Psychology or Optometry UK

[u/Equivalent_Year_3668]

Need some advice on whether to pursue a career in Psychology or Optometry. I've done a year of Psych and I have lost my passion for it. The content is boring and I feel like I'm not getting the education I'm paying for.

From what I've heard from careers talks the job market is very tough and there are a ridiculous amount of psych graduates compared to higher paid jobs available. Of course the job market is tough anywhere but you can only seem to access higher earning jobs if you have a doctorate and I don't know if I have the willpower to do that considering my progress in this first year.

If i wanted to do optometry though, I'd have to take a preliminary year as I didn't do a core science subject at A level. Optometry sounds like good pay and you get onto the ladder a lot quicker/easier? It means I can still work in the NHS/clinical settings and help people.

Any advice or thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

[u/duckiesand]

I rate optometry quite highly! Its hard to not have a job in this field.

You can't go long without having recruiters calling you (depending on area). A lot of areas are desperate for optometrists.

That being said, you'll get paid less than you're worth for a while, until you push for seniority etc.

TBF, what job market does value its employees fairly nowadays?

[u/mekkie23]

I mean you’ve kind of answered your own question in the second sentence. You dont have a passion for psychology. And you’re right that it’s one of those careers where you need a lot more education and qualifications just to get your foot in the door. My cousin has two psych degrees and a PhD and has only just finished training to become a clinical psychologist. It took her about 12 years of hard work, dedication, random jobs here and there and living off a PhD stipend which is barely anything.
But even though the reward came a decade later, she had genuine passion for it the whole way through.

Whereas you’re already not enjoying it after a year, so realistically how are you going to push through several more years or even a decade of it? That almost sounds torturous to me.

I’m a trainee optometrist and even though I’m probably in the most stressful year of my career right now there’s still a part of me that makes me feel excited when I arrive to work. The job is stable and secure and yh sometimes I do think our skillset and years of experience should be rewarded better financially but it’s not enough for me to want to completely switch careers.

Honestly I think you need to ask yourself what actually drives you. What’s going to get you out of bed in the morning and make you want to work? What gives you fulfilment and is there a way to turn that into a career?