law; not xyz-profession-that-makes-more-money-than-an-OD.

You're right that I might not be rolling in dough and it's gonna take some time to pay back my loans. I'm okay with that. You wanna know why? My mother is a prominent figure in the IT industry. She essentially worked away 24/7 her entire adult life, momentarily pausing twice to pop out a couple kids. Both my parents gave me every single tangible thing that they never had. The problems: 1) I never saw her growing up, 2) she hates her job but can't find the will to leave, 3) doing something you hate everyday because the monetary reward is high will wear a person down to an unrecognizable point.

The income of an OD is highly variable, however, I am confident that I will be able to make enough money that satisfies my wants and needs, while pursuing a career that I have passion for and still be able to have the personal and family life that comes first to me.

Again, your only speculating on how much harder dent school is compared to optometry school, based on things that you have not experienced but read or heard. Some random dent student can easily contradict your statements, then how are you going to proove that dent school is harder? You cant argue everything.

Good points. However, if vision is your thing, why not become an Optician? or even an Opthalmologist?

 

[blysssful]

The reason I mentioned the suicide rate in dentistry is to point out the fact that just because they make more money than an OD does not mean they have satisfying careers.

Someone who takes that offer you mentioned might be fresh out of school without any other offers and interest growing on loans. They could have had to relocate based on a spouse's career and might figure 55K is better than nothing for now. Someone who MADE that offer could have listed the lowest salary s/he thought someone would take for an associate to see if someone would take it. The point is that 75% of optometrists in the US make over 10K more than that a year.

If I quoted an offer that was for 160K per year, would you believe that optometry was suddenly worth it? Your whole argument is based on this one anecdote, and you're missing the bigger picture.

 

[blysssful]

Again, your only speculating on how much harder dent school is compared to optometry school, based on things that you have not experienced but read or heard. Some random dent student can easily contradict your statements, then how are you going to proove that dent school is harder? You cant argue everything.

Good points. However, if vision is your thing, why not become an Optician? or even an Opthalmologist?

Read what I said again. I never said it was harder. I said that they have this entire area of their curriculum that optometry school has no means of comparison to. The physical act of dentistry requires an entire skill set that needs to be learned/practiced, in addition to the knowledge/conceptual based science courses. This is an objective fact, not a speculation.

Goldilocks had the same issue. I did consider ophthalmology. But honestly, I want a family before I'm 35. Vision is my thing, but that came initially from an overall interest in biological systems. Opticians hand out the band-aids without really needing to know much about what's under the skin.

 

[captainnerd]

How did this thread get to two pages long?

Like a train wreck, people gawk.

This is why you should never argue with dumb people.

This may be a good place for plan B (you know, when your grades suck and you're questioning yourself): http://www.thetruckersreport.com/truckingindustryforum/

You can make $100K as a trucker. But that's based on one ad I saw 2 years ago. But still, you don't have to work that hard. And you can be passionate about it. Paint your truck nice colors. Think about all the consumers you're helping by driving them their Tickle Me Elmos. You're making children happy. Especially when they pump their fist at you in the car and you honk your horn and they laugh. Aww shucks. Trucking man, it's a great job. Do it well and you might find yourself in Iraq making $300K per year.

And school debt? Nah man. You don't owe anyone. You owe it to yourself. Pick up the phone. (I should be a copy writer for an ad agency).

 

[JMU07]

How did this thread get to two pages long?

Like a train wreck, people gawk.

This is why you should never argue with dumb people.

This may be a good place for plan B (you know, when your grades suck and you're questioning yourself): http://www.thetruckersreport.com/truckingindustryforum/

You can make $100K as a trucker. But that's based on one ad I saw 2 years ago. But still, you don't have to work that hard. And you can be passionate about it. Paint your truck nice colors. Think about all the consumers you're helping by driving them their Tickle Me Elmos. You're making children happy. Especially when they pump their fist at you in the car and you honk your horn and they laugh. Aww shucks. Trucking man, it's a great job. Do it well and you might find yourself in Iraq making $300K per year.

And school debt? Nah man. You don't owe anyone. You owe it to yourself. Pick up the phone. (I should be a copy writer for an ad agency).

lol. So true. My dad and uncle are truck drivers and it's great money for not having a college education. They don't make quite that much (you have to own your own truck to see six digits) but, it allows you to live comfortably. Great suggestion!!

 

[captainnerd]

lol. So true. My dad and uncle are truck drivers and it's great money for not having a college education. They don't make quite that much (you have to own your own truck to see six digits) but, it allows you to live comfortably. Great suggestion!!

Wait, you're telling me that you still have to work hard to make a lot of money even as a trucker? Get out of town!

 

[megaton]

How did this thread get to two pages long?

Like a train wreck, people gawk.

This is why you should never argue with dumb people.

This may be a good place for plan B (you know, when your grades suck and you're questioning yourself): http://www.thetruckersreport.com/truckingindustryforum/

You can make $100K as a trucker. But that's based on one ad I saw 2 years ago. But still, you don't have to work that hard. And you can be passionate about it. Paint your truck nice colors. Think about all the consumers you're helping by driving them their Tickle Me Elmos. You're making children happy. Especially when they pump their fist at you in the car and you honk your horn and they laugh. Aww shucks. Trucking man, it's a great job. Do it well and you might find yourself in Iraq making $300K per year.

