Optometry assistant-premed

[Doe22]

So, I'm applying this upcoming cycle. I have just graduated and I'm trying to get more clinical experience. I've been volunteering as a COVID-19 screener in a hospital since around July. I also have ~500 hrs of past clinical volunteering that I did through out college. I have just applied to an optometrist assistant job and not sure if this is a good idea, since the primary goal of taking an extra gap year is to strengthen my application by getting more clinical experience. Is this a wise thing to do? Would this job be counted as clinical experience?

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[Hzreio]

I feel like adcoms would just see it as regular employment, which is fine bc you gotta pay bills. But if you specifically want the clinical exposure for your app do something where you work with patients and physicians directly.

 

[viralhiker]

Are you interacting with patients? Taking vitals, etc? Or would you only be doing paperwork in a back office?

 

[LizzyM]

I think I know what you would be doing.... all that initial stuff that is done at the eye doctor before you actually see the eye doctor. Asking people to put their chin there and don't blink, now look here and press the button when you see the red balloon in the view finder... that sort of thing. Seems like a good job to get to know how people react in a specialty care setting where they might be nervous or exasperated. It isn't a substitute for having had some shadowing and some experience at some point in a facility where physicians work but if it helps to pay the bills, and you spin it correctly ,you could get some points for working independently with patients in a role that is more exciting that cleaning toys in the pediatric playroom.

 

[Doe22]

Are you interacting with patients? Taking vitals, etc? Or would you only be doing paperwork in a back office?

Some of the things I will get to do are the following tests: auto refraction, inner-ocular pressure, neutralizing prescription eyewear, blood pressure, visual acuity, motility testing, pupil assessment, confrontation fields, anterior chamber angle assessment, dilation, but not limited to these skill sets. Plus documenting the patient's visit into their medical records. In addition to, of course, providing basic customer service.

 

[Doe22]

I feel like adcoms would just see it as regular employment, which is fine bc you gotta pay bills. But if you specifically want the clinical exposure for your app do something where you work with patients and physicians directly.

According to the job description, interacting with patients is a main part.

 

[Doe22]

I think I know what you would be doing.... all that initial stuff that is done at the eye doctor before you actually see the eye doctor. Asking people to put their chin there and don't blink, now look here and press the button when you see the red balloon in the view finder... that sort of thing. Seems like a good job to get to know how people react in a specialty care setting where they might be nervous or exasperated. It isn't a substitute for having had some shadowing and some experience at some point in a facility where physicians work but if it helps to pay the bills, and you spin it correctly ,you could get some points for working independently with patients in a role that is more exciting that cleaning toys in the pediatric playroom.

Agree, this is the most exciting job out of all the ones I applied to. I applied for a couple scribe positions, but haven't heard back from them yet. The optometrist assistant job pays more and doesn't seem to be that bad.

 

[Hzreio]

According to the job description, interacting with patients is a main part.

Yeah, sounds like a nice job. I do similar work as a technician in ophthalmology the only difference being that I work with an ophthalmologist rather than an optometrist. If you're applying medical school it would probably serve you better to work with a physician. Likewise, if you're applying optometry school it'd probably be better to work with an optometrist. But either way, if you feel like it you could gain a lot from it, then take the job! I promise it will not be looked at negatively on your application. It's probably only bad if it's your only clinical experience, which it isn't.

 

[Doe22]

Yeah, sounds like a nice job. I do similar work as a technician in ophthalmology the only difference being that I work with an ophthalmologist rather than an optometrist. If you're applying medical school it would probably serve you better to work with a physician. Likewise, if you're applying optometry school it'd probably be better to work with an optometrist. But either way, if you feel like it you could gain a lot from it, then take the job! I promise it will not be looked at negatively on your application. It's probably only bad if it's your only clinical experience, which it isn't.

I was hoping to work with an ophthalmologist, but the location I applied to doesn't have an ophthalmologist. It's in a big hospital and in a big city, however, they seem to only have O.D's in this location.

 

[yokiguz]

I think I know what you would be doing.... all that initial stuff that is done at the eye doctor before you actually see the eye doctor. Asking people to put their chin there and don't blink, now look here and press the button when you see the red balloon in the view finder... that sort of thing. Seems like a good job to get to know how people react in a specialty care setting where they might be nervous or exasperated. It isn't a substitute for having had some shadowing and some experience at some point in a facility where physicians work but if it helps to pay the bills, and you spin it correctly ,you could get some points for working independently with patients in a role that is more exciting that cleaning toys in the pediatric playroom.

Yup, I know a pre-med who did exactly this. That's what it'll be!