Eye Specialists
Overview
Snapshot
Summary
Eye Specialists provide diagnostic, treatment and preventative medical services related to diseases, injuries and deficiencies of the human eye and associated structures.
Tasks
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Read patient's history.
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Examine patients and determine whether surgery is necessary.
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Consults with anaesthetists about the operation and the patient's treatment.
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Gives instructions about preparing patients for operating theatres.
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Performs and manages operations.
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Provides instructions for post-operative care.
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Monitors patients after surgery.
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Keeps medical records and sends final reports to general practitioners.
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May teach trainees.
Characteristics
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University
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Practical
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Analytical
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Helping
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Sedentary
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Light
Outlook
JSA produces employment projections to show where likely future job opportunities may be. Employment projections data are only produced for occupations at the broad four digit Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations (ANZSCO) level. While data are not available for this occupation, projections data are available for the parent occupation, Other Medical Practitioners, under the outlook section.
Earnings and hours
Working arrangements
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Around 81% of people employed as Eye Specialists work full-time hours, in all their jobs combined. This is 15 percentage points above the all jobs average (66%).
Full-time workers work an average of 47 hours per week in their main job. This is 3 hours more than the all jobs average (44 hours per week).
Sources:Full-time share and full-time hours: ABS, 2016 Census, customised report. Compared to the all jobs average.
Industries
Main industries
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Most Eye Specialists work in the Health care and social assistance industry.
Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report.
Regions
Employment across Australia
NSW
VIC
QLD
SA
WA
TAS
NT
ACT
Employment by State and Territory (% Share)
State | Eye Specialists | All Jobs Average |
---|---|---|
NSW | 35.7 | 31.6 |
VIC | 28.5 | 25.6 |
QLD | 15.5 | 20.0 |
SA | 8.2 | 7.0 |
WA | 9.0 | 10.8 |
TAS | 1.9 | 2.0 |
NT | 0.4 | 1.0 |
ACT | 0.9 | 1.9 |
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Around 81% of Eye Specialists live in capital cities, compared with the all jobs average of 62%.
New South Wales has a large share of employment relative to its population size.
The regions with the largest share of workers are:
Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Share of workers across Australian states, territories and regions, in this job compared to the all jobs average.
Worker profile
Age and gender
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The median age of Eye Specialists is 47 years. This is higher than the all jobs average of 40 years.
A large share of workers are aged 35 to 44 years.
Females make up 28% of the workforce. This is 20 percentage points below the all jobs average of 48%.
Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Age profile and gender share compared to the all jobs average.
Age Profile (% Share)
Age Bracket | Eye Specialists | All Jobs Average |
---|---|---|
15-19 | 0.0 | 5.0 |
20-24 | 1.3 | 9.3 |
25-34 | 14.9 | 22.9 |
35-44 | 25.8 | 22.0 |
45-54 | 22.7 | 21.6 |
55-59 | 14.0 | 9.0 |
60-64 | 9.0 | 6.0 |
65 and Over | 12.3 | 4.2 |
Median Age | 47 | 40 |
Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Age profile of workers in this job compared to the all jobs average.
Employment Pathways
Education, training and experience
Medical Practitioners need to undertake further training with the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists to become an Ophthalmologist.
Registration with the Medical Board of Australia is required.
Visit
- Course Seeker to search and compare higher education courses.
- ComparED to compare undergraduate and postgraduate student experiences and outcomes.
Highest Level of Education (% Share)
Type of Qualification | Eye Specialists | All Jobs Average |
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Post Graduate/Graduate Diploma or Graduate Certificate | 59.0 | 10.1 |
Bachelor degree | 37.8 | 21.8 |
Advanced Diploma/Diploma | 1.6 | 11.6 |
Certificate III/IV | 0.5 | 21.1 |
Year 12 | 1.1 | 18.1 |
Year 11 | 0.0 | 4.8 |
Year 10 and below | 0.0 | 12.5 |
Source: ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Highest qualification completed by workers in this job (in any field of study). Qualifications needed by new workers might be different from the qualifications of workers already in the job.
Skills and Knowledge
Employers look for Other Medical Practitioners who are caring and empathetic and can work well in a team, with the ability to communicate with a diverse range of people.
Skills
Skills can be improved through training or experience.
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79%
Reading comprehensionReading work related information.
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70%
Critical thinkingThinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.
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68%
InstructingTeaching people how to do something.
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64%
Active listeningListening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.
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63%
SpeakingTalking to others.
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63%
Active learningBeing able to use what you have learnt to solve problems now and again in the future.