And school debt? Nah man. You don't owe anyone. You owe it to yourself. Pick up the phone. (I should be a copy writer for an ad agency).

reason why this thread is 2 pages long is because idiots like yourself talk about irrelevant things that have no relation to the topic of this thread.

again, why would you go to optometry school for 8 years and accumulate 150k in debt, and possibly get paid 55k?

If you have nothing to say, and i suppose you do not, then you're basically going into optometry because you couldn't get into med school or something. Maybe, you're the one that is dumb ? It's not very hard to answer that question.

 

[thanotoriousfob]

reason why this thread is 2 pages long is because idiots like yourself talk about irrelevant things that have no relation to the topic of this thread.

again, why would you go to optometry school for 8 years and accumulate 150k in debt, and possibly get paid 55k?

If you have nothing to say, and i suppose you do not, then you're basically going into optometry because you couldn't get into med school or something. Maybe, you're the one that is dumb ? It's not very hard to answer that question.

We have been answering your question, but you keep shooting down any legitimate post because it doesn't fit within the parameters of your thick skull.


Here is a little assignment (promise it's not too much work and it's not graded) you can do: Go check out school default rates for optometry schools. Tell us what they are and what those #'s mean.



OH the irony in your last paragraph.


Here is a serious question: what do you want to do with your life?

Here is another one: How much money do you think an OD should gross for it to be a financially "good" career choice? Throw a figure at us.

 

[PodunkUDPM]

reason why this thread is 2 pages long is because idiots like yourself talk about irrelevant things that have no relation to the topic of this thread.

again, why would you go to optometry school for 8 years and accumulate 150k in debt, and possibly get paid 55k?

If you have nothing to say, and i suppose you do not, then you're basically going into optometry because you couldn't get into med school or something. Maybe, you're the one that is dumb ? It's not very hard to answer that question.

The troll is strong in this one...

 

[captainnerd]

reason why this thread is 2 pages long is because idiots like yourself talk about irrelevant things that have no relation to the topic of this thread.

Considering your grades and your stupidity, I think the topic of optometry should be completely off-topic for you.

Let's make this thread useful:
have you guys heard any good albums recently? The last good album I've heard was Cat Powers - Jukebox and Jenny Lewis - Acid Tongue. I need more new music.

 

[jvelos3]

why would you go to optometry school for 8 years and accumulate 150k in debt, and possibly get paid 55k?

ANSWER:
There is a possibility that a starting OD will get paid 55k...but the chances are slim to none. If we assume a normal distribution I bet a starting OD has the same chances of getting paid 120k as 55k.

In Illinois starting salary contracts for pearle vision, lenscrafters, sears optical...aka luxottica group...are around $89k. This is the type of jobs that I would be looking at if I were a new grad. Then in 5 or so years, when I have more experience and a good patient base, I can go into private practice or a sub lease. Depending on how I am as an optometrist and a business man I will be looking at a low of 50k and a high of 200k with the median around 120k.

Another perk of being an optometrist is that in many states it is required that one of the owners of a commercial chain is an optometrist. If I were to own 3 chains of pearle visions...assuming fairly high volume...I am looking at earning upwards of 500k+.

I have answered your question...please stop saying that we havent because we have.

BUT I know what you are going to say...you will disregard what I have said above and you will say that I haven't answered your question. The way you first worded your question is flawed...you assume that all optometrists are and always will get paid 55k and you expect us to answer the question within those parameters ONLY.

Oh and I wasnt calling the job offer you found a joke...I was calling you a joke.

 

[ykim637]

Megaton, you're hilarious. Thanks for giving us all a good laugh.

If you want to make tons of money, don't go into the health profession. If money is all you care about, you definitely won't make it even halfway through.

It seems like you're suffering from major self-esteem issues as well. Quit putting down other careers and professions and find one that best suits your needs and wants.

 

[kel1104]

i guess this is a way to sort of avoid the question. I mean who would not want to admit they have royally f***** up.

Okay so I have been seeing this forum at the top of the list for days now..and was never going to post anything b/c I think the entire argument is counterproductive...but you've confused me enough to make me ask..

I honestly don't understand...are you interested in optometry, or are you discouraged by it?? Everything you say is negative and malicious. This is a forum designed to encourage prospective optometrists and help answer their questions...not to bully them. I understand that some people feel the need to "inform" us of what we are getting into (as it is a huge commitment)...but I think you are going too far. Given that optometrists and optometry students alike earn excellent academic merit (we would NOT be able to get into school if we did not), don't you think that we have researched the pros and cons of the profession and know how much we are going to spend/make??

Regardless of this money issue that seems to be dominating your posts, it is clear that you are not an appropriate candidate for optometry school. So please, either contribute something worthwhile or stop wasting our time...don't you have something better to do??

 

[megaton]

We have been answering your question, but you keep shooting down any legitimate post because it doesn't fit within the parameters of your thick skull.


