Shadowing an optometrist. How to approach one?

[mupreopt]

How do I approach an optometrist about shadowing or volunteering or getting a job with them? Do I call or do I visit their office? What do I say to them?

Also, do I start out just shadowing then volunteer/get a job with them or do I start out volunteering/getting a job immediatey from the beginning?

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[CarltonBanks]

The best way is to go down to their office and ask them in person. Your chances will greatly increase because it will be harder for them to say no to you in person than on the phone or in writing. Calling/emailing almost never worked for me.

I went on the internet and found about 6-7 local optometrists in my area. I visited each office and asked the receptionist politely: "Hello. My name is Carlton Banks. I am applying to optometry school this fall and I was wondering if I could shadow the doctor for maybe a day or just half a day." Usually, the receptionist will take down your information and give it to the doctor. If the doctor gives the OK, you will get a call within a couple of days. On a few occasions, the doctor actually came out to meet me. If you plan on shadowing, DO NOT use phrases such as "internship" or "job." These words usually imply a long term relationship and money.

Its important to remember that not all doctors are comfortable with shadowing. If you do not receive a call within a couple of days, you probably wont be shadowing there any time soon. Its also important to state the duration of your shadowing (a day, half a day). The shorter, the better. Some doctors will let you stay the whole day or multiple days, while others only want you around for a couple of hours. Make sure you come dressed appropriately. When I visited each office, I wore neutral casual wear. While shadowing, I dressed professionally with work clothes and shoes. I didn't come with my hair bleached like Macaulay Culkin or dressed up as a giant peacock (you either get this or you don't 🙂)

Getting a job is a different story. You may want to ask AFTER you shadow if the doctor is looking for any more help around the office. The doctor will have gotten to know you during the shadowing process, and your chances will greatly increase if you ask after.

Make sure to follow-up with a thank you card in the mail. I sent an additional starbucks $5 gift card to the doctors I shadowed, but a simple thank you card will do just fine.

Hope this helps. Good luck!

 

[artiSUN]

And sometimes the receptionist screams "OMG OMG OMG I loved you in Fresh Prince!!" before handing you the paper work...

 

[CarltonBanks]

OMG OMG OMG

My reaction to seeing Tom Jones!

 

[mupreopt]

Only a few hours? How is the optometrist supposed to write a letter of recommendation?

Also, if I already have an optometrist that I go to regularly to check my eyes, would it be a good idea to ask him/her during or after my eye exam or should I wait for a more appropriate time? Or should I go to a different optometrist office?

What was your shadowing experience like? What kind of people (patients) did you or the optometrist have to deal with (deaf, rude, nice, dissability, etc.)?

 

[artiSUN]

Shadowing isn't necessarily for a LoR but more for your own experience and knowledge building. If you actually are able to make a big contribution toward a doctor, then it's definitely not out of the question to ask for a LoR, but I think it'd be easier if you actually did work part-time with one at least for a while. This would give them enough time to really get to know you and write up a more personal LoR. I'd try to look for doctors in different modes of practice to shadow under just to get a bit more exposure to a wider spectrum of patients and practice structures. Low vision and vision therapy would be great if you can find any practices that focus on offering these services (there usually aren't many depending on where you are).

At my practice I've dealt with all kinds of patients (having been here for nearly 2 years kinda accounts for that). Ages ranging from 3 to 92. If you're lucky, you get to see all kinds of eye conditions from corneal ulcers to diabetic retinopathy, age-related macular degeneration, and cataracts. You might also get to see how the doctor performs an examination on kids vs middle aged adults vs seniors.

It shouldn't be any problem to ask your own optometrist if they wouldn't mind you shadowing them or helping around the office some time. Let em know you're interested in doing what they do and would like to get a nice introduction to the field. Good luck!

 

[sharpshooter24]

very simple noobs..... just ask.

i volunteered at Broward eye institute for 4 months with a awsome Optometrist..

then i volunteered at Bascom Palmer Eye Institute for 16 months. you learn alot there, lots of cases with glaucoma, cateracts, congenital cateracts, astigmitism, conjunctivitis. etc. lots of opthalmic pathology there. really neat.

there are 4-9 optometrist there and a crap load of opthalmologist.

this is the best way to learn about the profession because schools in some way or another will try to evaluate your knowledge of the profession/exposure. there not going to ask you during an interview how to do an eye exam frontwards and backwards

 

[Ibabiejae]

I looked up all the local optometrists via yellow pages. Then, I printed out my resumes and physically went to the optometrist office. Luckily, the optometrist I am currently working at was my first visit! 🙂

Through experience, I found that phone calls to optometrists/opthamalogists were not as effective in their decision to allow you to intern/shadow. However, if you show up at their office with a resume, they cant really ignore you 🙂

My optometrist actually told me that the only reason why she allowed me to intern there is because I was so prepared with a resume and enthusiastic about the opportunity.

Hope this helps!

ps. sharpshooter...where do you live? i live Southern FL as well!

 

[sharpshooter24]

I looked up all the local optometrists via yellow pages. Then, I printed out my resumes and physically went to the optometrist office. Luckily, the optometrist I am currently working at was my first visit! 🙂

Through experience, I found that phone calls to optometrists/opthamalogists were not as effective in their decision to allow you to intern/shadow. However, if you show up at their office with a resume, they cant really ignore you 🙂

My optometrist actually told me that the only reason why she allowed me to intern there is because I was so prepared with a resume and enthusiastic about the opportunity.

Hope this helps!

ps. sharpshooter...where do you live? i live Southern FL as well!

Miramar. Florida m8.

to be specific. I volunteered at the broward eye clinic where NSUCO 4th year students do part of their roation work. So i know verywell about NSU

then i shadowed a optometrist at Bascom Palmer Eye institute. at least most of the patients there have some serious eye problems. not a buch of myopic patients trying to get a prescription all day long. i have been going to BPEI for almost 17 months, but i stopped to finish my masters degree. i am applying as a graduate student. i go to Barry University Masters in Biomed sciences program, and yes i went through the nasty option I -12 month progam. my undergrad GPA kinda sucked although i blew through the OAT. TS= 340, AA=320. got a 350 in physics and organic chem .

just ask questions, and learn. i personally believe that optometry is very exciting and insiteful when you deal with patients with serious health problems. people who have hypertension/ heart disease/ diabetes are more likely to have ocular problems. one patient in bascom palmer had an OS IOP of 60.. not good. reffered to an opthalmologist.

 

[mupreopt]

How do I know the duration of the vonlunteer or shadowing? Do I approach the doctor about it? Do I say "I want to work __ months"? When

 

[mupreopt]

How do I know the duration of the vonlunteer or shadowing? Do I approach the doctor about it? Do I say "I want to work __ months"? When do I know to stop shadowing?