Shadowing

[Pre Opt Student]

How many hours of shadowing/optometry experience is required in the clinic that is considered "impressive" for most optometry schools? It seems like most people have different opinions..but im probably looking at about 25 hours with an opthamologist, 30 hours each in 2 separate optometrist clinics. So a total of 85 hours i guess?

Also, does being a seconday author of an opthomology paper on ocular disease or two count as optometry experience?

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[lovelydisaster]

Yes.. yes.. and yes. You're on the right track. Stay committed, but also explore your options Good luck!

 

[Framecontrol]

I have about 50 hours with 2 private optometrists, and 2 commercial.... This summer / next year I plan to be very busy shadowing and getting involved, yet my application gets sent out this summer, I hope they realize I plan to do plenty more shadowing during me senior year

 

[Pre Opt Student]

So is that enough?? or do i need to shadow more hours than that?

 

[kglmp83]

I've read a few related posts on SDN and this seems to be good enough.

 

[Pre Opt Student]

okay..well i thought it should be...but so many ppl on here are like..i shadowed for 2 years..or i work in an office for the past 5 years..and it just got me thinking. but thanks for the input

 

[kglmp83]

but so many ppl on here are like..i shadowed for 2 years..or i work in an office for the past 5 years..and it just got me thinking.

You and I are in the same situation. I read many posts like that and I have not done anything like that. These 4 years of college really went by too fast and I really need to start shadowing before I graduate in a year or two. I hope to shadow at one commerical location (Wal Mart since there is not a commercial location close to me except for 30 to 40 miles away) and then two or three private practices.

 

[bobbio]

I searched the forum and noticed this thread so I figured I would add to it as opposed to starting a new one.
Anyhow, for current optometrists working in a private office, do you prefer students coming into the office and inquiring about shadowing or is it better to call and ask?
I'm in Washington State and am interested in shadowing an optometrist in an environment outside of a retail joint but every private practice that I have contacted aren't open to the idea. It seems to me that corporate optometrists are more welcome to the idea of having a student observe/shadow them.
Comments or suggestions are appreciated.

 

[mtrlOATgal]

There has to be a balance between quality and quantity. Regardless of how much you shadow an optometrist or opthalmologist, it is the shadowing experience that you take away that is the most important. If in a year of shadowing an optometrist, you have only seen one aspect of optometry, then perhaps this is not enough. On the other hand, if you have seen 5 different aspects of optometry ( low vision care, pediatrics, vision therapy, ocular disease management, and geriatrics) in 30 hours of shadowing one AMAZING optometrist, then perhaps that may be enough. It does depend on the optometry schools. In the end, I believe what they want from your shadowing experiences is your understanding of the breadth and depth of optometry.