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Industry Spotlight – VSP Vision
A Road to Private Practice: Fulfilling My Purpose to Help the Community
Written by Nastaysa Liem, UC Berkeley, Herbert Wertheim School of Optometry and Vision Science student and 2024 VSP Premier Edge Student Business Challenge Scholarship Winner
My parents have always been involved in the community and helping others, and I knew I wanted to do the same in my future career. I’ve always known I wanted to work in the healthcare industry; I just wasn’t sure which field would be the right fit for me. A few years ago, I developed a condition called Cushing's Disease, which unfortunately affected my vision. Since I experienced my own vision deteriorate first-hand, I could better understand how vision loss affects day-to-day life — which inspired me to pursue a career in optometry so I could help others who are facing similar problems. Now, I am entering my third year of optometry school at UC Berkeley, Herbert Wertheim School of Optometry and Vision Science.
I've had several leadership roles in optometry school, including Director of Logistics for my school’s Optometric Business Management Club — also known as a Private Practice Club. Since being community-oriented has always been an integral part of my life, my participation in this club opened my eyes to the opportunities I will have to give back if I pursue a career in private practice optometry; I can directly see the impact I make on the community each time I interact with a patient. This practice modality opens more avenues for me to form relationships with my patients, which is so important to me.
I was fortunate to have been named a winner of the 2024 VSP Premier Edge Student Business Challenge — a scholarship opportunity for optometry students interested in a path to private practice ownership. Since I aspire to open a private practice one day, I knew this was a perfect opportunity to showcase my business plans, which center around my mission to build a purpose-driven practice that provides quality eye care to underserved communities globally. Receiving this scholarship gave me the motivation to keep working toward my goal. I don’t have to question “Where will I work? Will I be in a private practice, or will I be in a corporate job?” I have a clearer vision of my future.
Typically, one winner is selected for this scholarship, but the $10,000 scholarship was awarded to two students this year — me included — and I couldn’t be more grateful. This is just one example of the long-term commitment VSP Vision has made to support the next generation of optometrists. The career assistance VSP provides through scholarships, industry events, and educational offerings not only supports students financially but also demonstrates how much they want us to reach our career goals and succeed as future Doctors of Optometry.
As Eye See It, this is just the start for my future in the optometric field. I’m halfway done with optometry school and can see the light at the end of the tunnel — graduating and pursuing a career in private practice to take care of my patients and interact with them on a personal basis. This is especially true after presenting my business proposal for the Premier Edge Student Business Challenge; it gave me a sneak peek into what my future holds, and I couldn’t be more excited. Optometry has helped me fulfill my purpose in life.
