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As you finish up your last few years of optometry school, it's time to seriously start considering the career options that will be available to you. Simply saying, "I want to be an optometrist," isn't quite enough. Will you enter private practice? Will you work in a public hospital? These are things you need to start thinking about now, so that you can begin to make a plan for your future. If you're still not sure where you'll be heading after graduating from optometry school, then this article should help you get an idea of the options that are available to you. Private Practice This is what most young, future optometrists think of when they think about their future career. But entering into a private practice can actually happen in many different forms. First and foremost, you can start your own optometry clinic where you are the only--or at least the primary--doctor. This is a nice way to be your own boss and be able to make all of the big decisions yourself, but it comes with a lot of added risk and responsibility. For one thing, you'll need to get a loan to open up the clinic. Some banks specialize in optometry loans and can offer a better rate than a traditional loan, so you should look for these if this is something you want to do. But either way, you will be taking on responsibility for the loan, and you do risk having your clinic go under if the business does not perform well. Another option is to enter into a partnership with a fellow optometrist and open a clinic together. This allows you to share some of the risk associated with the business, but you will also have to share the profits and the power of decision making. A third option is to enter an already established private practice. This mitigates the vast majority of the risk, but it does mean that you will not be your own boss. You will be an optometrist beneath an owner or managing partners, and will likely be on a set salary. Obviously, that gives you a lot of security, having a steady income, but you won't reap the benefits of a growing business's profits. Public Hospitals Another option is to become an optometrist at a public hospital. This can also take on a few forms. Sometimes, you can be employed by a private practice, but physically work out of a public hospital. Other times, you'll be employed by the hospital itself. The latter is usually seen as a bit less "glamorous" than working for a private practice, but it can give you a great opportunity to see a variety of cases and meet patients from all walks of life. Military This option is one that may surprise you, but it can be an excellent option for many young optometrists. For one thing, if you enter the military with a degree in optometry, you'll be entering as an officer. That means no basic training, better pay, and a lower chance of deployment. Additionally, the military will often pay for your schooling in exchange for a commitment to stay in the military for a certain number of years. Many optometrists who do this often find themselves making a career of the military because of the security and benefits that they receive. Of course, this career choice comes with the downside of relocating your family every few years. However, if you don't mind living in new places, then this can be a good choice for you, even if it is only a temporary career choice. Once your schooling is paid for and you've met your commitment to the military, you can always go to a bank offering optometry loans and start up that private clinic you've always dreamed of. Vision One Credit Union Looking for an optometry loan? Vision One Credit Union provides loans and banking services to the independent eye care community. Call us today! Visit our page on https://www.visionone.org to see our page today!
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