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Our previous blog post, written by our former intern Michelle Vaca (OD1) includes 10 tips for tackling optometry school that she received from upperclassmen optometry students. Michelle focused on sharing tips about academics in Part 1, and Part 2 includes remainders for student’s overall well-being.

Take a look below:

• Stay positive, stay focused
  During optometry school, you will have days where you fail a test, miss a skill, and overall will feel like a failure; but don’t give up! Always remember your purpose and why you chose optometry school. If you stay motivated, little hiccups won’t hurt your self-esteem.
  

• Classmates are colleagues, not competition
  At first, optometry school may seem like a competition, but you have to realize it is not. Rather, your classmates will later be colleagues that you will rely on for advice. Practice that in optometry school, study with them, hang out with them. You will realize optometry school is more enjoyable when you work with your classmates instead of against them.
  

• Get involved in extra-curricular activities
  There is a plethora of clubs and organizations that optometry schools have for its students, get out there and get involved! Plus, it is common that students make friends during these extra-curriculars. Not only is it a resume booster, but you get some friends along the way the way!
  

• Do at least one self-care ritual everyday
  It is so important to take care of yourself during optometry school. Whether it be taking some time to cook your favorite meal or watch a TV show, separate thirty minutes to an hour in your schedule for self-care time every day. You’re going to be more productive when you have some time to relax!

• Know your worth
  You worked so hard to get here, and don’t forget that! You were accepted into optometry school for a reason, know your worth. These four years are going to go by so fast, so make the most of it!

As a new school year is about to begin, thousands of students will be starting their journeys to become optometrists. Through social media and in-person interactions, former ASCO intern Michelle Vaca (an incoming OD1) had the chance to talk to multiple upperclassmen optometry students from across the country. Michelle asked them what is one tip they would give an incoming optometry student and she has compiled a top 10 list of tips they shared for tackling optometry school.

Make sure to check back to our blog soon as more tips get revealed!

1. Take advantage of your school’s resources
   Most optometry schools have tutoring service available if you feel you need some extra help in a subject. Take advantage of all the resources your school has to offer whether that be subscriptions to newsletters or renting books out at the library. Your professors are also a great resource even if it is just to have a pleasant conversation. Everyone at school just wants to help you succeed, so use your resources!
   

2. Use a planner
   With so many classes, it is important to use a planner. Whether that be on your phone or on paper, it is essential to write down appointments, assignment due dates, and exam dates so you can plan your days and weeks.

3. Triage your classes
   You are going to be taking at least 20 credits a semester. Realize what your strong classes are and which classes you need to dedicate more study time. This will allow you to better plan out your study days.
   

4. Understand, don’t memorize
   In undergrad, you have been taught to memorize and to regurgitate information. While sometimes that may be necessary in optometry school, it is more important to understand what you are learning. If you do not understand, you cannot apply the information to your patients. As such, it is important to grasp information rather than just try memorize everything.

5. Network, network, network
   Optometry school is a place where you will meet professors and alumni from different scopes of practice. Have a resume ready and connect with people. You never know, a connection could help you get a job after graduation.

written by
Madeleine Arbaugh
ASCO Communications Intern

Editor’s Note: the below blog post was written about undergraduate students and how they are affected by and coping with the pandemic. Optometry students, or future students, could have similar thoughts and concerns. If you, or someone you know, is feeling suicidal, please dial 988 to reach The Lifeline. The Lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones, and best practices for professionals in the United States.

When Camille started her first year at Virginia Tech, she had high expectations for her new college life. However, she soon realized that the COVID-19 pandemic would get in the way of her plans. As an incoming freshman, it was extremely difficult to make friends and all her classes were online. After the fall semester ended, she moved back home and transferred to the University of Maryland.

“I felt like I couldn’t meet anyone,” she explains.  “There were no activities, and everyone had to stay in their rooms alone almost the entire time. I wasn’t close with my roommate either, so I didn’t really have anyone to talk to.” 

