Optometry
Day in the Life
Hi! My name is Claire, and I’m in my third and final year in the Accelerated Scholars Optometry program. I’m currently staying in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania for my externship.
On externships, I follow the schedule of the practice. At this site, I have eight-hour days Monday through Friday, starting between 9 and 11 a.m. depending on the day. Since this is my binocular vision site, in a typical day, in addition to comprehensive exams and medical follow-ups, I also see patients for binocular vision exams. These patients are often referred by other health professionals due to post-concussion symptoms, difficulty reading, headaches or double vision while reading, amblyopia, or strabismus. The patients range in age from less than a year old to more than sixty years old. I also see patients who are currently in vision therapy or who have recently completed vision therapy to reevaluate their visual skills and symptoms to ensure they are improving. After examining each patient, I report to my preceptor, and we discuss my findings and develop a treatment plan for the patient. I also see some patients during their weekly vision therapy sessions. I’ve really enjoyed my time on externships because I get to work with patients all day and be a “real doctor,” suggesting diagnoses and treatment plans to discuss with my preceptor. I have also had a great experience with all my preceptors in the past few months. They really make me feel like they’re there to help me grow and learn as a clinician.
Outside of clinic, my time is flexible for errands and chores. Depending on the time of year, I have also used the time to apply to residencies, study for Parts 2 and 3 of boards, or prepare poster presentations. Overall, externship year has been much calmer than the first two years of Optometry school. At this point, I am preparing for residency interviews, but I have much more time to myself. I’ve been spending more time on my hobbies like swing dancing and knitting, exploring Pittsburgh, and playing video games or doing jigsaw puzzles with my sister.
It's hard to believe graduation is only a few short months away, but I feel excited and very well prepared to be a practicing optometrist!
