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Thread: Cert. or Lic.

  1. #1
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    Angry Cert. or Lic.

    In regards to the BobV message, bud let's get real. The state of Missouri and others like it should be licensed. First, opticians here are limited to lower salaries and not because they were hired right off the street with no experience. Non-licensing has become a way for many retail shops to place an extremely low cap on skilled people. Many of us here in Missouri have worked as opticians for many years and we deserve salaries that compensate our skills. Secondly, our patients deserve our skills worthy of the money they spent. Thirdly, it would free up many opticians to move to other states if they desire and work their profession without starting at the bottom of salary scale. Believe me know. I wanted to move to Virginia. I am certified in Missouri and checked into obtaining my license in Virginia. The ABO said that I could test out if I had worked X-number of years as an apprentist which I have if you consider fourteen years enough, pay testing fees and with approval of ABO get my license then it would be granted. I managed to anchor a job in Newport News for a greater salary than what I was moking and moved to Virginia. They knew I was only certified, it was on my resume. Well, I guess someone in their HR overlooked that detail. After working there a week the missed detail was brought up. Well guess what, my salary got dropped to half. I was now working for $9.00 an hour. How in the hell can one servive on that? Secondly, the school of opticianry declined to honor what the ABO stated regarding testing out. Why, because one of the board members of the school also held a position with the ABO. They wanted full tuition. Guess what, I didn't have that kind of money nor could I survive on 9 bucks an hour. Now I'm back in Missouri.

    I hate to say this but it's mostly the chain stores that lobby against making a state licensed. I know this because I have interviewed with chain stores that out right said they oppose licensing so they don't have to pay their opticians more. Why hire skill when they can pull someone off the street for low wages and train them just enough to make a sale. So Bob, maybe you work for a chain or maybe you work in a small town were the cost of living is dirt cheap and you care to move, that's fine but try living in large cities like Saint Louis, you'll either change your mind or profession.

    (note: This not necessarily the thoughts of the member whos name is presnted here on Optiboard. I am one of the opticians just using the membership access.)

  2. #2
    Optimentor Diane's Avatar
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    Re: Cert. or Lic.

    J. BOBROW MD said:
    In regards to the BobV message, bud let's get real. The state of Missouri and others like it should be licensed. First, opticians here are limited to lower salaries and not because they were hired right off the street with no experience. Non-licensing has become a way for many retail shops to place an extremely low cap on skilled people. Many of us here in Missouri have worked as opticians for many years and we deserve salaries that compensate our skills. Secondly, our patients deserve our skills worthy of the money they spent. Thirdly, it would free up many opticians to move to other states if they desire and work their profession without starting at the bottom of salary scale. Believe me know. I wanted to move to Virginia. I am certified in Missouri and checked into obtaining my license in Virginia. The ABO said that I could test out if I had worked X-number of years as an apprentist which I have if you consider fourteen years enough, pay testing fees and with approval of ABO get my license then it would be granted. I managed to anchor a job in Newport News for a greater salary than what I was moking and moved to Virginia. They knew I was only certified, it was on my resume. Well, I guess someone in their HR overlooked that detail. After working there a week the missed detail was brought up. Well guess what, my salary got dropped to half. I was now working for $9.00 an hour. How in the hell can one servive on that? Secondly, the school of opticianry declined to honor what the ABO stated regarding testing out. Why, because one of the board members of the school also held a position with the ABO. They wanted full tuition. Guess what, I didn't have that kind of money nor could I survive on 9 bucks an hour. Now I'm back in Missouri.

    I hate to say this but it's mostly the chain stores that lobby against making a state licensed. I know this because I have interviewed with chain stores that out right said they oppose licensing so they don't have to pay their opticians more. Why hire skill when they can pull someone off the street for low wages and train them just enough to make a sale. So Bob, maybe you work for a chain or maybe you work in a small town were the cost of living is dirt cheap and you care to move, that's fine but try living in large cities like Saint Louis, you'll either change your mind or profession.

    (note: This not necessarily the thoughts of the member whos name is presnted here on Optiboard. I am one of the opticians just using the membership access.)
    Dear person using someone's membership access,

    Sorry that you feel that you can't be a member in your own right. Go ahead and register on your own. You're worth it.

    It appears that you have several things very confused. "I am certified in Missouri" I'm not sure HOW you could be certified in Missouri. What is that? "and checked into obtaining my license in Virginia. The ABO said that I could test out if I had worked X-number of years as an apprentist which I have if you consider fourteen years enough, pay testing fees and with approval of ABO get my license then it would be granted." The ABO also doesn't tell anyone that they can test out??? period... The ABO is a certifying body. That is all. They have no control over whether or not anyone can test out for schooling, or get licensed in any state. They may have advised you that you could register to sit for the ABO exam, but in reality there is no pre-requisite for registering at this particular point in time. One doesn't even have to be in the optical field to take the exam. All they have to do is submit the appropriate paperwork by the required deadline and show up for the exam.

