Optometry as a Career Choice

[Ken Elder]

I think we're talking semantics. Any urban area will have a saturation problem and that applies to ANY profession whether it be optometry, medicine, dentistry or even retail oriented industries. I think you have to realize that supply and demand are REAL economic principles and just recognize that if you decide to set up shop in an area where there are already too many providers of your type, you'll be begging for scraps. The way around this is to find areas in demand and you don't have to go to "undesirable" areas to do it. I would think that one of the main characteristics of undesirable would be the inability to make a living. The other way around this is to do something outside of the norm. Specialty practices are hard to build, but they're about the only way to set yourself apart from the norm.

We went through this exercise a couple of years ago on these forums. I defy anyone to name any part of the country where any person can not get a routine eye exam within 2 days and within a 45 minute drive. The only place we determined that we couldn't was a tiny patch in rural southwestern New Mexico.

Every other location, north, south, east and west, no matter how remote we were able to phone providers listed in the yellow pages and get appointments within 2 days and most of the time we were offered same day appointments.

To be fair, we did not try to do this with PCPs, ophthalmologists or dentists. However, given past experiences it stands to reason that it would be unlikely that we would have the same level of success.

So again, how is that NOT a COMPLETE oversupply of providers?

 

[Steven Nelson]

We went through this exercise a couple of years ago on these forums. I defy anyone to name any part of the country where any person can not get a routine eye exam within 2 days and within a 45 minute drive. The only place we determined that we couldn't was a tiny patch in rural southwestern New Mexico.

Every other location, north, south, east and west, no matter how remote we were able to phone providers listed in the yellow pages and get appointments within 2 days and most of the time we were offered same day appointments.

To be fair, we did not try to do this with PCPs, ophthalmologists or dentists. However, given past experiences it stands to reason that it would be unlikely that we would have the same level of success.

So again, how is that NOT a COMPLETE oversupply of providers?

With your having been a former educator, I'm surprised at your assertion that this is any way a valid study. I'm not saying we need more ODs and I'd be happy if the rest of you retired tomorrow, but it's too often put out there that our current numbers make it not possible to make a good living in this profession and I just think that's not the case. I think we're creating a trend that it could be the case in the future, though.

 

[Ken Elder]

With your having been a former educator, I'm surprised at your assertion that this is any way a valid study. I'm not saying we need more ODs and I'd be happy if the rest of you retired tomorrow, but it's too often put out there that our current numbers make it not possible to make a good living in this profession and I just think that's not the case. I think we're creating a trend that it could be the case in the future, though.

Steven,

Clearly this isn't a scientific study and I never claimed it was. However, it seems to be pretty powerful anecdotal evidence considering that of all the readers on here this forum, not a single person could suggest an area of the country where a routine eye exam could not be obtained within 2 days.

We can try it again if you want....

Anyone out there know of any areas of the country where there is a backlog of demand for routine eye care?

 

[Sean Claffie]

I think we're talking semantics. Any urban area will have a saturation problem and that applies to ANY profession whether it be optometry, medicine, dentistry or even retail oriented industries. I think you have to realize that supply and demand are REAL economic principles and just recognize that if you decide to set up shop in an area where there are already too many providers of your type, you'll be begging for scraps. The way around this is to find areas in demand and you don't have to go to "undesirable" areas to do it. .....


....Don't get me wrong, I do not endorse in any, way, shape or form the opening of new schools. These were opened in response to what is perceived as a demand and if you factor in those rural areas, it's probably a valid analysis. The problem is that flooding the market with new graduates won't necessarily make ODs move there. It will only serve to further burden the already overpopulated areas.

If the proponents of these new schools are asserting that more optometrists are needed for the public good in certain underserved areas, can we conclude that their diligent research has actually revealed specific areas? If so, why not simply publish the studies and let the supply of optometrists shift locals to satisfy the demand? This "problem" would be solved within months, not years.

 

[Steven Nelson]

If the proponents of these new schools are asserting that more optometrists are needed for the public good in certain underserved areas, can we conclude that their diligent research has actually revealed specific areas? If so, why not simply publish the studies and let the supply of optometrists shift locals to satisfy the demand? This "problem" would be solved within months, not years.

I doubt they've done that much research and we all know what opening these schools has been about. I feel that they've manipulated the data to suggest there will be a shortage to get the boards of the individual institutions on board with building OD programs. I've said for a long time that the only justification for a new school would be if there is a volume of qualified applicants that are having to choose other careers because they can't be accepted at the current schools. It's my understanding that application numbers are the lowest they've been in years and when you combine that with a necessity for a new school to pay the bills it's a recipe for disaster.

I don't think we've got some disastrous oversupply problem, but I also don't think it's a great idea to CREATE one either.

 

[Jeremy Ernstes]

cant fill your book for the week? gonna have to take that teaching position at your local college of optometry! oh joy!.... blah! am i so cynical that i've only been out of school one year and i'm already sensing the oversupply?

 

[Ken Elder]

cant fill your book for the week? gonna have to take that teaching position at your local college of optometry! oh joy!.... blah! am i so cynical that i've only been out of school one year and i'm already sensing the oversupply?

So what are you doing about it?

 

[Steven Nelson]

cant fill your book for the week? gonna have to take that teaching position at your local college of optometry! oh joy!.... blah! am i so cynical that i've only been out of school one year and i'm already sensing the oversupply?

Not to be the smart guy in the room or anything, but have you considered moving to where there are fewer doctors?

 

[Jonathan Warner]

And where would that be? Along the Mexican border?

Drats! I don't speak Spanish.

 

[Jeremy Ernstes]

i'm in cincinnati right now, and admittedly its not too bad here. not too many ods banging on the doors trying to set up shop down the street. i hope this gives you a little chuckle too... instead of moving to where there are fewer docs, i'm trying to move to the tampa area where we seem to be a dime a dozen. nothing like having a sears, pearle, walmart and visionworks all on one corner...

 

[Steve Howard]

And where would that be? Along the Mexican border?

Drats! I don't speak Spanish.

Exactly. But think on the bright side, if you opened on the border you probably wouldn't have to be open on Saturday, Sunday, Easter, New Years day and evenings to scrounge for patients.

 

[Armaan Arain]

Great read, very insightful and exactly what I've been hearing and reading up on optometry.

After doing some searching in Illinois maps and checking registered optometrists on aoa.org, I've found a 11,000 population town with only 4 optometrists within 25 miles, they must have some nice practices. But, go out 50 miles from that town and the number jumps out to 20. Granted that some of those 20 that came up are from the semi-large suburbs near the town.