Q & A with Dr. Ruth Shoge

Questions and Answers with Ruth Shoge, OD ’06, Resident ’07, Assistant Professor, Pennsylvania College of Optometry

To mark 100 years of the Pennsylvania College of Optometry (PCO), we asked faculty members about their experiences at PCO and what they hope for the next 100 years.

Why did you choose optometry?

I chose optometry because I did an internship in high school and made the decision to pursue optometry. I found it to be a career where you can really sit with your patients and really care for them in a way that sometimes gets lost in other medical professions.  When I was younger I actually wanted to work with children and intended to be a pediatrician but shifted gears after high school. When  I got to optometry school, I learned that I can actually specialize in pediatrics and that made this a well-rounded, full circle experience for me.

Tell us about your time at PCO and why PCO

I chose PCO, partially because of  location, it’s a couple hours from my parents’ home but it also had a very good reputation and a diverse culture. It was one of the well-known optometry schools and it was the place I wanted to be because I thought I would get the best education here and I did. I am very happy with the decision I made and always encourage people to check out our optometry school.

What are your favorite memories?

The friendships I made and remain in contact with - some of my close friends and I still keep contact 15 years after graduating. It’s great to still have those friendships and experiences that can never be altered because we went through this program together. Another memory is the cohesiveness of how well the faculty and students worked together;  to still see that today and to be a part of that now on the other side is very encouraging. 

After PCO, where did your career take you?

It took me back here. I did my Pediatric and Vision Therapy Residency at The Eye Institute (TEI).  I went away for about a year, and then came back because I missed caring for the population of the patients we serve at TEI [The Eye Institute] and being part of the academic culture.  It’s something that I really appreciated as a resident and craved when I finished my residency. Fortunately, there was a position available when I applied and have been back ever since. I have been able to grow in my profession both as a clinician and as a faculty member.  I am also involved in student life and it has been a great, well-rounded, experience for me.

What do you see over the next 100 years for Salus and PCO?

Our goal is to just continue to attract the best students to our program,  put out the best optometrists and to continue to serve the optometric needs and healthcare needs of our patients. I think that is really where we want to see ourselves go and continue to be.