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61%
Complex problem solvingNoticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.
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61%
MonitoringKeeping track of how well work is progressing so you can make changes or improvements.
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61%
Social perceptivenessUnderstanding why people react the way they do.
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61%
WritingWriting things for co-workers or customers.
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59%
ScienceUsing scientific rules and methods to solve problems.
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57%
Coordination with othersBeing adaptable and coordinating work with other people.
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57%
Judgment and decision makingFiguring out the pros and cons of different options and choosing the best one.
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57%
Time managementManaging your own and other peoples' time to get work done.
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55%
Serving othersLooking for ways to help people.
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55%
Learning strategiesFiguring out the best way to teach or learn something new.
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52%
PersuasionTalking people into changing their minds or their behaviour.
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50%
Systems evaluationMeasuring how well a system is working and how to improve it.
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48%
Management of personnel resourcesMotivating, developing, and directing people as they work, and choosing the best people for the job.
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46%
Systems analysisFiguring out how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect it.
Knowledge
These are important topics, subjects or knowledge areas.
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92%
Medicine and dentistryDiagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities, including preventive health-care measures.
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75%
English languageEnglish language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
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74%
BiologyPlant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, how they rely on and work with each other and the environment.
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72%
Customer and personal serviceUnderstanding customer needs, providing good quality service, and measuring customer satisfaction.
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72%
Education and trainingCurriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
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66%
PsychologyHuman behaviour; differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; research methods; assessing and treating disorders.
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63%
Therapy and counsellingDiagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and career counselling and guidance.
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59%
MathematicsArithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics.
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57%
Personnel and human resourcesRecruiting and training people, managing pay and other entitlements (like sick leave), and negotiating pay and conditions.
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52%
Administration and managementBusiness principles involved in strategic planning, leadership, and coordinating people and resources.
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51%
ChemistryChemical composition, structure, and properties. How chemicals are made, used, mixed, and can change.
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50%
Computers and electronicsCircuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
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47%
PhysicsThe physical laws of matter, motion and energy, and how they interact through space and time.
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46%
ClericalWord processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office work.
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41%
Law and governmentHow our laws and courts work. Government rules and regulations, and the political system.
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39%
Sales and marketingShowing, promoting, and selling including marketing strategy, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
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38%
Economics and accountingEconomics and accounting, the financial markets, banking and checking and reporting of financial data.
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38%
Engineering and technologyUse engineering, science and technology to design and produce goods and services.
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37%
Philosophy and theologyPhilosophical systems and religions, including their basic principles, values, ethics, ways of thinking, customs, practices, and impact on society.
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34%
Public safety and securityUse of equipment, rules and ideas to protect people, data, property, and institutions.
Abilities
Workers use these physical and mental abilities..
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79%
Inductive reasoningUse lots of detailed information to come up with answers or make general rules.
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79%
Problem spottingNotice when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong, even if you can't solve the problem.
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77%
Near visionSee details that are up-close (within a few feet).
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75%
Oral comprehensionListen to and understand what people say.
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71%
Deductive reasoningUse general rules to find answers or solve problems logically.
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71%
Oral expressionCommunicate by speaking.
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70%
Written comprehensionRead and understand written information.
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64%
Written expressionWrite in a way that people can understand.
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64%
Arm-hand steadinessKeep your hand or arm steady.
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61%
Finger dexterityPut together small parts with your fingers.
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61%
Speech claritySpeak clearly so others can understand you.
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61%
Control precisionQuickly change the controls of a machine, car, truck or boat.
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59%
Sorting or orderingOrder or arrange things in a pattern or sequence (e.g., numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
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57%
CategorisingCome up with different ways of grouping things.
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57%
Flexibility of closureSee a pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) hidden in other distracting material.
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55%
Speech recognitionIdentify and understand the speech of another person.
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55%
BrainstormingCome up with a number of ideas about a topic, even if the ideas aren't very good.
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54%
OriginalityCome up with unusual or clever ideas, or creative ways to solve a problem.
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46%
Colour discriminationNotice differences between colours, including shades of colour and brightness.
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45%
Selective attentionPay attention to something without being distracted.
Activities
These are kinds of activities workers regularly do in this job.
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90%
Making decisions and solving problemsUsing information to work out the best solution and solve problems.
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88%
Keeping your knowledge up-to-dateKeeping up-to-date with technology and new ideas.
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86%
Helping and caring for othersProviding personal assistance, medical attention, or emotional support.
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85%
Looking for changes over timeComparing objects, actions, or events. Looking for differences between them or changes over time.
