An Inspiring Career Moment!

An Inspiring Career Moment!

During a morning in late February, I had one of those inspiring career moments.

This one came via an ASCO Eye Opener Session – my first.

A few weeks prior, I had scanned the QR code linking me to the ASCO Eye Opener campaign, which is a complement to ASCO’s Optometry Gives Me Life campaign. The Eye Opener Sessions bring together a Doctor of Optometry and a potential optometry student looking for mentorship and/or shadowing opportunities.

I filled in a few boxes with my name, email, location – it took less than two minutes total.

I received an email confirmation immediately.

After a few days, I received a package in the mail with a few more details, the promised “sticker bomb package,” and an office door window cling.

The materials indicated that when a “match” was determined, I would be notified of an opportunity to talk/chat/email with a potential future optometry student interested in learning more about the profession.

A couple of weeks went by, then I received an email from a young person requesting a Zoom call to learn more about optometry.

I set-up the virtual call and sent the email back.

Just before the call, I wondered if the “match” would even show up at the designated time? And if they did, would they have any serious interest in optometry or would I simply be wasting my time?

The time came for the call, and I held my breath and hit “connect.”

The resulting 45 minutes were perhaps among the most enjoyable of my career advising young people about our wonderful profession, and I have done a lot of them!

I introduced myself, and the student did the same.

I told her a bit about my background and asked her about hers.

I could tell quickly that she was bright, easily conversant, mature beyond her years, and earnestly exploring optometry as a career – she was legit.

She had already spoken to a few Doctors of Optometry.

She asked me if I would tell her how I got interested and began my journey in optometry. I complied. She shared that she was surrounded by pre-med type students but that she was finding it challenging to learn about optometry as a career. Her school had a pre-med club but not a pre-optometry club.

When she had inquired with her advisors at her university about optometry, she was told they didn’t really know anything about it. Thus, she was having to find her own pathway and find guidance about a career in optometry on her own.

She had already contemplated starting a pre-optometry club in hopes that she could learn along with others in the same situation. She shared that she had an opportunity to be involved in some research utilizing equipment used by optometrists.

It turns out she had a family member in the optometric equipment industry, and she had perhaps a bit more access than others. Yet, she still found it difficult to identify optometrists to begin such conversations.

She was so grateful to have stumbled across the ASCO Eye Opener opportunity.

In the course of 45-minutes, I surmised that this young woman would be a great match for continuing her exploration of optometry. She was bright and had earned a 4.0 GPA in her first semester at college in an Honors program! She was involved in extra-curricular activities including sports, and she enjoyed socializing with friends. She had found the “right balance” as evidenced by her maturity and excellent GPA in a challenging university program. She asked all the right questions about her plans to continue her exploration of optometry as a career.

I told her that I would make a mental note of her interests and that if she wanted, I would email her periodically with information that might be of interest. She jumped at the opportunity for additional information and any opportunity to continue her learning about optometry.

We wrapped up the very enjoyable conversation, and she thanked me for my time and assistance.

I encouraged her to keep exploring optometry, to keep seeking balance between her studies and social life, and to feel free to reach out if she felt I could ever assist her along her journey.

As the call ended, I found myself smiling. The future of optometry will be just fine with more young people like her.

Please help us create opportunities for many more conversations like this one.

Go to https://www.eyeopenersession.org/ and sign-up for ASCO Eye Opener Sessions.

You’ll be glad that you did.

Mark Colip, OD
ASCO President