Here is a little assignment (promise it's not too much work and it's not graded) you can do: Go check out school default rates for optometry schools. Tell us what they are and what those #'s mean.



OH the irony in your last paragraph.


Here is a serious question: what do you want to do with your life?

Here is another one: How much money do you think an OD should gross for it to be a financially "good" career choice? Throw a figure at us.

Hmm...hardly. I've already stated that some of the posters make legitimate reasons in their posts. The rest are upset because they feel insulted that they might be in the situation which i have repeatedly mentioned, so to revert their anger, they start saying od's dont make 55k.

Me: why make x amount after y debt and z schooling.
almost everyone here: ods dont make x amount after y debt and z schooling.

The avg salary of an OD should be atleast 50% higher then the quoted 80k considering the level of education, the debt accumulated and the amount of income lost over those 8 years.

Can you now tell me why you would go into optometry school to be making 55k ? It should be simple.

 

[megaton]

Megaton, you're hilarious. Thanks for giving us all a good laugh.

If you want to make tons of money, don't go into the health profession. If money is all you care about, you definitely won't make it even halfway through.

It seems like you're suffering from major self-esteem issues as well. Quit putting down other careers and professions and find one that best suits your needs and wants.

Im a part time comedian.

Seriously, read the dam posts before responding; i never said i wanted to make tons of money.

Maybe answer the question now? *sigh*

 

[jvelos3]

Hmm...hardly. I've already stated that some of the posters make legitimate reasons in their posts. The rest are upset because they feel insulted that they might be in the situation which i have repeatedly mentioned, so to revert their anger, they start saying od's dont make 55k.

Me: why make x amount after y debt and z schooling.
almost everyone here: ods dont make x amount after y debt and z schooling.

The avg salary of an OD should be atleast 50% higher then the quoted 80k considering the level of education, the debt accumulated and the amount of income lost over those 8 years.

Can you now tell me why you would go into optometry school to be making 55k ? It should be simple.

DUDE...you are truly slow.

Your question is flawed!!! Its like asking why would anyone fly a plane when a plane crashed in so and so? and not accept the answer when the answer is...A plane crash is rare and you will mostly be safe riding a plane.

 

[megaton]

"..don't you think that we have researched the pros and cons of the profession and know how much we are going to spend/make??

Regardless of this money issue that seems to be dominating your posts, it is clear that you are not an appropriate candidate for optometry school. So please, either contribute something worthwhile or stop wasting our time...don't you have something better to do??

Haha, obvioulsy not. Did you even read the other thread about a recent grad wanting to work at walmart? and exactly how that impacts optometry? If I wanted anyone here to assess my career goals, which is highly unlikely, i would have titled this thread differently.

LOL! Wait, so your part of the admissions comitee now? Im hardly wasting your time; more like saving you from accumulating 150k in debt and not to mention loosing 4 years of potential income. Now if I did not care about optometry, which I do, I would not have stated how bad it will get.

And, wow, how am I bullying anyone? This is hilarious.

Seems to me like you have made your decision, and will most likely work for 55k/year or even less. Now exactly why would you do that?

 

[megaton]

DUDE...you are truly slow.

Your question is flawed!!! Its like asking why would anyone fly a plane when a plane crashed in so and so? and not accept the answer when the answer is...A plane crash is rare and you will mostly be safe riding a plane.

Go read the countless threads about low income levels for ods.

A recent graduate even stated that he/she is tired of seeing those 50-60k salaries.

 

[thanotoriousfob]

Hmm...hardly. I've already stated that some of the posters make legitimate reasons in their posts. The rest are upset because they feel insulted that they might be in the situation which i have repeatedly mentioned, so to revert their anger, they start saying od's dont make 55k.

Me: why make x amount after y debt and z schooling.
almost everyone here: ods dont make x amount after y debt and z schooling.

The avg salary of an OD should be atleast 50% higher then the quoted 80k considering the level of education, the debt accumulated and the amount of income lost over those 8 years.

Can you now tell me why you would go into optometry school to be making 55k ? It should be simple.

I and many others have answered the question: 55k is not what most OD's make. If you believe that, then it's your problem. People are not answering your dim witted question because they know the avg OD nets more than 55k. And even for the people who did answer your question, they told you they enjoy the job. There you go numb nuts.


Did you look up optometry school default rates or is that too much work?

Or better yet, what do you want to be when you grow up?

 

[megaton]

For those of you who are unable to do some research, I have copied the exact words spoken from a recent graduate.

"I am so sick of reading about salaries in the 45-50k range."
- Most OD graduates

 

[thanotoriousfob]

Go read the countless threads about low income levels for ods.

A recent graduate even stated that he/she is tired of seeing those 50-60k salaries.

And what about all those ODs who mentioned they make much more than 50k or the ones that work part time and still net more than that?

 

[thanotoriousfob]

For those of you who are unable to do some research, I have copied the exact words spoken from a recent graduate.

"I am so sick of reading about salaries in the 45-50k range."
- Most OD graduates

Who is Most OD graduates?