The College of Optometrists

Rumour has it that a NQ accepted a salary of 16K in a SS over here (NI) - It has got to the point that you can't leave your job cause you will take such a wage cut. No good!!

At this level of salary and with less job security than ever, there is not much to lose by starting up your own practice?

I think that is what will happen over here. There are a lot of guys coming out with nothing to do. They are finding ways to make money - I have already heard of some OOs starting up from scratch with only a couple of years experience behind them, This new generation of OOs are bound to be a threat to both indies and the larger groups. They have fresh ideas and willing to give them a blast. It will be interesting to see what/how we are all doing in 10 yrs.

They must be stupid to accept a salary which they could easily triple simply by locuming!

Why is the situation so bad in Northern Ireland when there is only one institution for optometry in the whole country.

The demand must be there surely, all Irish people are not emmetropic??

Some of this new generation may just find that it is quite possible to have a good income with a lot less eye exams per week than most multis expect.

Can't help feeling that some employed Optoms spend half their week working to earn their employers fancy rents, advertising, franchise fees and other "head office" costs.

Nothing to lose in opening you own practice than the 70k it will set you back...

Godzilla - Only around 1.6 million people over here. Last count I think there were just over 100 practices. UUC produces around 35 graduates per year. A good year would see around 10 pre reg places, of which prob only half have a permanent job to offer at the end. This can vary from year to year though. Locum work is difficult to find and pay is dropping. I could count the number of full time jobs that have been advertised in the last 2 years on one foot! Out of my class of 35, around 80% were females most of who did not want to go across the water and wanted to stay at home with their mommies (joke! - i'm not sexist in any way) - The future is a little gloomy

You wouldn't lose your 70k if you bought your own practice, it's like buying a house, you'd get it back if and when you sold it.

By the way I would thoroughly recommend buying houses and renting them out long term as a side business. It's the best investment you can make.

You've got to speculate to accumulate!

If a NQ has a salary of only £16K then he/ she will probably lose (indirectly) £70K or more in just their first few years.

I suppose that I am sad that so few optoms seem to want to start up on their own (or in a small partnerships) and that the majority are happy to work their days making money for others.

godzilla.

Its nothing like buying a house.