Being unable to make any friends or even interact with people can be incredibly mentally draining, especially in an unfamiliar environment. Many students across the country have a strong sense of loneliness due to the lack of a social life the pandemic has caused. Being social and connecting with those around them is a crucial part of the experience that they are being deprived of.

In addition to this, feeling isolated can exacerbate the mental health issues that can come with starting college. Many young adults feel an overwhelming amount of stress being on their own for the first time and completely responsible for their own social lives, physical and mental health, and schoolwork. When faced with isolation, fear of a worldwide pandemic affecting the health of themselves and their loved ones, and a new online format for classes, this can become too much. Students may experience feelings of anxiety and depression, and even increased suicidal thoughts.

Engineering student Colby found himself significantly more anxious about schoolwork since his classes were online. He remembered, “I pretty much had to teach myself the material, since a lot of my classes were asynchronous and had a lot of students in them. My professors were hard to reach, so I couldn’t get the help I needed.” Even though many classes have moved back in person, the effects of the pandemic on learning have been long-lasting. Students feel that they are behind and have difficulty readjusting to normal classes.

As a student myself, I have experienced lower grades during the pandemic. It is like I am constantly catching up on assignments, which are hard to keep track of when some are online, and some are not. I also feel that my lower scores also come from the stress of the pandemic itself and being in a constant state of worry.

To cope with this stress and pass their classes, students need to look to resources more than ever. Camille feels that she would have had more success with a little more help from her professors. “Some of my teachers are really strict with us,” she says. “They don’t take any late or make-up work, which I could’ve really used.” She felt that everything was all piling up and was under too much stress and anxiety to begin dealing with it. This has always been an issue for students, even more so during the pandemic.

While some of the pandemic’s restrictions have lifted, it is still going on, and it is hard for anyone to forget that. Students feel that they are not able to relax until things are “back to normal”. Colby said, “I’ve been trying to make the best of it, but I just hope that I can have one normal year of college, like how it was before all of this.” While no one knows when or if this will occur, the best thing students can do is try to take care of themselves and do things that bring them peace in this stressful time.

Michelle Vaca has been an intern with ASCO since June 2021 and will be heading to the New England College of Optometry in the fall to start her Doctor of Optometry program. Michelle traveled with ASCO to AOA’s 2022 Optometry’s Meeting in Chicago this year and had the opportunity to meet and interview the current AOSA President and University of Houston Optometry Student Easy Anyama. Read below to get to know Easy and his experiences as an optometry student.  

MV: Hi Easy, it is so good to meet you. My name is Michelle Vaca and I am an intern with ASCO. I will be an OD1 in September and like many other optometry students, I love to read blog posts on ASCO’s Blog. I can’t believe I am now writing one for ASCO!  

I watched your video blogs (Easy on the Eyes Part 1 and Part 2) you made for ASCO where you talked about how you discovered optometry. Can you tell us a little bit more about that and why the optometry field appealed to you?  

EA: Hi Michelle, it is a pleasure to meet you. Of course, I can talk about how I discovered optometry. In undergrad, I played football and began to train to hopefully be recruited by the NFL. In the midst of training, I also began to look for a job and landed upon an opportunity to be an optometric tech. The doctor in the office hired me and I enjoyed working alongside the doctor. 

 In particular, I observed how well the practice ran and the energy the doctor had; this all made me curious to look more into the profession. I thought, if the NFL does not work out for me, I want to pursue optometry, and I did just that. I studied for the OAT and applied to schools, especially University Houston College of Optometry. I am very happy with my decision to go to optometry school. The doctors I worked for went to Houston College of Optometry. I attended the University of Texas and Texas State University for undergrad.

MV: Wow that is awesome Easy, what a unique story. Now that you have experience being an optometry student, I can imagine you have techniques to keep on top of your school material, can you share some of them with us?  

