New England College of Optometry News

One of my greatest goals is that my interns/future doctors would understand that they are looking at a whole person and not just their eyes. In any clinical rotation, they can learn to not just take care of someone's vision, but to also take into account their other medical and social issues with an interdisciplinary approach. They may be the only friendly face that the patient sees that day, or they may need that extra push to take care of their diabetes.

You understand that being a doctor-in-training means to behave as a doctor everyday - not just when you interact with patients, and not just when you wear these special white coats that you will be handed today - but each moment of your lives.

My work at the intersection of public health and optometry is geared toward expanding access to care on the state level and raising awareness of the broad impact we, as professionals, can have in and outside the exam room. I emphasize that optometrists are part of the health care team in an evolving collaborative environment.

All I ask from students is that they contemplate the enormous responsibility that accompanies the knowledge and skills they are gaining as a result of their optometric education. From that starting point, the path to becoming an impactful doctor is clear.

As technological innovations continue to enrich the field of optometry, it is imperative for our students to be at the forefront of promoting the best and the most advanced patient care.