I Chose Series
Optometry
Why did you choose Optometry?
Since kindergarten, I knew I wanted a career in healthcare, but it wasn’t until my sophomore year of college that I realized the answer had been in front of me the whole time. Trying to narrow down my interests, I sought out diverse experiences such as working in a pediatric emergency room, a psychiatric clinic, and as an emergency medical technician (EMT). But it was shadowing across Optometry’s various specialties and working as an optometric technician that I felt an immediate pull toward the field.
My connection to Optometry (OD), it turns out, started young. I got my first pair of glasses around the same age I first knew I wanted a career in healthcare. By 12, I’d worn glasses for six years, tried a year of orthokeratology (overnight lenses that reshape your cornea to see better in the morning), and finally landed on daily soft lenses—which haven’t left my side since.
Looking back, I realized I’d had a connection to Optometry all along. As a technician, I saw myself in every patient I helped. As a future OD, I hope to combine that firsthand experience with my education at the Pennsylvania College of Optometry (PCO) to connect with patients on a deeper level and build the kind of lasting relationships that Optometry is built upon.