EA: Yeah, I have a couple I can share. I think it is important to stay on task and be proactive about assignments and tests that are coming up in the week. I liked to use the imagery of treating each day like a pancake. You can eat it or you can let it stack up and you will have flapjacks at the end of the week. The earlier you do things the better.  

I also tell everyone to rely on classmates. We are not in a competition; in four years we will be colleagues. Also, do not be afraid of reaching out to faculty. It is also important to not be afraid to change your study strategies from undergrad.  

MV: That is some great advice, I will definitely be taking it. So, Easy, I have the honor of speaking to the AOSA president today, can you tell us what the AOSA is/does and how you got involved with them?  

EA: Yes, the AOSA, the American Optometric Student Association, represents 7,000 students from 25 schools. It is the premier and only student representation looking to empower students in optometry through education, success, advocacy, and student experience. AOSA has affiliates and liaisons that work with students and they even host events and workshops based on student needs.  

I got involved with the AOSA by researching the organization since I knew of some doctors who are a part of it. I also learned about the Optometry Student Bowl and as I started optometry school it was something I became more and more interested in until one day a trustee-elect told me I may be a good fit for the AOSA and here I am now serving as president.  

MV: What is your role as AOSA president and how can other students get involved? 

EA: My role as president is to oversee all 55 trustee-elects and executive council. I am also in charge of helping the organization stick to our mission, planning Optometry’s meeting, and communicating with state affiliates and American Optometric Association Board of Trustees. Essentially, I serve as a connector and facilitator for Optometry Students.  

If you want to get involved, join your school’s AOSA chapter. At some schools you will automatically be a member.  If you want to be a trustee, however, you will need to be elected by your school at the end of your first year. From then you can run for the national executive council. It’s important to know that you can still be a member of the AOSA and do amazing things without being an elected officer. We have several students who contribute to the organization by writing articles, submitting media or whatever else they can share with the nation’s students.  

MV: Aside from the AOSA, what other extra-curricular activities have you been a part of as an optometry student?  

EA: There are a lot that I can think of. I have enjoyed volunteering for ASCO and working on blogs like yourself. Also, the privilege of serving on several committees at the local and national level has been rewarding. Other activities I have enjoyed are conducting workshops at elementary schools and conducting research for a low vision clinical trial.  

MV: Looking back on your time as an optometry student, what advice do you have for someone like myself who will be starting school in the fall?  

EA: I think you need to consider if optometry is ready for you and what is optometry bringing to the table? I can assure you you are bringing something to the table too. I also would advise incoming students to explore what resources their school offers you. Also don’t be afraid to reach out to doctors, go to events, and meet doctors who will pave the way for your future.

I think a lot of students worry about if they are ready for optometry and professional school.  I would like to encourage those students to consider if optometry and school is ready for them. They will bring a new perspective and new experiences to the profession and we cannot get ahead without that.

MV: Thanks so much for that wonderful advice. I am sure I will be taking this advice as will other incoming students like myself. Once again Easy, thank you so much for taking the time out of your schedule to interview with ASCO. We really appreciate it and wish you the best of luck!  

A Short Conversation with Dr. Melissa E. Trego, ASCO President

During ASCO’s Board meeting in June, ASCO swears in a new President for the upcoming 12 months. This year, Dr. Melissa E. Trego was sworn in as ASCO’s President.

Dr. Trego brings nearly two decades of optometric clinical expertise and academic leadership to the position of Dean of the Pennsylvania College of Optometry (PCO) at Salus University. She proudly serves as the first female graduate of PCO to hold this title. After earning her Doctor of Optometry from the Pennsylvania College of Optometry, she pursued a PhD in Cellular and Molecular Biology at Cardiff University, Wales, United Kingdom. While at Cardiff, Dr. Trego worked on the role of alpha-crystallins in retinal degeneration. She returned to the US and completed a residency in primary care/ocular disease at The Eye Institute at PCO. Dr. Trego has been a faculty member in PCO since 2006 and holds the rank of Associate Professor. She has served as the Associate Dean of Optometric Academic Affairs, Associate Dean of the Accelerated Scholars Program, and interim Dean, prior to becoming the Dean of PCO. Dr. Trego was instrumental in the development of the College’s Accelerated Scholars Program, the first three-year Doctor of Optometry program in the U.S, not requiring a MD or PhD for admission.

