Exploring the Benefits of Independent Private Practice in Optometry
As optometry continues to evolve, an increasing number of practitioners are considering independent private practice as a career path. This change is driven by a desire for the freedom to specialize and to make autonomous decisions about patient care and business operations. However, along with the benefits comes a unique set of…
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As optometry continues to evolve, an increasing number of practitioners are considering independent private practice as a career path. This change is driven by a desire for the freedom to specialize and to make autonomous decisions about patient care and business operations. However, along with the benefits comes a unique set of challenges, including mastering essential business management skills.
The question is: how does one navigate this territory successfully?
This is the central query in the newest episode of ECP Viewpoints from CooperVision, featuring Dr. Mike Shaheen from Hills and Dales Vision Care. He brings his personal experience of independent private practice to light. Dr. Shaheen’s experience highlights the value of family angles in his environment. He and his family have the freedom to specialize ins sports vision or glaucoma treatment.
In the episode, Dr. Shaheen touches upon the following critical points:
- The liberty associated with practicing in an independent environment, including opportunities to specialize.
- The significant role of the family in shaping his journey toward optometry.
- The importance of business management skills when owning a practice.
Dr. Shaheen says, “Being in an independent practice gives you freedom – optometrists can practice how they want and delve into different areas of interest.”
Inspired by his uncle, an optometrist for 50 years, Dr. Shaheen exemplifies a successful optometry career within the independent private practice setting. His insights offer valuable lessons for those considering this pathway, emphasizing the balance between freedom, control, and business management challenges.
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About the author
Dr. Jennifer Palombi leads Professional Affairs for the Americas at CooperVision. Before joining the company in 2017, she spent twenty years in clinical practice, working across private, hospital-based, corporate and collaborative optometry–ophthalmology settings. She also worked as a freelance medical writer. On ECP Viewpoints, Jennifer makes room for several stages of an optometry career. She brings three scholarship recipients together after the Savannah Best Practices Summit to discuss what they learned, then talks with practicing clinicians about contact-lens comfort, handling and patient communication. Her conversation with Jennifer Stewart gets into staff training and making annual lens purchases easier for patients.