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83%
Collecting and organising informationCompiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or checking information or data.
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82%
Making sense of information and ideasLooking at, working with, and understanding data or information.
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82%
Monitoring people, processes and thingsChecking objects, actions, or events, and keeping an eye out for problems.
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81%
Controlling equipment or machinesOperating machines or processes either directly or using controls (not including computers or vehicles).
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78%
Researching and investigatingLooking for, getting and understanding different kinds of information.
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73%
Checking compliance with standardsDeciding whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
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73%
Documenting or recording informationEntering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
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73%
Giving expert adviceProviding guidance and expert advice to management or other groups.
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72%
Planning and prioritising workDeciding on goals and putting together a detailed plan to get the work done.
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72%
Working with the publicGreeting or serving customers, clients or guests, and public speaking or performing.
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70%
Explaining things to peopleHelping people to understand and use information.
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69%
Communicating within a teamGiving information to co-workers by telephone, in writing, or in person.
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69%
Communicating with the publicGiving information to the public, business or government by telephone, in writing, or in person.
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68%
Building good relationshipsBuilding good working relationships and keeping them over time.
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67%
Assessing and evaluating thingsWorking out the value, importance, or quality of things, services or people.
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65%
Scheduling work and activitiesWorking out the timing of events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.
Interests and demands
Learn about the daily activities, and physical and social demands faced by workers. Explore the values and work styles that workers rate as most important.
Interests
Interests are the style or type of work we prefer to do. All interest areas are shown below.
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100%
AnalyticalIdeas and thinking. Searching for facts and figuring out problems in your head.
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76%
HelpingWorking with people. Helping or providing service to others.
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71%
PracticalPractical, hands-on work. Often with plants and animals, or materials like wood, tools, and machinery.
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43%
AdministrativeFollowing set procedures and routines. Working with numbers and details more than with ideas, usually following rules.
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33%
EnterprisingStarting up and carrying out projects. Leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes require risk taking and often deal with business.
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29%
CreativeWorking with forms, designs and patterns. Often need self-expression and can be done without following rules.
Values
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86%
AchievementResults oriented. Workers are able to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment.
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86%
IndependenceWork alone and make decisions. Workers are able to try out their own ideas, make decisions on their own, and work with little or no supervision.
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81%
RecognitionAdvancement and the potential to lead. Workers are recognised for the work that they do, they may give directions and instructions to others, and they are looked up to in their company and their community.
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76%
RelationshipsServe and work with others. Workers usually get along well with each other, do things to help other people, and are rarely pressured to do things that go against their sense of right and wrong.
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76%
Working conditionsJob security and good working conditions. There is usually a steady flow of interesting work, and the pay and conditions are generally good.
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71%
SupportSupportive management that stands behind employees. Workers are treated fairly by their company, they are supported by management, and have supervisors who train them well.
Demands
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100%
Contact with peopleHave contact with people by telephone, face-to-face, or any other way.
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100%
Face-to-face discussionsTalk with people face-to-face.
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100%
Indoors, heat controlledWork indoors with access to heating or cooling.
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99%
Impact of decisionsMake decisions that have a large impact on other people.
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98%
Being exact or accurateBe very exact or highly accurate.
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98%
Contact with the publicWork with customers or the public.
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98%
TelephoneTalk on the telephone.
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97%
Letters and memosWrite letters and memos.
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97%
Frequent decision makingFrequently make decisions that impact other people.
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96%
TeamworkWork with people in a group or team.
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95%
Freedom to make decisionsHave freedom to make decision on your own.
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95%
Using your hands to handle, control, or feelSpend time using your hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools or controls.
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94%
Electronic mailUse electronic mail.
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94%
Disease or infectionBe exposed to disease or infections.
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94%
Physically close to peopleWork physically close to other people.
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92%
Unstructured workHave freedom to decide on tasks, priorities, and goals.
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92%
Lead or coordinate a teamLead others to do work activities.
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92%
Responsible for outcomesTake responsibility for the results of other people's work.
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91%
Consequence of errorWork where mistakes have serious consequences.
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90%
Time pressureWork to strict deadlines.
O*NET is a trademark of the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration.
The skills and importance ratings on this page are derived from the US Department of Labor O*NET Database Version 21.2, 29-1069.06 - Ophthalmologists.
Links and downloads
Research and reports
The Skills Priority List provides a current labour market rating and a future demand rating for nearly 800 occupations nationally. Current labour market ratings are available for occupations at a state and territory level.
Downloads
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Occupation profiles data are available for download.
The Employment Projections are available for download.