Weekly Report #4 (9/29)

This week I have primarily been working on scheduling research interviews. I have called and sent emails to many offices and currently have three research interviews scheduled for next week. This week I also shook hands with and introduced myself to Mr. Warstler and four other assistant principals. The advice they gave me was to practice using a firmer handshake. Everything else in my introduction was fine as I think I made good eye contact and spoke slowly.  From making phone calls, I have been better able to improve my communication skills. I have learned to speak more slowly and continue the conversation. Also, I have created a professional voice message and also added a signature to my email. Lastly, I watched the rest of the videos on the Learning Hub and learned how to act professionally for my upcoming research interviews.  I would consider this week a success as I was able to schedule three interviews for the next week and improve my phone calling skills. Next week, I will be conducting research interviews with professionals and will also finalize my portfolio. I look forward to meeting with several doctors and learning more about what it’s like to be an optometrist.

Weekly Report #3 (9/22)

This week in ISM I have complete a rough draft of my résumé (1.5hr), made a phone script (.5hr), and done my second research assessment (1.5hr). In class this week, we have mainly been practicing our interview and phone calls skills. On Wednesday, we dressed up for mock interviews and critiqued each other’s résumés to make them better. For me, I think I need to work on speaking more clearly so my interviewer can understand me better, and I also need to work on elaborating more on what I say. Through my research assessment on Lasik eye surgery, I was able to become better informed about the latest technology in eye care, which will hopefully give me something to talk about when I begin conducting research interviews. I would consider this week a success as I was able to better my interview skills and submitted all assignments on time. Next week, I plan on making phone calls to those on my contact list so I can schedule research interviews with them. As well, I will update my voice mail to make it more professional. I will also introduce myself to Mr. Warstler and 4 other assistant principals so I can be better prepared for the upcoming business symposium. Lastly, I will set up my portfolio in class.

Weekly Report #2 (9/15)

This week I have completed a contact list (1.5hr), started on my résumé (1hr), finished my first research assessment (2hr), and worked on making this blog look more personalized (1hr). I was successful this week in being able to set up a solid foundation for the rest of my ISM journey. The contact list and résumé I created will come in handy when I begin searching for a mentor. As well, through my research assessment I was able to gain an idea of what qualities make a good optometrist and what skills I need to work on. In class, we continued to practice for the upcoming business symposium. We learned about some of the do's and don'ts for an interview and how simple things such as asking for a cup of coffee could indicate your confidence to your interviewer. As well, we critiqued and fixed each other's blogs. I updated my about page by adding my mission statement and quote, and also changed the background of my blog to something more optometry related. I would consider this week a success as I was able to learn more about what makes a good optometrist and also improve my interview skills. Next week, I will work on finalizing my rough draft of my résumé, complete another research assessment, and continue practicing my interview skills.

Optometry Career Forecast

Job Title: Optometrist

Job Description: Optometrists test people’s vision, prescribe glasses or contacts when needed, recognize and treat diseases of the eye, and refer patients to medical practitioners when needed.

Training, Education, and Certification: To become an optometrist, you must attain a bachelor’s degree and then take the Optometry Admission Test (OAT) in order to gain entrance to a four year program at an optometry school. Upon graduation, you will earn a Doctor of Optometry (O.D.) and will be qualified as an optometrist. However, in order to practice in the U.S., you must become licensed by passing the National Boards of Optometry exam.

College or Post High School Programs: It is recommended that you major in a field related to optometry such as biology, chemistry, or physiology.

National and Local Professional Organizations: One of the largest national optometry associations is the American Optometric Student Association (AOSA), which represents 95% of optometry students. The National Optometric Student Association is another organization that works closely with AOSA and is open to college students. Both organizations have active members in the Frisco area.

Related Areas: Ophthalmologists and opticians are the most related to optometrists as they also deal with eye care. The differences between the careers lay in the amount of education required and in the restrictions on what each professional can perform.  Some related majors include biomedical engineering, physics, and neuroscience.

Salary: The starting salary for an optometrist typically lies between $70,000 and $90,000. The median salary for an optometrist is $116,000. Based upon data from recent years, it looks as if optometrist salaries are on the rise.

Career Outlook: The career outlook for future optometrists is mainly positive. It is expected that the amount of jobs available for optometrists will expand by 24% from 2012-22, which is much faster than average. This growth can be mainly attributed to an aging population, which will require more vision care and the fact that many optometrists will retire in the next decade.

Terminology: Some terminology that I should be familiar with include common names of symptoms and diseases, tests and treatments carried out by optometrists, and the anatomy of the eye.

Things I want to learn:

·        Basic eye care terminology (symptoms, treatments, anatomy of the eye, etc.)
·        Qualities that make a good optometrist
·        How to interact with patients
·        The amount of time optometrists spend doing paperwork versus the time spent with patients
·        Operations that ophthalmologists can perform that optometrists can’t
·        How stressful optometry as a career is (Can you still spend time with your friends and family?)
·        What type of organizations or volunteer work I should do in college if I am interested in optometry
·        If optometry is right for me and if I want to pursue it as a career

Weekly Report #1 (9/8)

In the last two weeks of ISM I have given an introduction speech (1hr), chosen a quote and written a mission statement (1hr), completed a career/industry forecast (1hr), come up with possible interview questions (1hr), and set up a Google blogger account to keep track of my progress (.5hr). In my introduction speech I was able to share with my class who I am and what my goals are. I was also able to learn about who my classmates are through their speeches. I found writing my mission statement and choosing my quote to be especially enjoyable as I was able to really think about what I want to accomplish this year. Completing my career/industry forecast also proved to be insightful as I was able to learn more about the field of optometry, which in turn helped me create more specific interview questions. In class, I learned how to create a résumé and mission statement. I also learned about the importance of body language and attended a professional dress review, in which I practiced shaking hands with others in preparation for the upcoming business symposium. I was successful this week in being able to meet all deadlines and in improving my communication skills. Next week, I plan on completing a contact check list, a résumé, and adding more pages to this blog.