Where Are They Now: Adam Parker, OD ‘02, and Megan Parker, OD ‘01

One would think that Megan Parker, OD ‘01, and Adam Parker, OD ‘02, would have crossed paths while both were students at the Pennsylvania College of Optometry (PCO). They were only a year apart in school, but they had no knowledge of each other and didn’t actually meet until after graduate school.

Dr. Megan Parker had taken a job in Richmond, Virginia, after graduation. Originally from DuBois, Pennsylvania, a small town with a population of approximately 7,500 located 100 miles northeast of Pittsburgh, she moved to the much bigger city without knowing a soul.

Her employer just happened to be one of PCO’s extern sites, and one of its externs just happened to be fourth-year student Dr. Adam Parker.

On the last day of Dr. Parker’s externship, a group from the office was going out that evening to celebrate. Adam asked Megan if she’d like to go along.

“The place I grew up was a really gray space and I needed to see sunshine, be closer to things,” said Dr. Megan Parker. “So when they offered me a job, I said sure. I didn’t know anyone, so when he asked me to go out, I said yes, that would be lovely. And when I finally got to see him in a social setting, I realized he was actually funny. He wasn’t always the serious Dr. Adam.”

And they’ve been together ever since. In 2015, they went into practice together and own Midlothian Eye Care in Midlothian, Virginia, and according to Dr. Parker, “everything is going swimmingly.”

Dr. Megan Parker wasn’t so sure it would work out that well at the beginning. But now, they drive to work together and have desks right next to each other.

“We never really set out to work together. The practice where I worked, I planned on staying there,” she said. “And then the doctor that Adam bought the practice from was getting involved in other things and Adam needed someone to come over. I was like, ‘I don’t know, do we want to work together?’ The first year I was just doing one day a week but I just fell in love with the practice.”

Having Dr. Megan Parker in the practice freed Dr. Parker to do some other things, and he made great use of that opportunity by developing a software company called KP Dashboard, which offers legislative advocacy software that helps state optometric associations and nonprofits achieve their legislative goals.

At this point, the company helps 25 other states with their advocacy efforts and also includes the American Optometric Association (AOA) as one of its clients.

After 24 years of being involved with local, state, and national Optometry, Dr. Parker was recently given the Distinguished Achievement Award by the Virginia Optometric Association (VOA).

“I enjoy helping my colleagues advocate for our profession,” said Dr. Parker.

That’s not all. Dr. Parker is the founder of the Pectus Awareness and Support Foundation, a charitable nonprofit dedicated to chest wall deformities that provides patient education, access to surgeon databases and peer networking.

Among Dr. Parker’s recognitions and awards are: Past president of the Virginia Optometric Association; past president of the Richmond Optometric Society; fellow at the Virginia Academy of Optometry; fellow at the American Society of Optometric Surgeons; Virginia Young Optometrist of the Year (2009); Virginia Optometrist of the Year (2018); and Virginia Keyperson of the Year (2020).

Both Drs. Parker have fond memories of their time at PCO, despite agreeing that the first year of optometry school was stressful and challenging. Both made lasting friendships there that they still have today and both said they were well-prepared and confident to enter the profession after graduating from PCO.

The couple has two children, 20-year-old daughter Natalie, who is a student at the University of South Carolina, and 17-year-old son Ethan, who is going to be a senior in high school.

They’re one year away from being empty-nesters, and despite the busyness of the practice, the software company and the nonprofit, both are looking forward to engaging in some more leisure activities. Dr. Megan Parker likes to get out and walk and loves to read, although she admits she probably needs to find more hobbies. Dr. Parker would like to have time for do-it-yourself projects and spend more time playing guitar in what he calls his “Basement Dad Rock Band.”

“Even though the software company is getting more popular and taking up even more of my time, I’m still in the office four days a week,” said Dr. Parker. “But as my duties have shifted more toward running the software business and taking care of those clients, Megan has taken on more of the managerial things at the practice and she’s been fantastic.”

And, said Dr. Megan Parker, “It’s worked out great for us.”