Breakfast with my Optometrist tomorrow! :) :(

[euphaire]

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Hi guys,

I've been shadowing a wonderful optometrist for more than 2 weeks now (100 hours). Unfortunately, I couldn't stay longer due to needing to travel somewhere else and also I need more time to study for the OAT. I'm hoping to get to know him better, get to know more about optometry, and also getting a good letter of recommendation.

This means so much to me because my GPA isn't exactly stellar. I'm from engineering and studying for the OAT has been challenging. So I really need some good letter of recommendations.

He's very busy during the day and barely catches a break. Therefore, I asked him if we could have coffee together to chat and he said we could have breakfast tomorrow morning. I'm glad about this arrangement but I'm so scared! I've never done this before. I'm very friendly with people and normally have no problem talking to people, but this is different. First the stake is quite high (cannot afford leaving bad impression), second he's someone who's a lot older than me, and third my mind tends to go blank when I'm nervous. I'd really appreciate some encouragement and advice! What should I talk about exactly? Should I mention LOR during the breakfast or later, on my last day? If so how should I ask? I know those seem like really elementary questions, but I really don't want to make any mistake here.

😳 Thank you in advance! Any advice/suggestion would help me a lot 🙂
Cherry

 

[physicslover]

Hey Cherry,

If you were shadowing him, didn't you guys talk during those 100 hours? I know what you mean about awkward silences. I suppose you guys are going to be talking about your optometry future, his experience, etc, so you should not run of topics to talk about. You could ask about his kids, family etc too. You don't want to seem awkward because being personable and friendly is also a quality that an optometrist needs and if he is writing your letter, you should let him know so. You could also thank him for allowing you to shadow, etc. I would probably wait till the last day to ask about recommendation- how do others do this? Via email? (much less scary)

I had a horrible experience asking for a reference letter without knowing the details of where to send the letter/etc. So AWK. Anyways, have fun! 🙂

I'm also going to shadow my opt tomm morning too!
Btw, what did you do for those 100 hours? Did you just sit there and watch? My optom seems to think a couple days will suffice for shadowing, but how do I ask her for more days without being intruding?

 

[thecgrblue]

Why are you nervous?

If you are getting ready to enter professional school this isn't really something that needs to stress you out too much b/c you should have the abilities to have a conversation with a fellow professional. Just believe you do...and if you don't...then life could be difficult the next few years.

As far as asking for the LOR just get to the point when you can...you're applying for optometry school and would appreciate it if he had the time to write you a LOR. If he says he doesn't and leaves it at that you need to say "Would you allow me to write a letter and have you look over it and approve it" (I've done this twice personally). He has been in your shoes...he won't say no...and if he does, then you wouldn't have wanted his rec anyway.

 

[euphaire]

Thanks for your advices! I'm really good with talking to professionals, just that I never talked to them during breakfast 🙂 It's usually just during their office hours or something like that. But I will try to relax.

Physicslover, it depends on the doctor. Some do think a few days will be enough, while some feel you should stay for at least a month to see for yourself if u want to be an optometrist (because it can get a little "mundane" the longer you stay). The optometrist I shadowed taught me how to pre-test patients and measure prescriptions. I hope yours will teach you some hands-on experience as well.

to all of us

 

[OptomHope]

Hey Cherry,

I'm also going to shadow my opt tomm morning too!
Btw, what did you do for those 100 hours? Did you just sit there and watch? My optom seems to think a couple days will suffice for shadowing, but how do I ask her for more days without being intruding?

I have been shadowing my optometrist for four hours a week this entire summer... so about a total of 52 hours so far. I think the best idea is to ask to do it in small increments (ie. four hours at a time, like i did)... so it seems less intrusive!! When i sit in the chair for four hours I feel like i've been there for a long time but if you look at it from the Optometrist's perspective it's really not long at all!! I just sit in the chair in the room and watch anyways, so it shouldn't bother the optometrist AT ALL. I think 10 hours will suffice but having more hours just lets you learn even more!! good luck in asking for more time!

 

[SilhouetteSight]

Hi guys,

I've been shadowing a wonderful optometrist for more than 2 weeks now (100 hours). Unfortunately, I couldn't stay longer due to needing to travel somewhere else and also I need more time to study for the OAT. I'm hoping to get to know him better, get to know more about optometry, and also getting a good letter of recommendation.