    If, in reality, you have actually passed the ABO certification examination and maintained your CEC's required to retain that certification, you are an ABO certified Optician. If you move to a state of which that is part of the licensing examination, then you are at least partly on your way to licensure.

    If you have questions regarding ABO certification, I would suggest that you contact the ABO at 800-296-1379. The deadline registering for the examination in May has passed, however the exam will be administered again on a national basis in November, and you may be interested in registering for that test. The deadline would be 60 days prior to the exam.

    Not to be a butinski, but hope this helps clear a couple of things up.

    Regards,

    Diane
    Anything worth doing is worth doing well.

  3. #3
    Master OptiBoarder Joann Raytar's Avatar
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    Now I'm confused. Are you folks talking about the American Board of Opticianry ABO Certified or the American Board of Ophthalmology ABO Certified?
    http://www.midwesteyemd.org/public/rightdoc.htm

    What does "board-certified" mean?
    Board certification means that an ophthalmologist has taken and passed rigorous examinations which cover all aspects of medical and surgical eye care. These examinations are voluntary. An ophthalmologist does not have to be board-certified to practice. The American Board of Ophthalmology (ABO) is the main certifying body for ophthalmologists in the United States. Medical specialty boards - including the ABO Ò are accredited by an "umbrella" organization that sets standards for certifying physicians.

  4. #4
    Master OptiBoarder BobV's Avatar
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    Thanks, Diane...

    Is this the person to whom I am speaking to? Hate to tell you , bud, but I think you have it wrong. I have worked downtown KC, North KC, Overland Park, KS. Let's talk Overland Park. Substantial homes, substantial shopping. Lots of money there. The pay isn't so bad if you know how to negotiate. I have worked mostly MD practices, and am into my first total optometric practice. I am the highest paid optician there. And, when I have applied at other places, nobody can match what I make now.

    So, if you don't know how to negotiate, or don't want to negotiate for better wages/benefits, I would say you are in a sorry state of mind. Maybe it's time for YOU to find another profession. You need to be able to sell YOURSELF. You would have to do that if you opened your own shop.

    At the present time, I work in Lee's Summit, a somewhat affluent suburb of Kansas City. Perhaps you should try this side of the state to see what you're missing. Who knows, you may like it here. And, by the way, Kansas is not licensed, either.

    And, Unknown Optician, please heed Diane's words of wisdom. She knows what she is talking about.

    Bob V.

  5. #5
    Optimentor Diane's Avatar
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    Jo said:
    Now I'm confused. Are you folks talking about the American Board of Opticianry ABO Certified or the American Board of Ophthalmology ABO Certified?
    Jo,

    Based on the post, this person was using another person's access to post. The person that IS the member is listed as an ophthalmologist. The person who was DOING the post claimed that they were working as an optician. They also stated that they were certified in Missouri, but Missouri is not licensed and unless I am mistaken has no type of certification as a state. The poster may be ABO certified... Dunno.

    Diane
    Anything worth doing is worth doing well.

  6. #6
    Master OptiBoarder BobV's Avatar
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    Diane, you are correct. Missouri is not licensed, and ABO certification is not mandatory for employment as an optician.

    Bob V.

  7. #7
    Master OptiBoarder Joann Raytar's Avatar
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    Diane said:
    Jo,

    Based on the post, this person was using another person's access to post. The person that IS the member is listed as an ophthalmologist. The person who was DOING the post claimed that they were working as an optician. They also stated that they were certified in Missouri, but Missouri is not licensed and unless I am mistaken has no type of certification as a state. The poster may be ABO certified... Dunno.

    Diane
    Okay then ... I am still confused. The American Board of Opticians has no control over what individual state licensing boards accept as criteria for licensure - ABO/NCLE administers competency exams and ensures that continuing education requirements are met for renewal.

  8. #8
    Master OptiBoarder Cindy Hamlin's Avatar
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    Re: Re: Cert. or Lic.

    Diane said:
    Dear person using someone's membership access,

    Sorry that you feel that you can't be a member in your own right. Go ahead and register on your own. You're worth it.

    It appears that you have several things very confused. "I am certified in Missouri" I'm not sure HOW you could be certified in Missouri. What is that? "and checked into obtaining my license in Virginia. The ABO said that I could test out if I had worked X-number of years as an apprentist which I have if you consider fourteen years enough, pay testing fees and with approval of ABO get my license then it would be granted." The ABO also doesn't tell anyone that they can test out??? period... The ABO is a certifying body. That is all. They have no control over whether or not anyone can test out for schooling, or get licensed in any state. They may have advised you that you could register to sit for the ABO exam, but in reality there is no pre-requisite for registering at this particular point in time. One doesn't even have to be in the optical field to take the exam. All they have to do is submit the appropriate paperwork by the required deadline and show up for the exam.

