The Student Room Group

which career pays more and is better ? - optometry or pharmacy?

which one has more status as well ?
I dont normally put people off as its your choice, but do read these forums. There are numerous posts from qualified pharmacists and optometrists with very negative views about their respective professions. If it were me I'd do something else. Do the reserach.

Lol@status and money being primary drivers.
Reply 2
Original post by 999tigger
I dont normally put people off as its your choice, but do read these forums. There are numerous posts from qualified pharmacists and optometrists with very negative views about their respective professions. If it were me I'd do something else. Do the reserach.

Lol@status and money being primary drivers.


lol well that's the main thing at the end of the day! - As well as how much you enjoy it, I don't want regrets in the future saying I should of done this or that.
thanks for the reply anyway
Original post by goal101
which one has more status as well ?


In my opinion, I would say that pharmacy is the better of the two, because in recent times, the field of optometry has received notoriety because (this may be true but shocking) some opticians have been allegedly been intentionally prescribing spectacles for the reason of gaining profits; even if people's eyesight has been good. They have been related to opticians and so lost their acclaim. For more information, have a look at this blog:-
http://blogs.thisismoney.co.uk/2006/10/10_ways_to_avoi.html.

The pharmacy is the field is more professional and I would say more challenging. You may have to face angry patients desperate for medicines, it's a challenge in the whole world of medicine.

Pharmacists are paid between 70-100k (as salary), but optometrists earn between 60-70k.

In terms of status, PHARMACY is the better option.
In terms of pay, PHARMACY is the better option.

But, it's just my opinion. I am only a teenager but I have researched the area with a lot of detail because I am aiming to go into ophthalmology. Please correct me if I am wrong.
Original post by goal101
lol well that's the main thing at the end of the day! - As well as how much you enjoy it, I don't want regrets in the future saying I should of done this or that.
thanks for the reply anyway


Honest,ly if it was me, then I would avoid both like the plague at the moment. Do your research. It wont make you rich and unlikely to make you think its a fantastic career. Your life though.
Reply 5
Original post by 999tigger
Honest,ly if it was me, then I would avoid both like the plague at the moment. Do your research. It wont make you rich and unlikely to make you think its a fantastic career. Your life though.


so are the both courses bad ?
Reply 6
Original post by Ratchet3903
In my opinion, I would say that pharmacy is the better of the two, because in recent times, the field of optometry has received notoriety because (this may be true but shocking) some opticians have been allegedly been intentionally prescribing spectacles for the reason of gaining profits; even if people's eyesight has been good. They have been related to opticians and so lost their acclaim. For more information, have a look at this blog:-
http://blogs.thisismoney.co.uk/2006/10/10_ways_to_avoi.html.

The pharmacy is the field is more professional and I would say more challenging. You may have to face angry patients desperate for medicines, it's a challenge in the whole world of medicine.

Pharmacists are paid between 70-100k (as salary), but optometrists earn between 60-70k.

In terms of status, PHARMACY is the better option.
In terms of pay, PHARMACY is the better option.

But, it's just my opinion. I am only a teenager but I have researched the area with a lot of detail because I am aiming to go into ophthalmology. Please correct me if I am wrong.


hmmm I see, and it's fine i respect your opinion! and that's really impressive hope It all goes well for you
Original post by goal101
so are the both courses bad ?


Do the research, just google this site. There are detailed posts by people in the professions.
Original post by 999tigger
Do the research, just google this site. There are detailed posts by people in the professions.


Both professions entail contact with the general public, although eventually you may be able to get yourself into a position of management / business ownership and away from too much contact with your clients / customers. Yes, we all have to live and earning enough to be able to enjoy a reasonable level of comfort is preferable to living hand to mouth, but if money and status (as opposed to having the knowledge that you are providing a service to improve the lives of others) are your main considerations, then perhaps you are looking at the wrong professions altogether?
Reply 9
Neither careers pay particularly well for the amount of work needed for you to become qualified. Coming from a pharmacy background myself, I can tell you that your roughly looking at a payscale between £30-60k a year, however most pharamcists earn a median range of £40k.

The other point to make is that if your looking to become a pharmacist, career progression is extremely limited at the moment,as well as job oppurtunities, due to there being way too many pharmacists in the country already, so the likelihood to be earning great money is slim.

However if its not about money or prestige then 100% go for it! But be prepared for long hours and a lot of not so interesting stuff you need to learn.
Reply 10
Original post by Kayton
Neither careers pay particularly well for the amount of work needed for you to become qualified. Coming from a pharmacy background myself, I can tell you that your roughly looking at a payscale between £30-60k a year, however most pharamcists earn a median range of £40k.

The other point to make is that if your looking to become a pharmacist, career progression is extremely limited at the moment,as well as job oppurtunities, due to there being way too many pharmacists in the country already, so the likelihood to be earning great money is slim.

However if its not about money or prestige then 100% go for it! But be prepared for long hours and a lot of not so interesting stuff you need to learn.


Do you know anything about optometrists because there not as demand so there will be jobs out there in comparison to pharmacy
Reply 11
Original post by goal101
Do you know anything about optometrists because there not as demand so there will be jobs out there in comparison to pharmacy


Honestly I wouldn't be sure, but maybe job opportunities might be better. As unlike Pharmacy you can move countries and still be qualified to practice in most without having to take further examinations.

Its what you want to do with your life. I myself changed career paths from Pharmay because I really didnt enjoy it and have instead moved into the more industry side of things.

If its a high salary you want then your better off trying to get into private sector work, ie working for a big corporations such as GSK. As through these companys theres no limit to your pay scale as such. wheras working as a pharmacits your generally paid on a NHS band scale in whihc the highest you can possibly earn is 80-100k but thats at a senior salary which you can only reach working in a hospital after 20yrs experience.

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