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Cost of becoming an optometrist or pharmacist

Sr. Member
Mar 6, 2010
895 posts
382 upvotes
Brampton

Cost of becoming an optometrist or pharmacist

Is it true that in order to become an optometrist or a pharmacist, one needs to first study for 12 years in school, get excellent (75%+) marks in Science and Math, get accepted into a 4 year degree course in college and only then one can get get admitted to a well known vocational course like optometrist or pharmacist?
Secondly how much does such a path cost? I guess even if one stays with parents, a 4 year course will easily cost about $40-50 K. Then the vocational course will be another $60+K.
This seems excessive.
Are these number correct?
19 replies
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Aug 2, 2001
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Pharmacist:
It takes at least five years of university education to become a pharmacist: one or two years of an undergraduate program (with some science courses required), followed by a four-year professional degree pharmacy program.
https://www.opatoday.com/becoming-a-pharmacist

Optometrist:
Doctors of optometry require seven to eight years of post-secondary education to obtain their professional designation, Doctor of Optometry (OD).

Educational requirements typically include:

A minimum of three years of undergraduate education, preferably in the sciences; Please NOTE: In Québec two years of CEGEP is accepted at the undergraduate level.
A four or five year university program in optometry, accredited by the Accreditation Council on Optometric Education;
An increasing number of optometrists choose to do an additional year of residency training upon completion of their Doctor of Optometry degree;
Upon completion of the course in optometry, the graduate is required to satisfy provincial board requirements in the province or territory in which they intend to practice. This process also includes a national examination administered by the Optometry Examining Board of Canada. Licensure by the provincial or territorial governing body is required. These requirements ensure the public receives the highest standards of optometric care.

https://opto.ca/becoming-a-doctor-of-optometry
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Sep 1, 2005
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Markham
For Optometry, there's only two schools in Canada (Waterloo and Montreal)

Each year, approximately 130 new optometrists graduate from the two Canadian schools of optometry (University of Waterloo and Université de Montréal). => This is a joke of a number IMO so a lot of ppl go to the US.

That $ figure can be triple/quadruple or even more if you have to go outside of Canada (ie US or somewhere else).

That time figure depends on whether you can get in the year your apply...a lot of ppl apply, don't make it, wait a year, apply, don't make it and/or they finally decide that it ain't happening in Canada so they go elsewhere.

For Pharmacology...there is some more openings here.
We're all bozos on the bus until we find a way to express ourselves...

Failure is always an option...just not the preferred one!
Deal Fanatic
Sep 16, 2004
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You may also want to look a t Scotland, but the down side is you'll be subject to International student fees which are 6 times that of domestic students.
Deal Guru
Sep 1, 2004
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Remember for both professions, money isn't the wages but the associated products you peddle.

If you are doing just a job, you probably won't break 6 figures without some shift work.
Sr. Member
Mar 6, 2010
895 posts
382 upvotes
Brampton
The replies have been great.
So it does seem like that to become an optometrist or a pharmacist one does need to spend about $60 to $90 K, a tidy sum.
Member
Feb 2, 2018
414 posts
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Montreal
luking wrote: The replies have been great.
So it does seem like that to become an optometrist or a pharmacist one does need to spend about $60 to $90 K, a tidy sum.
What's the alternative though? And what would be the price difference? If you're going to spend 4 years of tuition on something else, spending an extra year's to become a pharmacist sounds worth it compared to most other degrees out there. High salary, stable employment, possibility of working anywhere, likely more control of work-life balance vs other high-paying professions.

Also, 75%+ in sciences sound a bit low imo. It's more likely to be 85%+ at a minimum.
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Aug 13, 2012
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gr8dlr wrote: For Pharmacology...there is some more openings here.
I know you probably meant Pharmacy because Pharmacology is totally different.
¯\_(・_・)_/¯
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Sep 1, 2005
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Xtrema wrote: Remember for both professions, money isn't the wages but the associated products you peddle.

If you are doing just a job, you probably won't break 6 figures without some shift work.
Optometry >>>> Pharmacist. Ultimately to make $$$, you have to own/operate the business and not just be a employee. I call it "leverage"...ie making money off multiple people/services/products vs just your hourly wage.
We're all bozos on the bus until we find a way to express ourselves...