    If, in reality, you have actually passed the ABO certification examination and maintained your CEC's required to retain that certification, you are an ABO certified Optician. If you move to a state of which that is part of the licensing examination, then you are at least partly on your way to licensure.

    If you have questions regarding ABO certification, I would suggest that you contact the ABO at 800-296-1379. The deadline registering for the examination in May has passed, however the exam will be administered again on a national basis in November, and you may be interested in registering for that test. The deadline would be 60 days prior to the exam.

    Not to be a butinski, but hope this helps clear a couple of things up.

    Regards,

    Diane
    Diane,
    I think the person may have the facts a little confused. In VA you could test out with experience and letters from others on your skills out of up to 2 years of school (this is for the apprenticeship program), but I believe that has changed now. I, too, have never heard of "testing out" of the ABO.
    ~Cindy

    "If you can't be a good example, then you'll just have to be a horrible warning." -Catherine Aird-

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    Forever Liz's Dad Steve Machol's Avatar
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    Re: Cert. or Lic.

    J. BOBROW MD said: (note: This not necessarily the thoughts of the member whos name is presnted here on Optiboard. I am one of the opticians just using the membership access.)
    I would appreciate it if you would open your own OptiBoard account instead of using someone else' to post something. Using someone else's account is not really appropriate and could be considered a violation of that person's rights. :)


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    Master OptiBoarder Texas Ranger's Avatar
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    Re: Cert. or Lic.

    Account removed at owner's request said:
    In regards to the BobV message, bud let's get real. The state of Missouri and others like it should be licensed. First, opticians here are limited to lower salaries and not because they were hired right off the street with no experience. Non-licensing has become a way for many retail shops to place an extremely low cap on skilled people. Many of us here in Missouri have worked as opticians for many years and we deserve salaries that compensate our skills. Secondly, our patients deserve our skills worthy of the money they spent. Thirdly, it would free up many opticians to move to other states if they desire and work their profession without starting at the bottom of salary scale. Believe me know. I wanted to move to Virginia. I am certified in Missouri and checked into obtaining my license in Virginia. The ABO said that I could test out if I had worked X-number of years as an apprentist which I have if you consider fourteen years enough, pay testing fees and with approval of ABO get my license then it would be granted. I managed to anchor a job in Newport News for a greater salary than what I was moking and moved to Virginia. They knew I was only certified, it was on my resume. Well, I guess someone in their HR overlooked that detail. After working there a week the missed detail was brought up. Well guess what, my salary got dropped to half. I was now working for $9.00 an hour. How in the hell can one servive on that? Secondly, the school of opticianry declined to honor what the ABO stated regarding testing out. Why, because one of the board members of the school also held a position with the ABO. They wanted full tuition. Guess what, I didn't have that kind of money nor could I survive on 9 bucks an hour. Now I'm back in Missouri.

    I hate to say this but it's mostly the chain stores that lobby against making a state licensed. I know this because I have interviewed with chain stores that out right said they oppose licensing so they don't have to pay their opticians more. Why hire skill when they can pull someone off the street for low wages and train them just enough to make a sale. So Bob, maybe you work for a chain or maybe you work in a small town were the cost of living is dirt cheap and you care to move, that's fine but try living in large cities like Saint Louis, you'll either change your mind or profession.

    (note: This not necessarily the thoughts of the member whos name is presnted here on Optiboard. I am one of the opticians just using the membership access.)
    Dear "guest", It seems to me that you have a labor relations legal issue with the company in Newport News, that hired you based on your resume, then when you actually moved there, there was something about it that they didn't like, like you not being licensed in Va. I think that the "mistake" was perhaps on their end? so what did the "optical school" have to do with you "testing out" of the Va. state boards, and why the tuition issue? And who would you be going to work for that is big enough to employ an HR director? I do think you have issues with that company! Diane is very correct, your "certified in Missouri" is likely just ABO Certified, which with your 14 years of experience makes you likely very qualified, or not. that would need to be determined my the Va. Board, now wouldn't it? BobV says you need to do a better job of "selling yourself", and he's right; if you came in for an interview, I'd ask you what salary you needed, you'd tell me, and if you're really sharp, I'd likely offer you more than that, if you're not. then I might not hire you at all, thatn feel like I was taking advantage of you...

  11. #11
    Master OptiBoarder OptiBoard Gold Supporter Judy Canty's Avatar
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    It seems to me that you should have checked with the Virginia State Board for Opticians to find out what you need to qualifiy to sit for their boards.

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