In addition to her work at PCO/Salus and TEI, Dr. Trego has held an array of leadership positions at the national level; she served as ASCO’s Chief Academic Officer for PCO as well as an accreditation team member for the Accreditation Council on Optometric Education. She has published various peer-reviewed abstracts and presents professionally both nationally and internationally. Throughout her career, she has won various awards including Alcon’s Clinical Excellence Award, Clinical Excellence in Low Vision, National Optometric Student Association Faculty Recognition Award, Outstanding Optometry Professor of the Year, and Salus University’s Onofrey Rybachok’s Educator of the Year Award.

Dr. Trego sat down with ASCO’s Director of Communications, Kimberly O’Sullivan to discuss the upcoming year.

ASCO: Dr. Trego, congratulations on becoming ASCO President. It seems like the pandemic grip is loosening a bit and we are getting back to normal. Whatever that means. How have things been for you these past several months?

Dr. Melissa Trego: I would say these past several months have been pretty challenging on all fronts. Just when we think we have hit a good stride, there’s another obstacle. It has been a hectic and humbling time for all of us. You think you’re ahead in the game and then realize there’s another curve ball thrown your way. But that’s ok – we’ve got this!

ASCO: I loved learning that you are the first female Dean of PCO who was also a student at PCO. How does that feel?  

MT:  I grew up at PCO as a student. I was able to complete a residency and then became a faculty member of PCO, so I have been a part of the PCO family for years. A lot of the faculty members I work with daily are the same faculty that taught me as an optometry student. My goal has been the same no matter what my role – to support the students and faculty as best I can. I didn’t think I would necessarily take this path into leadership, but I am so appreciative of the mentorship and the ability to serve this role. I am very thankful for the opportunity.

ASCO: Thank you. Now let’s talk about ASCO. What are you looking forward to most as President of ASCO? What will be some of your top priorities this year?

MT:  What I have learned and appreciated most about ASCO, especially these past few years, is the camaraderie I have formed with the other Deans and Presidents of the other schools and colleges. The other members of the Executive Committee are really remarkable individuals, great colleagues, and, more importantly, good friends.

I look forward to open debates, dialogue, and decision making to continue improving optometric education. I appreciate being a part of the voice that helps accomplish this.

We just completed another Strategic Planning process and the recruitment of a quality and diverse applicant pool remains our biggest priority. Another priority of mine is to also focus on the overall wellbeing of faculty and students at the schools and colleges. Considering where we are as a society right now and what we are balancing, we need to continue to focus on everyone’s wellbeing.

ASCO:  Let’s get to know you on a personal level better. Why did you choose the career of optometry? What did your path entail getting you to the Dean of Salus/PCO? What did you find most appealing about the field of optometry?

MT:  I discovered optometry primarily through my grandfather. My grandparents primarily raised me for many years and as they got older, I would take them to their doctor’s appointments. My grandfather was diabetic and had diabetic retinopathy and all he wanted to do was to be able to read his Bible. His ophthalmologist was honest with him and told him he was losing his vision and there was very little to be done. Around that time, I went to see my optometrist (John Ciummei, OD & PCO grad) and I brought my grandfather along. Dr. Ciummei worked with my grandfather and gave him a handheld device that allowed him to read his Bible. I could see his enjoyment and I thought that is what I wanted to do, improve someone’s quality of life. For my grandfather it was reading his Bible. For others it could be catching a ball or being able to read music. My optometrist inspired me. That’s all it took. That is what I wanted to do. I started to talk to him about the profession and found out that he went to PCO so that is where I wanted to go. Becoming an optometrist is still the best decision I’ve ever made (thus far).

