What It Means To Be A Optometrist – Health Science Essay
I think the ideal candidate for tomorrow’s optometrist should be someone who can appreciate the intertwining of technology and optometry, yet at the same time, can understand that optometry is as much an art as it is a
science. My determination to become an optometrist has strengthened over the course of many years’ studying, as the more I learned about this profession, better I understood about myself. I choose optometry because of its interdisciplinary nature, its intellectual challenges, and most importantly, the satisfaction in knowing that I can impact people’s lives in a meaningful way through the act of healing.
I have never doubted that I want to work in a field of health science. In my postsecondary years, I took many science courses so that I will be well-prepared to pursue higher education in this profession. During a course in Human Anatomy, I came to realize that the human body is indeed the greatest machinery ever engineered, and one thing that attracts me the most is the human eye, the organ which gives us the sense of sight, allowing us to learn more about the surrounding world than we do with any of the other four senses. From that moment, I know what I want to be, an eye doctor, an Optometrist.
To explore more in this field and to learn more about being an optometrist, I volunteered in Dr. Chen’s Office this year, who is a doctor of optometry. Interacting with patients, being ready to face every imaginable situation, team work, time and budget management were all valuable lessons I learned from him. In this experience, I realized that optometry is a dynamic and challenging career that allows me to help people, achieve personal growth and community respect. It is a career that filled with exciting challenges and unlimited possibilities, and I know that I will not doubt my conviction to become a good optometrist. Soon after I make up my mind for optometry, I started researching the field. I searched many schools; one that fascinated me is Pennsylvania College of Optometry. Not only because it is the leading institute for vision care worldwide, but also it is the world’s largest comprehensive eye care clinic, The Eye Institution.
One of Optometry’s biggest appeals to me is the opportunity to work closely with people and build strong bonds. Tutoring English and Math over the past three years has been a constant source of fulfillment because of the trust my students placed in me and the tangible difference that I felt I made in their academic careers. During my second and third year of University, I volunteered at Mount Sinai Hospital as a Chinese Interpreter. This brought me closer to the health care field, when I go from one department to another to help people with difficult communications with physicians. In the Hospital, I see ups and downs, the tears and smiles, the hard work and the rewards. Seeing the sadness of family members at the slow decline of their loved ones filled me with emotions and desires to help. At better times, when I was able to use a nice chat to distract a patient from his pains, perhaps only for a moment, the good feelings of gratification would brighten my day. I learned to be sensitive, to be a good listener, to understand and embrace differences, (simultaneously, realize that how similar we are at the root) and at the same time, to realize how similar we are at the root.
Becoming an optometrist seems to be a natural next step in my life. My many experiences have all contributed in making and affirming my decision to dedicate myself into a career in optometry, and Pennsylvania College of Optometry is definitely my first choice. I think this century will be an exciting one for optometric advancements, and I desire to be on the forefront of bringing clear vision to every individual at any age.