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1930 Career Guide

Navy

1930: Optometry Intern

Career transition guide for Navy Optometry Intern (1930)

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Civilian Career Pathways

Top civilian roles for 1930 veterans, with average salary and market demand data.

Optometrist

$125K
High matchGrowing demand

Healthcare Administrator

$95K
Good matchHigh demand

Skills to develop:

MBA or MHAProject Management Certification

Pharmaceutical Sales Representative

$85K
Moderate matchStable demand

Skills to develop:

Sales trainingPharmaceutical product knowledge

Medical Device Sales

$90K
Moderate matchGrowing demand

Skills to develop:

Sales trainingMedical device knowledge

Salary estimates from VWC career data

Hidden Strengths

Cognitive skills your 1930 training built — and where they transfer.

Pattern Recognition

As a prospective Optometry officer, you're trained to recognize subtle visual patterns and anomalies in patients' eyes to diagnose potential health issues.

This ability to discern patterns from complex data translates directly to identifying trends, risks, and opportunities in various civilian sectors.

Rapid Prioritization

In a medical setting, you'll often need to quickly assess and prioritize patients based on the urgency and severity of their conditions.

This skill translates to efficiently managing multiple projects, tasks, and resources under pressure in a fast-paced civilian work environment.

Procedural Compliance

Working within the Navy and the medical field demands strict adherence to protocols, regulations, and safety procedures to ensure the well-being of patients and the integrity of medical practices.

Your experience with compliance makes you valuable in highly regulated industries where adherence to guidelines is critical for success.

Situational Awareness

As an officer, you are trained to maintain awareness of your surroundings, understanding the potential impact of actions in a clinical setting, and anticipating potential problems.

Your ability to assess situations, understand context, and anticipate challenges makes you excellent at project management, risk assessment, and strategic planning.

Non-Obvious Career Matches

Data Analyst

SOC 15-2051

You've been trained to recognize patterns in complex data sets related to visual health. As a Data Analyst, you'll apply these same pattern recognition skills to identify trends and insights within business or scientific data, providing valuable information for decision-making.

Compliance Officer

SOC 13-1041

You've been steeped in procedural compliance, mastering the ability to follow regulations. As a Compliance Officer, you'll ensure organizations adhere to laws and ethical standards, a role where your attention to detail and understanding of protocols will be highly valued.

Healthcare Administrator

SOC 11-9111

You've gained direct experience in a medical environment. You understand the need to prioritize, maintain situational awareness, and adhere to procedures. As a Healthcare Administrator, your experience provides a unique perspective on how to optimize medical processes and improve patient outcomes.

Training & Education Equivalencies

Medical Service Corps Indoctrination, Naval Medical Leader & Professional Development Command, Bethesda, MD followed by Optometry Internship at a Naval Medical Center

2,400 training hours60 weeksUp to 6 semester hours in Healthcare Administration and Clinical Sciences recommended

Topics Covered

  • Naval Officer Indoctrination
  • Military Medical Ethics
  • Healthcare Administration
  • Clinical Optometry
  • Ocular Disease Management
  • Contact Lens Fitting
  • Low Vision Rehabilitation
  • Refractive Surgery Co-management

Certification Pathways

Partial Coverage

Certified Professional Coder (CPC)30% covered

Optometry training covers some aspects of medical coding related to eye care, but CPC requires broader knowledge of ICD-10, CPT, and HCPCS coding for various medical specialties, billing regulations, and compliance.

Certified Healthcare Administrative Professional (CHAP)40% covered

Optometry training provides some insight into healthcare administration. However, CHAP requires comprehensive knowledge of healthcare management, finance, HR, law, and risk management.

Recommended Next Certifications

Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry (FAAO)Diplomate, American Board of Optometry (ABO)Certified Ophthalmic Assistant (COA)Certified Ophthalmic Technician (COT)

Technical Systems Translation

Military systems you've used and their civilian equivalents for your resume.

Military SystemCivilian Equivalent
NAVGEN (Naval General Eyewear Ordering System)Electronic Health Record (EHR) systems with optical ordering modules like those used by LensCrafters or large optometry chains
Tono-Pen TonometerStandard tonometer used in civilian optometry practices for intraocular pressure measurement
Retinomax AutorefractorAutomated refractors used in civilian optometry clinics for objective refraction measurement
Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT)OCT imaging systems used in civilian ophthalmology and optometry for retinal and corneal imaging (e.g., Zeiss Cirrus OCT)
Humphrey Visual Field AnalyzerVisual field testing equipment used in civilian optometry and ophthalmology for assessing peripheral vision (e.g., Zeiss Humphrey Field Analyzer)
Slit Lamp BiomicroscopeSlit lamps used in civilian eye exams for detailed examination of the anterior segment of the eye
Electronic Health Record (EHR) - AHLTA/MHS GENESISEHR systems like Epic, Cerner, or Allscripts used in civilian healthcare settings for patient record management

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