Job shadowing in Chicago

[euphaire]

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Hi all,

A bit background on my current problem:

I'm currently in Singapore doing some research work for a professor (non-optometry related). My plan is to wrap things up by the end of the month, go to Chicago and complete some job shadowing there. It has to be Chicago instead of any other city due to family reasons.

Basically, I called the optometrists/ophthalmologists one by one. Every time, I asked the receptionist nicely if they could take students in for job shadowing there, and almost every time, the receptionist would tell me "we don't do that".

The massive list is here: http://www.thecityofchicago.com/physicians/ophthalmologist-optometrist-physicians.html

After going through half of the list with 0% success rate, I'm starting to wonder if I've made some mistakes that i'm unaware of. I'm sure most of you didn't have such difficulty finding a volunteer/job shadowing arrangement. How did you guys find an optometrist to job shadow with? Did you have go through a lot of rejections too? Did you ask by phone or had to visit the clinic in person to ask?

Lastly, I'm hoping to hear from anyone who has job shadowed/worked with an optometrist in Chicago. Is there an optometrist that you'd recommend?

Your advice would help me a lot. Thanks in advance!

 

[chocol8]

It seemed like a lot of people had an easy time finding someone to shadow from what i've read on these forums, but i definitely did not. My own optometrist even said no. What I did was go in and hand them my resume, tell them i wanted to job shadow, and they'd either write down my availability and not call me back or flat out say no. It takes some persistence, but eventually you'll find someone kind enough who will allow you to job shadow... someone who likes being a mentor. What you can also do is that when you go in to hand them your resume you should ask if you may speak to the optometrist in person and wait if they make you... anyways, i never had any success over the phone or via email.

Maybe you can try emailing ICO to find out if they know of any alumni in the area that would be willing to take on someone. Maybe you can also give them a short time frame as well... it might sound more appealing.

 

[zxcutiemdr]

jus a few words of encouragement:

definitely dont give up. i live in nyc n i literally walked into over 20 opticals/private practices/commercial retailers and they all said no (although the optometrists were pleasant about it and two spoke to me for a bit about my career aspirations and what not). little by little i started to realize that i should ask to speak to the optometrist and also remember to state the word "volunteer" somewhere when asking to shadow because volunteering tells them that you are not expecting to be compensated and that you are there for experience (at least that is how things are around me).

After weeks of headache, and hurt feet from all the walking, i am now shadowin at 2 offices n i couldn't be happier....after hearing so many "no's" it is easy to give up but don't..you'll find the perfect place for you in the end trust me

also it might be better to wait until you get to chicago and walk in to the office rather than call because that way they get to at least see you and meet you. i never asked on the phone or email because i was afraid i would never be taken seriously so i was just persistent. good luck 😀

 

[quackquack]

Like my post earlier, I tried for two summers. I called up places, went in there in person, etc. All rejected. Disappointed? Tremendously. Gave up? Not just yet. This place I went to said I can work for few months next summer. So during again i tried to look for places. More rejections. This summer right after I got off in April, tried again, nothing, but I ended up getting that job that they mentioned a summer ago. So it took a lot of trying... and waiting. Try to speak to the optometrist in person if possible. Sometimes I really feel like the receptionist just doesn't want to let you speak to them. I'm being cynical but if you are volunteering, you're probably just doing their jobs and they fear that. And a lot of them i noticed don't even know what 'job shadowing' is (because they're so fast at jumping to a "no" most of the time no doubt).

A real story. Few months ago I went up to a place in Ontario and I walked in and asked if i can speak to the doctor. The receptionist (looked really young, may be a volunteer) said that the doctor is not in. When I asked if i could wait (i went right before the clinic opened because I can find time to speak to him before he started seeing patients), he looked REALLY SKEPTICAL, but said yes.

The clinic opens at 9 and it was after 9am, so I asked if the doctor will be here soon. He said no. But I clearly hear someone in the room next door. Later on the doctor COMES OUT HIMSELF, yes, even when I was told he was not in the building. So when i asked the receptionist, he just said "Yeah he's busy". So what did I learn? Receptionists are a BIG BARRIER. I waited to the point where I wanted to leave and he kept just telling me that the doctor is not in, etc.

What I'm about to tell you next is an extreme case but I managed to make an appointment to shadow with the doctor. But the next day the receptionist calls me and says the doctor cancelled it. I said ok. But I was suspicious because I didn't answer the first ring and he didn't even leave a voice message, and I ended up calling back the number caller ID showed me. I'm not quite sure why this struck me as suspicious, maybe I just expected him to leave the message and he didn't. But I called back another day when he wasn't working and the doctor said he didn't cancel it.

So.... yup. I'm sorry for my rants and depressing stories but really, you just have to keep trying and fight for a chance to volunteer. There are other people out there with the same objective as you.

 

[BrownIris]

I think that it is really important to speak with the optometrist and not just the receptionist. Optometrists seem much more willing to help, seeing as they have been there before. I walked into a Walmart, waited until the optometrist was between patients to ask if he allowed students to shadow, and he said 'yes'. I was able to go in the following week and when he didn't have any patients, he made phone calls to others in the profession asking if they would allow students to shadow. By the end of the day, I had appointments to shadow an OD in a medical practice, and two ODs in private practice.

I think you might have better luck if you wait until you are in Chicago and talk to the doctor in person. If he or she says no, ask if they know of any ODs who would be willing to let you observe them. Good luck!

 

[chocol8]

Sometimes I really feel like the receptionist just doesn't want to let you speak to them. I'm being cynical but if you are volunteering, you're probably just doing their jobs and they fear that. And a lot of them i noticed don't even know what 'job shadowing' is (because they're so fast at jumping to a "no" most of the time no doubt).

You are bang on with this one. I think my greatest barrier were by far the receptionists. I think they either fear their job, or think you will become an extra chore for them.

 

[preopt2012]

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