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- May 21, 2010
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hi guys can somebody that is already enrolled in the PCO program tell me a little bit about how their program works? i might be considering applying here.
I have heard nothing but great things about PCO. Pacific/ICO were my top choices but after i talked to a 09 OD graduate, I m thinking PCO is probably the best school, from my point of view.
Do you mind explaining your reasoning/what you heard from that 09 grad?
Ya sure. So last week i decided to go find an OD who works in a commercial practice like The Bay or Sears. So i went to The Bay and ask the reciptionist if I can i shadow their optometrist and she started talking about Resume and cover letter and all that JAZ till the Optometrist came out himself. He was like ya sure come in He asked me where i wana go and i told him about the schools i like and i mentioned PCO last and he was like , i graduated from PCO in 09. I was so happy when i heard that, All OD's i have shadowed have graduated from Waterloo so i couldnt wait for him to just talk about a US school. First thing he said was about the internship. PCO has 18 months of that while other schools have 12 . He told me they sent him to south Calorina for 2 months(and other places of course) and he saw Avg 25 patients a day while he worked 5 days a week. He then told me he had seen around 3000-3400 patients by the time he graduated, around 500 retinal detachment while his buddy from Waterloo has seen 10
This guy who is around 26 is probably the most confident young OD i have seen, he told me there is no diseases he has not seen. Then he started talking about the school and the profs. He told me phili is a ghetto city, but then he mentioned you learn more in a ghetto... and he said that the faculty is great. He basically remembered and named 4 of his profs and told me they all have written the books that optm schools use or have had parts in Boards.
HE told me that he loved PCO and if he was to decide on what school to go to, he would choose PCO again. I could see it in his face, this guy had a blast for 4 years . Now he works for 2 places, one is a commercial place (2 days a week) and a private practice (3 days a week.) He told me about all this in 15 min and i am going back in 10 days to start shadowing him. I wana know more about PCO from a student, it was very exciting. Definitely applying to PCO this year.
Would I have a chance at getting into PCO with a 3.2 gpa if I did well on the OATS?