shadow/volunteering .. getting a bit desperate

[quackquack]

---

Members don't see this ad.

I don't know if I'm just trying at the wrong times, but I live in Ontario and i've been trying for 2 summers to find some experience. But I haven't had any luck. I've tried cold calling to actually going in person. I wasn't always able to speak directly to the optometrist, but the times I did, they all tell me that they don't want someone sitting in, and the place is too busy (to train me), or too NOT busy (ie. i'll have nothing to do). Or the place is too small, etc.

My ideal plan was to shadow a private optometrist (this is the main experience I want to get, so I wanted to start on this first) but after all the failed attempts, i went around to walmart, cosco, zellars, etc. and they tell me things such as "wanting to work independently only", "you need to call the head office of walmart to check", etc. ... ack!

My own optometrist flat out told me he won't write me a letter unless i volunteer for him. So now he's making me interview for a volunteering position.

I had some luck yesterday when an optometrist said i can shadow him for 3 hours. Today he changed his mind saying the issue about patient privacy.

Point is... I AM GETTING A BIT DESPERATE. I'm still trying everyday. Emailing, calling, dropping off resume, etc. I don't even know what I'm doing wrong. I am friendly when I speak, dress professionally, speak fluent english, lots of volunteering on my resume, etc. I've been trying for two years. I wasn't able to apply last cycle, and now I'm afraid i'm not able to this cycle either. I'm applying to masters as my second choice next year, but i want to at least try applying this cycle so I can gain some experience on the interviewing process (just to note: optometry IS my first choice, so even if i can't apply this year, I'm going to keep trying). Does anyone know any places in GTA, Ontario, Canada, that is more appreciative towards volunteers/job shadowers?

Out of sheer desperation... my friend in the US wants to try hooking me up with an optometrist in the US. I appreciate it. But it's getting ridiculous if I need to fly to another country.

If anyone has suggestions... I really want to hear it. Please. Thank you.

 

[peter22]

Thats really weird that you are unable to find someone to shadow... Here in the States it was super easy, all I did was look up all the optometry clinics on Google Maps and started calling. State why you want to shadow, school info...etc
Out of four places I called, 3 offered me a chance to shadow, perhaps its different in Canada? I don't know, my best advice would be to perhaps contact a few members here on SDN that are Canadian Optometrists, maybe they have connections to others where you live.
Good Luck!

 

[xmattODx]

Contact the schools you are interested in applying to. Describe your situation. They may be able to help put you in touch with alumni in your area who would be willing to let you observe.

I had a lot of trouble getting my observation experience in Edmonton many years ago when I was a pre-opt. It seemed to be a problem throughout western Canada way back then.

Good luck!

 

[KHE]

My own optometrist flat out told me he won't write me a letter unless i volunteer for him. So now he's making me interview for a volunteering position.

I had some luck yesterday when an optometrist said i can shadow him for 3 hours. Today he changed his mind saying the issue about patient privacy.


If anyone has suggestions... I really want to hear it. Please. Thank you.

It does seem odd that you're finding this much trouble.

I would probably just do the volunteer position with your own OD and be done with it. You'll get a better rec letter from someone who actually knows you as opposed to someone you just toddle around after for a few hours.

 

[quackquack]

It does seem odd that you're finding this much trouble.

I would probably just do the volunteer position with your own OD and be done with it. You'll get a better rec letter from someone who actually knows you as opposed to someone you just toddle around after for a few hours.

Yes, I'm interviewing for that position soon... That being said, there is no certainty that I will get it at all (I was under the impression there are other people interviewing as well). But given this chance is a lot compared to the other clinics who said no.

I really do find it strange that it's so hard. I have US friends that tell me it was very easy, literally. Under their advice and encouragement, I try some of the clinics around my area and no such luck. I'm beginning to wonder what's up with my area (Miss., ON), as other people are reporting hard times with trying to find places to volunteer (not just with optometrists, but with family doctors as well). ... I try not to blame the area, but it's frustrating all the same.

 

[Commando303]

I do find this odd, but I can't say it's impossible, as I'm unfamiliar with Canada, in general, let alone its customs of optometry. I did find it fairly easy to find O.D.s willing to let me shadow them. (I live in the U.S.)

 

[sweetsorrow]

I completely understand....I'm from Ontario as well and had the same problem last summer...it took me cold calling/walking into 6 optometrists offices before finally asking my own (god bless him) to let me shadow him (and he only allowed a couple hours a week). I don't know what the problem is; I know one place I went too said they had too many people asking for shadowing and gave preference to those at Waterloo while others simply did not want students and had privacy issues.

I would have suggested your own optometrist since they would know you better and might be more willing to allow you but since they are hesitant...try more busier places in the cities since I would assume they'd require more help and would appreciate volunteers at their clinics - be willing to volunteer and they might open up to giving you a couple of hours of just observation/shadowing.

Keep trying, don't give up and good luck!

 

[quackquack]

I completely understand....I'm from Ontario as well and had the same problem last summer...it took me cold calling/walking into 6 optometrists offices before finally asking my own (god bless him) to let me shadow him (and he only allowed a couple hours a week). I don't know what the problem is; I know one place I went too said they had too many people asking for shadowing and gave preference to those at Waterloo while others simply did not want students and had privacy issues.

I would have suggested your own optometrist since they would know you better and might be more willing to allow you but since they are hesitant...try more busier places in the cities since I would assume they'd require more help and would appreciate volunteers at their clinics - be willing to volunteer and they might open up to giving you a couple of hours of just observation/shadowing.

Keep trying, don't give up and good luck!

Thank you for the advice 🙂 Yeah I really don't know what's with Ontario and volunteering. I've known people who live around here with similar problems as well. >.> Odd.

 

[lkg2837]

One thing that might help.. if you've been saying you'd like to come and shadow or volunteer, the word "volunteer" may actually be a turn off. They might feel like they have to train you, or commit to working with you for a while. Therefore, since you're this desperate even just for shadowing (and if you're not already trying this).. simply ask if you could come in and shadow one day for just a couple of hours, and then explain that by shadow you mean simply sit and observe. Even if they don't let you in the room with the patient (which would be weird and unfortunate), maybe you can chat with the optometrist in between patients about what the optometrist has been seeing/treating.

I hope this made sense, lol. Good luck!

 

[Daylooo]

hey, yeah starting with your own optometrist would be the best idea, try and ask him/her if she has colleges that could also help you out. I basically did this last year my own optometrist only let me job shadow for 2 days 🙁 and I didnt bother asking for a reference letter because really, all I did was observe. This summer I'm planning on making some bold moves and literally visit all the optometry clinics in the GTA (toronto) and see what happens..I hope I'll get something...cuz it doesnt seem very likely. Its odd because my own optometrist didn't really know about the whole job shadowing idea, and how its literally a pre-req for Waterloo's optometry program. I'm confused though, what exactly do we do for job shadowing in an optometry clinic? I can really only think of paperwork and just observing...because my own optometrist didn't really know what to let me do.