My path to Dean was that I was potentially in the right place at the right time. I knew in optometry school I didn’t want to get into private practice but loved the idea of education. Still, sixteen years later, my favorite part is still seeing patients. I see patients (or work with our on campus residents) one day a week. I still believe that optometric education is one of the greatest ways to influence the profession and future patients.

ASCO: Tell me more about Salus/PCO.

MT: PCO has been around for more than 100 years and prides itself most on being the type of optometry program that gets students ready for just about anything that walks through their clinic door. We are not afraid to push the envelope and I love it. The visual I like to use with regards to PCO is seeing birds on a wire. You most likely notice the bird that isn’t perfectly aligned with the other birds, kind of like PCO. We are not afraid to be different and think outside of the box.  We don’t spend a lot of time asking why – instead, we approach it as ‘why not?’

Not only does PCO have an impressive history in optometric education, but our faculty are also dedicated, passionate, and innovative thinkers. PCO also prides ourselves on our diverse student body. We are incredibly diverse, and we love it.

PCO is the largest, and founding college within Salus University. Salus is Latin for health and well-being and the University offers professional and graduate and certificate programs in a number of health science professions.

ASCO: Thank you. Speaking of Philadelphia, I MUST ask this. How many times have you run up the “Rocky steps”?

MT: If I ran up the Rocky steps, it would have been years ago. I have obviously been to the Philadelphia Museum of Art, but I’m more than happy to watch other people run the steps, record it and post on TikTok!

ASCO: What about a Philly cheese steak? I know this question can be controversial. Lol. Care to comment on your favorite place to get one?

MT: I was just asked this question at the AOA in Chicago. Tourism hype will say it’s Pat’s versus Gino’s. I, however, think Papa Nick’s is my choice. It is just a couple blocks from the Eye Institute. If you’re into “the [Cheese] Whiz and onions” I would go to either Pat’s or Gino’s. But I still like Papa Nick’s for a local place.

ASCO: We like to ask everyone we speak with to say something about the field of optometry that people may not know. Or what would you say to someone with the aptitude for optometry but may not know about the field.

MT:  I think the best thing I can say about optometry is there are multiple opportunities. It is almost like an exciting game of “choose your own adventure.” There are multiple directions you can go based on your interests. You can become an entrepreneur and own one or multiple businesses. You could work in a Veteran’s Affairs hospital and care for those who served our country. You can become a consultant and work in industry and promote an eye drop or other optometric and medical equipment or you can focus on an area of emphasis (dry eye, contact lenses, neuro rehabilitation) in an OD or OD/MD practice. Obviously, you cannot forget about the multiple opportunities in academia. That (academic), to me, is the very best adventure.

Optometry can also provide you with flexibility – to balance your professional and personal interests.  

Let’s face it – as an optometrist, you become responsible for protecting the one sense that people fear losing the most. How powerful is that? Talk about influencing people’s lives every day!

ASCO: Please tell us a little about your life outside of the workplace. What do you like to do outside of work?

MT:  Where do I start? Most recently I have picked up tennis again. I typically will play 3-4 times a week and have found that I love the mental and physical aspect of the sport. The social aspect has also been a great escape from all things optometry. I also don’t want to brag too much, but I am pretty sure I may be the best Bingo caller along the eastern seaboard. While I joke, you would be surprised at how much a group of people can actually get into a solid game of B-I-N-G-O!

And, believe it or not, I am always up for taking up different classes and learning something new and different. I have taken glass blowing, acrylic painting, water colors, and even a cake decorating class. I love to put myself in situations where I don’t know what I’m doing. It keeps me humble and grounded. It also makes me a better educator and helps me to practice mindfulness… I mean, how can you not focus in the moment when you are handling melted liquid glass (2500°F)?

And of course, I also have my dog, Zara, she keeps me on my toes and is a great listener.

