Pharmacy vs Optometry

I need help choosing a career between the 2, I know it's up to me but I want to know in terms of prospects and salary. I know pharmacy is saturated is I've been speaking to others and heard that optometry is too? Thank you

Pharmacy is VERY saturated. Optometry is a lot less saturated here, but there is a very high demand for optometrists around the world. I think the salary is higher for an optometrist. Pharmacy you can't really progress in: you either work in a pharmacy or a pharmaceutical company (or a hospital in which case you can progress, but a job there would be rare). Optometry doesn't yield much career progression either but you can work your way up in a practice and become a partner and start earning decent money, or work in a hospital and work your way up to becoming a consultant where once again, the money is good, however it will probably be more difficult to get a job in a hospital.

What do think is better if you open your own optician or pharmacy?

I need help choosing a career between the 2, I know it's up to me but I want to know in terms of prospects and salary. I know pharmacy is saturated is I've been speaking to others and heard that optometry is too? Thank you

Optometry definitely.

Stats for salaries? If you google something like "pharmacist salary" the first website should be "prospects.ac.uk" that is quite useful.
But from what I saw:
Pharmacist-Community- Starting salary=£20k-35k
-after 10-15 years= £40k-68k
-locum=£20-25 per hour
-Hospital- Starting=£21k
-Then it progresses through bands (best to have a look yourself)
Optometrist-pre-reg year- £17k-21k
-Starting=£25k
-With experience= £28k-60k+
-Hospital- Different bands again, but paid less than high street chains unless you get to consultant (80k salary)

I am going to start studying Optometry in a few weeks. I was in the exact same position as you last year. Optometry seemed more appealing to me. The hours for a Pharmacist are generally unsocial, late nights, weekends, long/double shifts etc. For an Optometrist it is just 9-5 on weekdays.

I hope this helps, if you need any more advice, feel free to ask here and/or pm me, I'll always be happy to help.

I am at the same point where I don't know wether to choose pharmacy or optometry. What advice would you give now. ??

Optometry definitely.

Stats for salaries? If you google something like "pharmacist salary" the first website should be "prospects.ac.uk" that is quite useful.
But from what I saw:
Pharmacist-Community- Starting salary=£20k-35k
-after 10-15 years= £40k-68k
-locum=£20-25 per hour
-Hospital- Starting=£21k
-Then it progresses through bands (best to have a look yourself)
Optometrist-pre-reg year- £17k-21k
-Starting=£25k
-With experience= £28k-60k+
-Hospital- Different bands again, but paid less than high street chains unless you get to consultant (80k salary)

I am going to start studying Optometry in a few weeks. I was in the exact same position as you last year. Optometry seemed more appealing to me. The hours for a Pharmacist are generally unsocial, late nights, weekends, long/double shifts etc. For an Optometrist it is just 9-5 on weekdays.

I hope this helps, if you need any more advice, feel free to ask here and/or pm me, I'll always be happy to help.

Hi this was really helpful I'm currently deciding what to go on and study next year pharmacy or optometry! In terms of the course at university what is optometry like? I do have an interest in both chemistry and biology. I find the eyes really interesting however I'm scared that I won't be able to keep up the the course content of optometry as I have heard theres lots of physics, I'm currently studying biology and chemistry A level.

I am in a similar position, I am not sure whether I want to do Optometry because of the physics involved, I do A Level Bio, Chem and Psych. But I am drawn to applying for optometry because it's slightly easier than Pharmacy.

I think Optometry is nice. I would definitely have done it if I could go back. I wanted to transfer in my 2nd year but for some reason wasn’t allowed — perhaps because I was deep into it and near the end.
You could consider working locum and earning £200-350 a day which a couple people I know do. Up to you.

Can't believe it's been 5 months since I was part of this discussion but I have decided to stick with pharmacy, I am still in the process of applying. Things could still change so optometry isn't being completely dismissed.

Can't believe it's been 5 months since I was part of this discussion but I have decided to stick with pharmacy, I am still in the process of applying. Things could still change so optometry isn't being completely dismissed.