O.D. lifestyle

[nbwkobe8]

Hi all, I am an undergraduate pre-med who is having serious doubts about going to med school and becoming a physician. The reason I am unsure is because I cannot imagine myself enduring the lifestyle of a MS/intern/resident (80 hr. weeks, sleep deprivation, constant on-call). I mean I am already starting to strongly dislike the short time I spend volunteering in a hospital (I can't see myself working with terminally ill, smelly, rude patients every day for my whole life).

Recently I have been considering going to Optometry School and becoming an optometrist. I figure being an O.D. allows for a lifestyle where I can be with my future wife and kids much more, as well as not put up with as much bull**** as MD's do. I am OK with not earning as much money as a M.D. (especially since med students don't start making money until their resident years).

I also have very poor vision (-9.5), wear contacts, and am at high risk for retinal detachment; so I feel as if I am personally invested in the science of the eye. I also can see myself getting much satisfaction from restoring patients' eyesight.

My main questions are: What is the lifestyle of an O.D. like? What are typical hours like? What is the job environment like? Is the job intellectually stimulating?

Any other feedback as well would be much appreciated.

Thanks in advance,
Chris

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[KHE]

My main questions are: What is the lifestyle of an O.D. like? What are typical hours like? What is the job environment like? Is the job intellectually stimulating?

Any other feedback as well would be much appreciated.

Thanks in advance,
Chris

Only one of those four questions related to the actual practice of optometry itself. As such, it seems like you're not particularly familiar with the field.

The best advice for you would be to spend a few days shadowing an optometrist or two and starting with that.

 

[Commando303]

Are you certain you're interested in working in the field of health?

 

[nbwkobe8]

Yes I do, I just don't wanna deal with people who just **** their pants.

 

[KHE]

Yes I do, I just don't wanna deal with people who just **** their pants.

Mercifully, that rarely happens in optometry outside of nursing home care.

 

[Commando303]

Yes I do, I just don't wanna deal with people who just **** their pants.

How sympathetic.

I guess it's good you learned of your uninterest now rather than years into medical education.

 

[nbwkobe8]

I am already planning on shadowing an optometrist. I wanted to get multiple opinions and perspectives on the lifestyle of an optometrist, both inside and outside of work.

 

[Oogilily]

Shadow first and ask questions later . Any eye doc could answer all of those questions for you.

 

[gochi]

It is more important to shadow corporate docs rather than pp docs as it is more likely that recent grads will work for a corporate company.

 

[nbwkobe8]

It is more important to shadow corporate docs rather than pp docs as it is more likely that recent grads will work for a corporate company.

so you want me to go hit up costco?

 

[blysssful]

so you want me to go hit up costco?

Disregard gochi.

However you should try to shadow different doctors in the various settings (private practice, VA clinics, commercial, etc) to get a feel for the diversity within the profession.

 

[gochi]

so you want me to go hit up costco?

LOL, OD's now work at Costco now? wow, how low can you really get.

Seriously, how many students believe that the primary location for practice of a health care professional should be in a mall?

Optometry is becoming more like pharmacy, as such, recent grads will most likely work for corporate entities. Theres no point shadowing a pp doc because you will most likely never work in that type of setting.

So yea, go hit up costco or walmart, and you will not need to go somewhere else for lunch; all the food can be found right next to the vision center.

 

[qwopty99]

Hi all, I am an undergraduate pre-med who is having serious doubts about going to med school and becoming a physician. The reason I am unsure is because I cannot imagine myself enduring the lifestyle of a MS/intern/resident (80 hr. weeks, sleep deprivation, constant on-call). I mean I am already starting to strongly dislike the short time I spend volunteering in a hospital (I can't see myself working with terminally ill, smelly, rude patients every day for my whole life).

Recently I have been considering going to Optometry School and becoming an optometrist. I figure being an O.D. allows for a lifestyle where I can be with my future wife and kids much more, as well as not put up with as much bull**** as MD's do. I am OK with not earning as much money as a M.D. (especially since med students don't start making money until their resident years).

Unless a hospital environment is your utopia, you really shouldn't go into medicine.