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Gap year advice?

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panda123!

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Hi I was wondering if someone could give me advice on what optometry schools would think, if I stopped working at an optometry practice and started a job that isn’t related to optometry?

I’ve been working at a retail optometry store/practice as a tech for a year, and I want to explore other fields. I still want to become an optometrist, but my toxic work environment has me burned out, and I also want to use my gap years (2) to grow from new experiences. Thank you!
 
Hi! Welcome to the forums.

I looked at your WAMC, so hopefully, others will comment on it. I looked because I wanted to understand your profile and whether going to a job unrelated to optometry would add to your profile. I'm glad if you walked away from a toxic workplace, but fortunately, it's only one place. If you can find another retail practice or switch to a private practice, you may have a better experience.

But if you are still trying to find what you are looking for, you can take that pause. I would decide if optometry is for you to seek another opportunity in the field. If it's a question of supporting yourself financially, I wouldn't hold that reason against you, but you need to show us you know what you are getting into.