Failure is always an option...just not the preferred one!
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osuman wrote: I know you probably meant Pharmacy because Pharmacology is totally different.
Thanks. Googled it.

Pharmacology is the study of the sources, uses, and mechanisms of action of drugs. That is what the body does to drugs (pharmacokinetics) and what drugs do to the body (pharmacodynamics). Pharmacy is the science or practice of the preparation, formulation, and dispensing of medicinal drugs.
We're all bozos on the bus until we find a way to express ourselves...

Failure is always an option...just not the preferred one!
Sr. Member
Mar 6, 2010
895 posts
382 upvotes
Brampton
Okay, one more question - Are all people employed in a pharmacy pharmacists? I am talking about people who dispense medicines, answer incoming calls in a pharmacy? Or is there a pharmacy assistant "qualification"?
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Aug 13, 2012
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luking wrote: Okay, one more question - Are all people employed in a pharmacy pharmacists? I am talking about people who dispense medicines, answer incoming calls in a pharmacy? Or is there a pharmacy assistant "qualification"?
There are pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, and pharmacy assistants.
Pharmacists are the main guys that oversee over everything. It takes at least 5 years to get the licence and the starting pay is around mid 40s.
Pharmacy technicians do more manual stuff like receiving and managing the inventory, preparing medications, and all that computer stuff. Its a 2 year college program and the pay is around mid 20s.
Pharmacy assistants dont require a licence to become one. They can be trained and hired by the pharmacist, or there is a 1 year college program. The pay is ~$18.
¯\_(・_・)_/¯
Sr. Member
Mar 6, 2010
895 posts
382 upvotes
Brampton
osuman wrote: There are pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, and pharmacy assistants.
Pharmacists are the main guys that oversee over everything. It takes at least 5 years to get the licence and the starting pay is around mid 40s.
Pharmacy technicians do more manual stuff like receiving and managing the inventory, preparing medications, and all that computer stuff. Its a 2 year college program and the pay is around mid 20s.
Pharmacy assistants dont require a licence to become one. They can be trained and hired by the pharmacist, or there is a 1 year college program. The pay is ~$18.
Thank you very much for the perfect reply.
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Mar 6, 2015
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The hashtaq linking works wonder again. Is the following info helpful?
Aamir8866 wrote: on Dec 30th, 2018 5:49 pm
I am currently in the third semester in Biotech. in Mohawk and as far as I know Biotech have much better future potential as job prospects compare to Pharmacy Technician program
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Newbie
Aug 20, 2018
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The optometrist route looks good. You do your undergrad then apply to Waterloo.

The return on it isn't bad either. It can be anywhere from $150,000 to $200,000.
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Aug 15, 2015
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It's costly to become an optometrist or a pharmacist. Time is expensive and studying takes time.especially on topics that you don't understand.

I think people who get into those programs need to have an interest and aptitude toward the subject.

For example, I am not interested in studying about the eye. I am interested in my eyes, because I like to see and I want my eyes to be healthy but I do not want to memorize all the terms that are given to the many parts of my eyes that make my eyes. Nor do I want to know how I could damage my eyes and the consequences of such damages or how aging will affect my visions.

I will find out with time and I don't need to read into the future or encounter examples of my possible future through the practice of optometry.

I hope this post make sense.
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Feb 7, 2017
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Poppwl wrote: It's costly to become an optometrist or a pharmacist. Time is expensive and studying takes time.especially on topics that you don't understand.

I think people who get into those programs need to have an interest and aptitude toward the subject.

For example, I am not interested in studying about the eye. I am interested in my eyes, because I like to see and I want my eyes to be healthy but I do not want to memorize all the terms that are given to the many parts of my eyes that make my eyes. Nor do I want to know how I could damage my eyes and the consequences of such damages or how aging will affect my visions.

I will find out with time and I don't need to read into the future or encounter examples of my possible future through the practice of optometry.

I hope this post make sense.
No it doesn’t.

But then we can prob overlook that cuz IIRC you are still in High School

By the time one graduates and applies to College / Uni ... hopefully they’ve figured out in life what interests them / they seem to be good at

The basis to Pharmacy or Optometry is PURE & APPLIED SCIENCES ... particularly Advanced Biology.

So it takes more than just an interest ... it takes top marks too

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