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THE MUG 10
TEN QUESTIONS THAT UNLOCK REAL STORIES OF SUCCESS.
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AT A GLANCE
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I am able to make my patients feel comfortable and well cared for while using my analytical brain to give them the best dermatologic care possible.
The ability to communicate to patients and understand where they are coming from and tailoring the treatment to their lifestyle.
WHAT IS YOUR
UNIQUE GENIUS?
how did you become interested in this career?
JOB SHADOWING SPARKED MY INTEREST
I became interested in the field of optometry after job shadowing and being employed by my mom's practice. Helping patients on a daily basis before going to optometry school sparked my interest in helping people and joining the healthcare profession.
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IN WHAT WAYS IS THIS JOB
A PERFECT FIT FOR YOU?
I'm communicative.
I'm empathetic.
I'm a problem solver.
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I'm able to communicate and be relatively stress-free on a daily basis. That's a big deal for me—being confident in what I'm doing. I love communicating with people, discussing their lifestyles, and tailoring treatments accordingly.
WHAT SKILLS DOES IT TAKE TO BE SUCCESSFUL AT YOUR JOB?
EMPATHY, MANEUVERING MACHINERY, PROBLEM SOLVING
You have to maneuver some of our instruments such as the phoropter and slit lamp bio microscope. Being able to remove foreign bodies is a big deal in our lives as well. Soft skills [include] people skills—that is the vast majority of our job. Being empathetic towards our patients is a big deal, as well.
I am able to make my patients feel comfortable and well cared for while using my analytical brain to give them the best dermatologic care possible.
WHAT DO YOU WISH YOU KNEW WHEN YOU WERE YOUNGER?
CREATING A GOOD WORK ETHIC
Having a good work ethic really does put you in a good place in life. Being able to exemplify that on a daily basis, whether you want to wake up and go to your job or school, you have to do it.
I am able to make my patients feel comfortable and well cared for while using my analytical brain to give them the best dermatologic care possible.
WHAT'S IN YOUR PORTFOLIO?
JOB SHADOWING IN THE FIELD
My first big job was being an optician in the same practice that I am currently employed with. I would help patients with contact lenses, insurance, and glasses.
WHAT'S THE COOLEST PART OF YOUR JOB?
HELPING MY PATIENTS
The coolest part of my job is honestly being able to get people in the right hands when an unknown disease or an infection pops up. People say, 'my glasses have not been working for 15 to 20 years,' and we come to find out that they actually have a condition of the cornea.
WHAT'S THE MOST CHALLENGING PART OF YOUR JOB?
GAINING PATIENTS' TRUST
The most challenging part of my job is being able to gain new patients' trust when they come to our practice. There is huge advancement with a lot of our technology, but some people haven't been to the eye doctor in years. They are a little bit frightful of some of the new tests that we have. We have to reassure them that this is all advanced technology.
WHAT'S 1 THING PEOPLE DON'T KNOW OR UNDERSTAND ABOUT YOUR JOB?
WE CAN DETECT DISEASE
Optometrists are a lot of times the first health care provider to see the diseases through the back of the eye. We can see different cardiovascular conditions pop up in the back of the eye, just by looking at the blood vessels.
WHAT WAS A DEFINING MOMENT OF YOUR LIFE?
FINDING CONFIDENCE IN MY WORK
Being able to confidently diagnose every single [patient] by myself two to three weeks into my job—this was a big deal coming from being a student where we would only see anywhere from three to six patients on a daily basis with the help of our colleagues at our disposal.
INDUSTRY STATISTICS
OPTOMETRIST
PROJECTED GROWTH
Projected Growth: 8%-10%
Projected Openings: 1,700
AVERAGE ANNUAL SALARY RANGE
$61,590-$192,390
TOP SKILLS FOR THIS JOB
Active Listening
Communication
Critical Thinking
Decision-Making
WORK ENVIRONMENT
Face-to-face discussions with patients
May be on call (available to go to work after hours for an emergency)
Not deadline-oriented
Requires precision
Schedule flexibility
TRAINING + DEGREE REQUIREMENTS
Undergraduate degree
Four-year doctoral degree plus a year of residency