Optometry
Day in the Life
My fourth and final externship rotation is my Veteran Affairs (VA) site. This quarter has been different from the other three in that I am completely done with board exams and have no further exams for which to study. It’s such a relief to be able to focus solely on my clinic duties during the day, and then come home at night and have actual free time.
This is the first quarter that I feel I can really reap the benefits of all those late nights studying. It’s also a really exciting time because we are preparing for graduation. I recently ordered my cap and gown, and I’ve been working on travel plans for my friends and family to attend my graduation ceremony in May. It’s hard to believe that in just two short months, I will be walking across the graduation stage and becoming an optometrist.
I have really enjoyed my time at the VA. At the Pennsylvania College of Optometry (PCO),
every extern is required to complete at least one rotation at a Veteran Affairs site. There are many sites throughout the entire country, so students have many options for where they want to rotate. These sites tend to focus a lot on ocular disease and more medical optometry due to the population that we see.
I have really enjoyed working with the patients at my site; they are extremely kind, appreciative, and fun to talk to. I have also really enjoyed working with the VA Optometrists. They are very knowledgeable, supportive, and eager to teach students new things. I think my skills such as gonioscopy, Goldmann Applanation Tonometry, and retinoscopy have really improved during this rotation.
There’s a common sentiment among students that the VA site is the most difficult of all the externship rotations, and I would agree that the patient load is demanding and the expectations for care are high, but I think this has been extremely helpful in pushing me to be a better clinician. This rotation has helped me feel much more confident in my ability to practice on my own in just a few months.
I think this rotation has really allowed me to see what life will be like after school: seeing patients throughout the day, and then having free time in the evenings and weekends for myself. During school, it’s easy to become so engrossed in studying and classes that you almost forget who you were before school. These past three months have really helped me relearn who I am outside of being an Optometry student. I’ve been having a great time going to exercise classes, sports games, trivia nights, and just having relaxing nights reading. Even though I’ve lived in this area for almost three years, this is the first time that I feel like I can really explore the city and get to know the area well.
There were definitely some points in the last three years where I didn’t think that I would make it to this point in my education, but it feels so good to finally be here. I am very excited for graduation and all that comes after, but I am also extremely grateful for my time here at PCO.
For the second- and third-year students who will soon enter their externship rotations, I would advise that you make the most of every opportunity. Whether it be shadowing surgical cases in clinic or getting to know the people and places around you, externships can really help you grow as both a student and a person. I will always remember and hold dearly the experiences that I have had this past year.
- Madison is a third-year Accelerated Scholars Optometry student