Thank you for your time Dr. Trego! We look forward to having a very productive and hopefully pandemic-free year!

A quick teaser video about optometry and research. Featuring Doctors of Optometry and AOA members. 

Drs. Schaffner

Editors note: Thank you Dr. Schaffner for your service!

by Lieutenant Matt Schaffner, OD
UAB School of Optometry Class of 2019

 Why I became a military optometrist
My desire to serve my country in the Armed Forces is what actually led me to pursue a career in optometry.  I come from a long line of family members who have served our country in every armed conflict that the United States has been a part of. I have a great-great-great… (I do not know how many “greats”) grandfather, Major William Gill, who served as the aid to General George Washington in the American Revolution. More recently, both of my grandfathers served, one of which served in the Pacific theater in WWII, and my father and his brothers all served in the Navy. My father, who made rank of Commander in the U.S Navy Dental Corps, is my biggest role model for wanting to serve in the military in a health care capacity.

When exploring health care fields within the Navy, I came across optometry as a Health Professions Scholarship Program (HPSP) career. HPSP is a scholarship in which the Navy provides full coverage of medical, dental, or optometry school costs and allows for direct accession in the Navy as a commissioned officer.  As I read about a career in Navy optometry, the opportunity to serve our nation’s heroes in a mission-critical role was too good to pass up.

Optometry school experiences prepared me for this career
The University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Optometry absolutely prepared me for taking on the challenges of meeting ocular and vision care needs of our nation’s servicemen and servicewomen. The diversity of our patients at UABSO provided me the opportunity to clinically diagnose and treat patients from a large variety of cultures, backgrounds, and predisposed medical conditions. The Navy and all U.S. Armed Forces are composed of very diversified groups of people from different nations, backgrounds, and cultures, much like my experience at UABSO. My well-rounded experience at UABSO as a student equipped me with the tools and confidence to be able to provide quality ocular health care for our diverse military population.

Also, during my fourth year in-school rotations, I was able to sneak into two rounds of TBEye Clinic in my last year of optometry school. In TBEye Clinic we provided comprehensive and specialty eye exams to UAB athletes, students, and members of the community who have experienced traumatic brain injuries. We examined every facet of ocular health and vision, which included ocular pathology, vision loss, and binocular vision deficits post-concussion. One of the biggest learning takeaways from TBEye clinic was that we could help facilitate neurological healing for our TBEye patients by simply addressing undercorrected refractive errors, binocular vision anomalies, and impaired proprioception. These skills became especially handy when treating servicemen and servicewomen who have undergone head injuries secondary to high risk activities by the very nature of their military jobs.

A day in my life
A routine day at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar Optometry Clinic consists of providing comprehensive eye exams and vision physicals typically for Marine pilots and aircrew, ensuring that they maintain vision and ocular requirements for safe aeronautical operations. We also conduct Student Naval Aviator eye exams for Pilot and Naval Flight Officer applicants.

Not only are we taking care of Marines involved in aviation and aviation support, but we also see patients from all other branches of the military including Army, Navy, Air Force and Coast Guard.

At Naval Medical Center San Diego and the surrounding branch clinics, we have multiple externs rotating through optometry clinics at any given time. I am afforded the opportunity to teach fourth year optometry students from several different optometry schools as adjunct faculty. Students often find their Navy rotation very enjoyable as they get to practice proficiency on active duty military patients from all over the country and even the world. 

Being a Naval Officer often requires time away from the clinic to fulfill other leadership roles and training. Training can be as mundane as hours of PowerPoints to as exciting as learning how to escape from an underwater helicopter crash upside-down in the dark via pool simulation!

As an optometrist in the Navy, providing vision and ocular care is mission critical for the many occupations like pilots operating aircraft, submariners navigating subsurface, and special operators and Marines maneuvering in nighttime operations. I am so grateful and honored to have the opportunity to serve America’s heroes every day.