À¶Ý®ÊÓƵ

By Jade Lankowski

Erica Chow, fourth-year student at the School of Optometry and Vision Science, is completing her final placement at an optometry clinic in Alberta. Previously, she completed placements in a small town in Ontario and at the À¶Ý®ÊÓƵ Eye Institute.ÌýReflecting on her experiences throughout her placements, she shares lessons learned, challenges faced and how these moments have helped her prepare for a career in optometry.

I am currently in my final clerkship in Alberta, and I previously lived in the city where I’m working before my family moved away. It’s been a unique experience running into friends and former classmates throughout the term. It’s incredibly fulfilling to share my passion for optometry with people in my old community.

There’s truly no substitute for hands-on experience. During my fourth-year placements, I’ve had the opportunity to apply everything I’ve learned in the classroom to real-world situations, which has been invaluable. I think the strongest knowledge has come from connecting real cases back to the information from our lectures and textbooks.

The Alberta winter is also great for winter activities and sports, so I’ve been able to enjoy hiking, skating and going out to eat. I'm the only À¶Ý®ÊÓƵ optometry student in my city, so I keep in touch with my school friends by video call. Spending time aloneÌýon clerkship was a bit intimidating at first, but I think it's been great experience before graduation, like solo travel.Ìý

Early in my clerkship, I treated a patient for uveitis. I prescribed them steroid eye drops, but unfortunately, the patient developed a steroid response, causing their intraocular pressure to rise dramatically. Although the patient was asymptomatic, we were monitoring the pressure and I could prescribe a pressure-lowering drop immediately. That experience showed me the importance of explaining bad outcomes and having difficult conversations with patients. It also reminded me that every decision we make as healthcare providers has a direct impact on our patients’ well-being, and we must always be accountable for the care we provide.

When I first started working directly with patients, every task felt daunting and required significant effort. I felt discouraged at times because my progress seemed slow. I struggled to synthesize my technical knowledge into clear, understandable explanations for patients. With time and practice, this became much easier. Everything started to come together in my fourth year since I had the opportunity to see a greater volume of patients. Clinical skills are important, but as a student in an external environment, refining interpersonal skills was a key challenge that took time and dedication to develop.

I love sharing the science of optometry with patients, so they understand their diagnosis and treatment. It's fun to review OCT scans or slit lamp photos with the patient to showcase our technology and to give them a visual aid.ÌýAs an introvert, the small talk aspect of the exam was aÌýchallenge at the start, but it’s been rewarding to push myself outside of my comfort zone and establish better rapport with my patients.Ìý

After graduation, I’ll be starting an accelerated master’s program at the University of À¶Ý®ÊÓƵ, with my thesis focused on myopia management, which has become a major area of interest for me. I’m eager to continue gaining clinical experience in the workforce while also staying involved in research. My goal is to bridge the gap between clinical practice and academic research, continuing to contribute to advancements in the field of optometry.

My ultimate goal is to help develop evidence-based practices that can improve the quality of care within the optometry field. By relying on the best available evidence, we can provide our patients with the most effective and advanced care. I’m passionate about myopia management, which has recently become the standard of care in Canada. Even though this is now the norm, there is still significant room for improvement in treatment efficacy and public education. In addition, financial accessibility of optometry care remains a major issue. My hope is to make myopia management more affordable for families, making care more accessible to those in need.

Don’t limit yourself geographically when considering clerkship placements. By exploring different locations, you open yourself up to a broader range of experiences and learning opportunities. However, there are definitely interpersonal and logistical stresses that come with moving away for extended periods. Taking proactive steps to manage the stresses and keeping an adventurous, open-minded attitude can make a big difference in ensuring that you get the most out of your placement.