Optometry Experience

[preoptstudent3]

As an undergrad student, the only experience I have had in the field is shadowing an optometrist for 5+ months (50 hours thus far).

Is this not enough experience for my application, or will schools see this lack of experience as a red flag? When I attended meetings about admission, most schools thought that experience in the field was necessary, but did not think a job in the field was necessary.

I am also in the pre-optometry club at school. I worked as a certified pharmacy technician for 6 months as well.

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[FutureOptometrist01]

That is awesome experience. It sounds like you got to see a lot and you got a lot of hours in! This is definitely enough experience for your application, and most schools (at least from what I have seen) don't even have a set number of hours they require. The only one I remember having a requirement from the schools I looked at was PCO, and their requirement was 25 hours I believe. So, you are definitely in the clear on the hours and experience! When you attend interviews with schools, make sure you are able to retain and speak about all of your experience in the field to really show what you have learned from all of your time in an optometrist's office. I used to think because I didn't have a job in the field, I would be seen as less competitive, but that is definitely not the case. Experience is experience! Extracurriculars and other things may speak loud too in substitute for actual work experience. For example, I have been a 4 year collegiate athlete, so I was unable to have a job for most of my undergraduate career. But it sounds like you have definitely enough experience, so great work.

 

[preoptstudent3]

That is awesome experience. It sounds like you got to see a lot and you got a lot of hours in! This is definitely enough experience for your application, and most schools (at least from what I have seen) don't even have a set number of hours they require. The only one I remember having a requirement from the schools I looked at was PCO, and their requirement was 25 hours I believe. So, you are definitely in the clear on the hours and experience! When you attend interviews with schools, make sure you are able to retain and speak about all of your experience in the field to really show what you have learned from all of your time in an optometrist's office. I used to think because I didn't have a job in the field, I would be seen as less competitive, but that is definitely not the case. Experience is experience! Extracurriculars and other things may speak loud too in substitute for actual work experience. For example, I have been a 4 year collegiate athlete, so I was unable to have a job for most of my undergraduate career. But it sounds like you have definitely enough experience, so great work.

Thanks for the reply. I read so many posts on this forum and see applicants with 2 or 3 years of opto tech experience, and I get worried sometimes.