Optometric Management

DIVA
Breaking the Glass Ceiling . . . or Not
Traditional definitions of success may be changing as more women optometrists join the ranks.
By Carol Schwartz, O.D., F.A.A.O., Vista, Calif.

If you had told me or any of my classmates that, 20 years after graduation, women optometrists still would be discussing the "glass ceiling" and barriers to their success, we'd have died laughing. We were confident that by the time the millennium rolled around, female O.D.s would have broken every barrier we faced back then.

As it turns out, we were mistaken. Despite the ever-increasing numbers and undisputed excellence of so many, women still face some of the same professional challenges in optometry in 2001 as they did two decades ago.

How do we overcome these barriers? Let's take a look at academia, the most progressive sector in optometry, for some insights.

"Women have made great strides in the academic environment," says Julie B. Ryan, a private practitioner in Irvine, Calif., and a faculty member at Southern California College of Optometry. "When I first researched opportunities in academia in the mid-1980s, women were mostly at the lower levels. Now they're visible in the highest positions."

In fact, DIVA panelist Janice E. Scharre has the distinction of being the first female dean at Illinois College of Optometry (ICO).

Not only are opportunities for advancement more prevalent in academia, the academic environment is a great proving ground for women who want to branch out into other venues, such as corporate research, says Louise Sclafani of the University of Chicago.

Are so many women drawn to academia because it's good to them? Or is academia good to women because so many women are already there? The answer is probably the former.

"When I went into private practice in the 1970s, people weren't expecting to see a female O.D.," recalls ICO professor Janice M. Jurkus, "patients had a hard time differentiating me from the secretary or the receptionist. In academia, however, we were treated as equal to the male doctors."

Unlike private practice -- and industry to some extent -- most colleges have very objective criteria for hiring and promoting their employees. Faculty members on the tenure track are well aware of what they must accomplish to be eligible for promotion and the time horizons in which they must meet these goals.

"In an academic setting you're judged on your accomplishments and your curriculum vitae. Your credentials speak for themselves," says Loretta Szczotka, assistant professor at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine in Cleveland, Ohio.

This is not to say that academia is free from unfair workplace tactics. It's just more difficult to play politics there, particularly in light of government non-discrimination mandates and affirmative action programs.

But academia isn't for everyone. How can women break through in the private sector?

For most female graduates -- whether they're looking for full- or part-time opportunities -- finding a position in private practice can be daunting. Some practitioners are reluctant to hire a female associate for fear she'll leave after a few years, potentially hurting the practice. And practices that incorporate plans for family leave are rare.

Perhaps it's time to introduce a new paradigm, one in which women optometrists go into practice with other women.

"Women who practice together are more aware of each other's needs and more willing to accommodate them," says Lisa Badowski, assistant professor of clinical optometry and chief of the contact lens clinic at Ohio State University. For example, a large practice in Ohio employs several women optometrists who have families. The practice has an on-site daycare center for children of the doctors and the staff.

Part of the paradigm shift among women in optometry may be later entry into private practice. Many on the DIVA panel believe that young female O.D.s will continue to seek out commercial or academic posts in the early stages of their careers and simply delay private practice for 5 or 10 years. (For more on this issue, see "How Corporate Optometry Fits In.")

After repaying their student loans and enrolling their children in school, they may find they have the time and energy to devote to their own businesses.

How Corporate Optometry Fits In

More often than not, newly graduated women -- and men, too -- are looking for employment, usually in the commercial sector.

In a recent poll by Optometric Management at the American Optometric Student Association, 55% of third and fourth year students said their ultimate goal was private practice. However, 49% said they expected their career path would include corporate optometry.

What's the attraction? The possibility of paying off debt more quickly is high on the list.

"The debt that these students have is horrendous," says Shelley Cutler. "They have to work for someone else just to ensure enough cash flow to live on and pay back their student loans. They can't take on more debt to open a practice."

And for some graduates, especially women planning to start a family, the option of working for someone else is the most attractive. Positions that offer a guaranteed paycheck and the ability to cut back to part-time when the need arises are quite enticing.

One factor that may be holding back female optometrists is the lack of role models in private practice.

"We need to start opening female students' eyes during all 4 years of their education to the scope of opportunities available," says Dr. Ryan. "And we need to ensure that female-owned practices are available as sites for outreach programs."

Most externship programs rely on government service positions, such as stints at Veteran's Administration hospitals. Or they send students to large, male-owned practices. A greater emphasis on female-owned private practice would give young women the opportunity to examine this option before graduation.

"We need to spend more time mentoring young women and profiling their options," says Sandra Block, a faculty member at ICO.

Dr. Scharre agrees. "One of the most important things DIVA can do for women is teach them to be better mentors and to support each other regardless of their chosen path," she says.

And optometrists aren't the only women who could benefit from such an organization.

"We see many women working in the ophthalmic industry, but rarely are they in upper management positions," says Dr. Jurkus. "We need to reach out to all women in our field, not just the optometrists."

The stereotypical picture of success -- a thriving private practice, national recognition, publications and speaking engagements -- has historically come from a male-dominated profession. Perhaps it's time to redefine what success means to us, says Dr. Badowski. For some of us, the glass ceiling may be a non-issue.

"One woman may define success as achieving the status of full professor and being on the lecture circuit. Another may find fulfillment in balancing her career as an optometrist with family life," Dr. Badowski explains. "Success doesn't necessarily mean world renown."