Poll: Would you encourage your kids to be OD's?

I have been in practice for over 35 years. During that time, I have come to enjoy practice more and more, as the scope and technology has expanded. I have tremendous respect for the POTENTIAL of this profession. Frankly, I feel that it could be the greatest limited license profession, in this country. Having said that, I would not encourage my children (nor did I ) to go into optometry. The reasons are many and varied but the basis for it is that I am not convinced that the way the profession is headed, present day ODs have the same respect for their profession, as I do. I see diploma mills being formed. I see ODs that are willing to sell their soles to pay off student debt. I see way too many that only want a job and not be a part of a profession, as I envision it. If we don't respect ourselves, how can we have respect for our profession? I want my kids to have more out of life than just a paycheck.

Beautifully written, Gary. My daughter just started SCO, and is terribly excited. I spent a LOT of time discussing these very topics with her and I think she "gets it", but I pray that Optometry still represents the kind of opportunity I want for her in four years. I am hoping that new modalities of practice emerge, and fields such as OrthoK and myopia management represent the "new" Optometry for those new OD's who truly have the drive to take advantage of.