OptomCAS Questions

[Superblyme]

Hello everyone! I have a few questions about the OptomCAS application.

For the "optometric experience" section, should I include the +/- 40 hours I spent shadowing a team of ophthalmologists/opticians? Or is this strictly for experience with optometry?

Also, what kinds of things should I include in the "extracurricular activities" section? Should I include activities like secretary of the quiz bowl team, cofounder/conductor of the school pep band, volunteer hours at the local animal shelter, etc...? Or is that kind of useless info?

For employment... that's kind of my weak area... I worked as a swim instructor for preschool-aged children over the summer, and I worked at a furniture liquidation store a few years ago... should this be included?

Thanks so much for your help in this! I can't wait until the whole process is over and I'm finally enrolled in optometry school!

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[Superblyme]

Could still use a little help, guys...

 

[319671]

Could still use a little help, guys...

I think you should email optomcas. no one on here helped me and optomcas helped me!

 

[agreenawalt]

Hello everyone! I have a few questions about the OptomCAS application.

For the "optometric experience" section, should I include the +/- 40 hours I spent shadowing a team of ophthalmologists/opticians? Or is this strictly for experience with optometry?

Also, what kinds of things should I include in the "extracurricular activities" section? Should I include activities like secretary of the quiz bowl team, cofounder/conductor of the school pep band, volunteer hours at the local animal shelter, etc...? Or is that kind of useless info?

For employment... that's kind of my weak area... I worked as a swim instructor for preschool-aged children over the summer, and I worked at a furniture liquidation store a few years ago... should this be included?

Thanks so much for your help in this! I can't wait until the whole process is over and I'm finally enrolled in optometry school!

Well, I don't really know very much about the first question...maybe email optomcas for that one, or if you are still in college, ask the pre-health advisor. From what I have heard, optometry schools really want to see that students have worked. So I would definitely include any jobs that you can, even if they are not optometry related (two of my positions were dance teacher and barista at Borders, and I listed those). One thing that the director of admission at SCCO in particular mentioned is that if you don't have a lot of work experience, then they really want to see that you volunteered (i.e. they will consider that sort of as "employment"). So be sure to list any volunteer work that you have done.

Hope that helps! good luck with your application