Doctor of Optometry Students Take a Lead Role in Mission Trip

When the pandemic shut down international travel and prevented the Traditional Doctor of Optometry Class of 2023 from participating in a humanitarian mission trip usually taken by first-and second-year students, class members missed some valuable field experiences.

Little did they know, though, that once international travel opened up again and they were able to go on a mission trip as fourth-year students, they would have an even bigger role to play.

That’s what happened when a group of Doctor of Optometry students from the Pennsylvania College of Optometry (PCO) at Salus University finally had the chance to go on a humanitarian trip to Nicaragua from Jan. 6-13, to help underserved communities in that country.

Because they had more clinical training and externship experiences under their belt, they served as something akin to preceptors for the doctors on the trip. Not only were they able to help their patients, but they were also able to answer questions and guide other students with less patient care knowledge. 

“A lot of the doctors on the trip looked to us as fourth-years and told us we knew a lot more than we think we do and that they were looking forward to us helping them out,” said Ashka Patel ‘23OD, one of the 10 PCO/Salus students in the University’s chapter of the Student Optometric Service to Humanity (SOSH) on the trip and in charge of external fundraising for the PCO/Salus chapter. The PCO/Salus contingent joined the Connecticut chapter of the Volunteer Optometric Services to Humanity (VOSH) on its annual clinical trip in San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua, part of a team of approximately 50 members.

In addition to Patel, the PCO/Salus group included team leader and president of the PCO/Salus SOSH chapter Jacqueline Joy, Raisa Ahmed, Abrielle Garber, Ledia Samwil, Shairin Syed, Jensen Maines, Pankti Patel and Subely Rodriguez, all from the Class of 2023, and Mariah Sandy ‘24OD. Also involved in the planning for this trip were executive board members Raisa Ahmed, OD ‘22 (office manager), and Pankti Patel ‘23OD (internal fundraiser). PCO/Salus faculty did not attend this particular trip.

“One of the biggest surprises to me was just how many patients were able to show up,” said Joy. “The first day when we arrived in busses there was a huge line of people waiting for us.”

Over the four-day period set up for examinations, the group saw 3,963 patients. The students performed refractions, gave out medications, referred patients for cataract surgery and other surgical procedures, and provided prescription glasses and sunglasses to patients in need.

“The ability to just correct refractive error is such a big aspect. I believe we have a statistic that the correction of refractive error is one of the most cost-effective ways to prevent poverty,” said Joy, who was on her first mission trip. “When you go on these mission trips, you’re able to see how big of an impact it is to give someone a pair of reading glasses.”

Patel said the things she was repetitively practicing — each student was seeing 30 to 40 patients a day — gave her an opportunity to hone her skills even further as she has done at The Eye Institute (TEI) and on her clinical rotations to date.

“No amount of doing the same things at TEI would have gotten me to a level that I feel like I am today after this trip,” said Patel, also on her first mission trip. “As an optometrist, I think I now have more of an appreciation for being able to help somebody who may not be able to get eyecare as readily as we do in our country. Making that connection with somebody, that was really important to me.”

She added that palpable emotional connection made with the patients she saw spurred by the realization that she was helping people who needed eyecare.

“I was telling everybody that there were so many moments with a patient where I got this wave of emotion that came over me,” she said. “I feel like having gone through that experience makes me appreciate what I’m doing and why I’m doing it.”

Joy said her experiences on the trip reinforced the notion that when she graduates from PCO/Salus, she will be highly prepared to tackle any optometric issues she faces as a professional clinical practitioner.

“PCO/Salus has definitely provided us with such a clinical experience that I’m very comfortable with whatever is being thrown at me,” said Joy. “Even on the trip, if you came across a crazy case, I think I was ready to tackle it head on and I feel I could only do that with experience I’ve had prior to the trip.”