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gioiarioia

SCO Class of 2010
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Just curious as to how many current optometry/pre-optometry students are related to optometrists (parent, grandparent, aunt/uncle, etc)? How many are without a family member/friend optometrist. I ask because this was asked of me during an interview... and no one in my family is an optometrist.
 
gioiarioia said:
Just curious as to how many current optometry/pre-optometry students are related to optometrists (parent, grandparent, aunt/uncle, etc)? How many are without a family member/friend optometrist. I ask because this was asked of me during an interview... and no one in my family is an optometrist.

No one in my family is in optometry either, nor any healthcare for that matter... i dunno how i got the calling. My dad's an engineer, glad he didn't pressure me to become one! He actually advised me against it. My only three cousins are all in computer programming, surprised I didn't follow their footsteps either. I'll probably be taking a look at them later :laugh:
 
No one in my family is an O.D. I think my mom has an uncle that was an M.D. I have a cousin who is a nurse. Mom worked in IT, and my dad was in banking growing up. My brother and I both went into IT, which is what I'm leaving to be an O.D...
 
My father is an OD. I know at least 2 others in my class who have parents in the field.
 
gioiarioia said:
Just curious as to how many current optometry/pre-optometry students are related to optometrists (parent, grandparent, aunt/uncle, etc)? How many are without a family member/friend optometrist. I ask because this was asked of me during an interview... and no one in my family is an optometrist.

I am not related to any optometrists at all, but my girlfriend's sister is an optometrist and she was the one that got me interested in the field. So don't worry if nobody you are related to is an optometrist, just as long as you have good experience, that should be most important and key.
 
my closest cousin is in his third year at NECO, so understandably he had a great infleunce on my choice of professional school! i agree, just follow what your heart tells you to do! do what you feel is right! this is easier said than done though! 🙂
 
maybe i should also add that my father is a pharmacist, my brother is going to med school, two other cousins in med school, one cousin is a practicing dentist, and my other cousin is in opticianry. you could say i have a medical family, hehe! 🙂
 
I also have no family members or friends who are optometrists or are involved with other health professions. I'll be the first in my family to attend college, let alone graduate and attend professional school!
 
I'm not "worried" about not having a relative or friend that is an optometrist. Actually, I've already been accepted to SCO.
 
I don't have any relatives in optometry, either. Actually, I have a distant cousin who is an optometrist, but I always forget about him because we've never actually met. It is interesting how optometry can get to be a "family thing" though. I know a lot of people in school whose parents or grandparents are ODs.
 
not only do i have any OD relative/friends, but none of my family will even contemplate a "lowly" OD as a career! ever since i told them of my decision, i have been introduced to family friends as "college student" as opposed to before where i had the terrific title of "future doctor" or "future professor"

i have also single handily lost my local OD my family business (except for me of course) when they realized that she was in fact NOT a MD and proceeded to seek care from an opth for approx an extra 20 bucks per exam :laugh:
 
Of the 4 first years at SCO from South Carolina, 3 of us have an OD dad. There's at least a couple more throughout the class, but I can't give you an accurate count. There this one guy who has 7 ODs in his family.
 
It is suprising how optometry is often a family business.
There's a girl in my class with ~13 family members who are an O.D.!
 
still_confused said:
not only do i have any OD relative/friends, but none of my family will even contemplate a "lowly" OD as a career! ever since i told them of my decision, i have been introduced to family friends as "college student" as opposed to before where i had the terrific title of "future doctor" or "future professor"

i have also single handily lost my local OD my family business (except for me of course) when they realized that she was in fact NOT a MD and proceeded to seek care from an opth for approx an extra 20 bucks per exam :laugh:

Smart family.
 
ariel winter said:
maybe i should also add that my father is a pharmacist, my brother is going to med school, two other cousins in med school, one cousin is a practicing dentist, and my other cousin is in opticianry. you could say i have a medical family, hehe! 🙂

Now THIS is an example of a smart family!
 
So I walked into an optometry office when I was 18 years old applying for a tech job -which by the way I didn't get hired..that's another story -and was immediately interested in the field. However, because of financial reasons and other situations, I could'nt fulfill that dream until now and I'm 35 yrs. old planning to finish pre req. to get into opt school in 2007. My point...no I don't have any OD's in my family. I just found and interest in it!
 
awesome! it is NEVER too late to fulfill a dream! good luck in getting in opt school in 2007. if there's a will, there's a way! go getem! 🙂

mthomas2 said:
So I walked into an optometry office when I was 18 years old applying for a tech job -which by the way I didn't get hired..that's another story -and was immediately interested in the field. However, because of financial reasons and other situations, I could'nt fulfill that dream until now and I'm 35 yrs. old planning to finish pre req. to get into opt school in 2007. My point...no I don't have any OD's in my family. I just found and interest in it!
 
ProZackMI said:
Smart family.

😀

thanks, i hope my cousins who will finish thier residency next year will be less degrading and ignorant as you. or do the intense training of med school turn every happy person into a miserable being at the end? im glad i chose this route, at least i dont have to walk through life trying to put optometrists in thier place and instead spend it pissing off MDs by doing what i do. 👍
 
ariel winter said:
awesome! it is NEVER too late to fulfill a dream! good luck in getting in opt school in 2007. if there's a will, there's a way! go getem! 🙂


Thanks!
 
gioiarioia said:
Just curious as to how many current optometry/pre-optometry students are related to optometrists (parent, grandparent, aunt/uncle, etc)? How many are without a family member/friend optometrist. I ask because this was asked of me during an interview... and no one in my family is an optometrist.

I think the purpose behind this question is to find out what actually influences/drives your decision on wanting to be an optometrist.
 
mthomas2 said:
So I walked into an optometry office when I was 18 years old applying for a tech job -which by the way I didn't get hired..that's another story -and was immediately interested in the field. However, because of financial reasons and other situations, I could'nt fulfill that dream until now and I'm 35 yrs. old planning to finish pre req. to get into opt school in 2007. My point...no I don't have any OD's in my family. I just found and interest in it!

I've always wanted to be an Optometrist, ever since my first exam when I was in first grade (6 or 7 years old). I've always been fascinated by physics, optics, and my own visits to the O.D.

I'll be 37 when I start Optometry school next fall, so you're not the only "seasoned" student seeking to study optometry.

Welcome & best wishes for a successful career change.
 
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