shadowing

[hoops123]

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It seems like to me that almost everyone who applies these days has at-least > 50 hrs of shadowing.
right now i have only shadowed 1 OD. about 60 hrs.

i do have alot of health care related volunteer, i have been volunteering at a hosptal for the past 3 yrs, in different wards i have about ~350 hrs from that and a few other things here and there.

should i spend more time shadowing or focus on my grades and gpa(~3.2) in my 3rd yr.
i haven't taken the OAT yet.

note: will be applying to PCO AND NECO this sept.

 

[MUS153]

I would definitely focus on your GPA. 60 hours sounds like more than enough to me. I volunteered at a hospital for over a year, but only shadowed my optometrist for about 16 hours, and still got into ICO. No one seemed to care about the number of hours, but I was asked why I didn't shadow more optometrists.

 

[nicmc]

It seems like to me that almost everyone who applies these days has at-least > 50 hrs of shadowing.
right now i have only shadowed 1 OD. about 60 hrs.

i do have alot of health care related volunteer, i have been volunteering at a hosptal for the past 3 yrs, in different wards i have about ~350 hrs from that and a few other things here and there.

should i spend more time shadowing or focus on my grades and gpa(~3.2) in my 3rd yr.
i haven't taken the OAT yet.

note: will be applying to PCO AND NECO this sept.

Seriously? I mean, shadowing is important, but nowhere near as important as grades for the average applicant. Shadowing was only mentioned briefly, if at all, in all of my interviews. They just want to see that you shadowed a couple of people. Shadow one or more 2 O.D.s for a day or two- that's really all you need. It is much more important to focus on your gpa. Your gpa is fine to apply, but it certainly won't make you stand out at this point. I would focus on bringing it up more to better your chances of acceptance and scholarship eligibility! Best of luck!

 

[blackhole2]

I agree with the poster above who suggested you concentrate on your GPA. The number of hours spent shadowing isn't nearly as important as shadowing optometrists in different settings.

 

[lsmc888]

yeah, the total amount of shadowing hours isnt really that important. what is important is what you actually get out of shadowing, so focus on learning and asking questions while shadowing. personally, i felt that a few hours at several different practices was enough, and so did the schools I got into. if you can shadow more than one place, that would be ideal.

also, even though shadowing is important, make sure to maintain or raise your gpa as well

 

[quackquack]

I personally would concentrate on the marks. They're like the first step through the door in any application process. I shadowed for like...10minutes before my optometrist went "I don't think you will learn anything more" but I worked there for few months learning everything else from pre-testing to visual field assessments to dealing with difficult patients. It's the quality of the experience that counts not the hours.

 

[hoops123]

thanks!
that was really helpful!
last semister i got a D in microbio so i will definately haeto retake thatt.
hopefully this semister works out better for me.

 

[stix]

yes, grades first and foremost.. 3.3-3.4 is fine.. but don't dismiss shadowing. Why do you need to shadow? - so they know that you know that this is what you want... they don't really care about hours... they care that you have done enough and most importantly seen enough so you know your decision is more than "just because"... shadow 2-3 practices... so when you get your interview you can comment on how a few offices work.. or they may question your motives based on experience..

 

[Bioflare]

60 hrs of shadowing is a lot... at least to get a general idea of the field. But it would be wise to shadow 1 commerical and 1 private practice, so you can know the differences between the two.

FOCUS ON GRADES, although if you apply early in the cycle 3.2 + 330+ OAT guaranteed an interview.

 

[hoops123]

Im just hoping everything works out in the end. Everything is going to be so stressful until i finally get accepted to pco/neco, that is if i do.

 

[xeno655]

Other than commercial and private practice settings, what are some other settings that you guys have shadowed optometrists in? I've shadowed commercial and private practice, and I'm looking for more shadowing experiences. By commercial, I'm assuming this means retail, right?

 

[347857]

Xeno,
You can try finding an ophthalmologist office that staffs an optometrist. It will likely be in private practice, but you will get to see an optometrist at work in a different setting.