This means so much to me because my GPA isn't exactly stellar. I'm from engineering and studying for the OAT has been challenging. So I really need some good letter of recommendations.

He's very busy during the day and barely catches a break. Therefore, I asked him if we could have coffee together to chat and he said we could have breakfast tomorrow morning. I'm glad about this arrangement but I'm so scared! I've never done this before. I'm very friendly with people and normally have no problem talking to people, but this is different. First the stake is quite high (cannot afford leaving bad impression), second he's someone who's a lot older than me, and third my mind tends to go blank when I'm nervous. I'd really appreciate some encouragement and advice! What should I talk about exactly? Should I mention LOR during the breakfast or later, on my last day? If so how should I ask? I know those seem like really elementary questions, but I really don't want to make any mistake here.

😳 Thank you in advance! Any advice/suggestion would help me a lot 🙂
Cherry

The best listeners are the best conversationalists. That would be my greatest advice. And remember that 80% or more of communication is nonverbal, so relax, SMILE, and enjoy yourself.

 

[euphaire]

It turned out I was stressing out about nothing.
The doctor was very nice, we had a nice chat. Time passed really quickly. And I think he wanted to write me a very good LOR.
Again, thanks for all your advices!

 

[KHE]

I have been shadowing my optometrist for four hours a week this entire summer... so about a total of 52 hours so far. I think the best idea is to ask to do it in small increments (ie. four hours at a time, like i did)... so it seems less intrusive!! When i sit in the chair for four hours I feel like i've been there for a long time but if you look at it from the Optometrist's perspective it's really not long at all!! I just sit in the chair in the room and watch anyways, so it shouldn't bother the optometrist AT ALL. I think 10 hours will suffice but having more hours just lets you learn even more!! good luck in asking for more time!

I hope that you're doing more than just sitting in the chair and watching. If you're not, you should ask to do something else because doing that for more than a few hours is not going to be helpful to you. It's just going to waste your time.

 

[physicslover]

What else can you do? There is not anything you can do with the patient, you can observe the things the optometrists is doing, take note of the different cases. Ask the optom Qs if there is time, but I donno- what else is there to do??

 

[quackquack]

Take note of what he's doing, how he's talking to the patient, etc. I'm guessing. I never actually shadowed (only worked there) but the doctor pulls me in sometimes to see something interesting. And... well you just know that you have to ask something to show you are interested too. Or maybe ask what the equipment does. Don't look bored... I kept a notebook to jot things down. I mean even if i wasn't jotting anything meaningful down, at least he'll think that I am. =X

I mean jot down EVERYTHING. Because chances are when your interview comes around, you'll forget things anyway. But that's just how I learn, it's up to you!

But yeah I wouldn't know... my doctor doesn't believe in job shadowing. He thinks its a waste of time for some reason.

 

[physicslover]

haha i think after a while it does get a bit repetitive.. the most helpful thing for me was to literally see what you have to do for a day. i mean seeing the patient interaction was interesting. How to respond to a very difficult patient, etc. but yea, i really dont think i could do 100 hours of being a fly on the wall w/o going crazy so kudos to euphaire for doing so.

 

[physicslover]

speaking of I went to shadow my opt today, was good. I don't think he really wanted me back again but I felt the need to ask to come in again. he already said that i could write the ref letter and he would sign it..but i feel a bit weird considering the situation, SHould i go backkk again? I don't want to annoy the optometrist. Ive done about 10 hours already. But like i did a day last year and today...

 

[euphaire]

I'm not sure why he's not writing a letter for you himself. I'm also not sure why you think he doesn't want you back. But I guess everyone's different and you cant be everyone's cup of tea. If you really think what you think is true, then I think you should go find another optometrist who'll be more helpful. That's just what I'll do if i were in ur shoes.

Cherry

speaking of I went to shadow my opt today, was good. I don't think he really wanted me back again but I felt the need to ask to come in again. he already said that i could write the ref letter and he would sign it..but i feel a bit weird considering the situation, SHould i go backkk again? I don't want to annoy the optometrist. Ive done about 10 hours already. But like i did a day last year and today...