We're Third Years!

Hello all!

It has been awhile since I have posted, and I due apologize. Second year was quite a journey, academically, clinically, and psychologically. I have never spent so much time at school not just studying, but practicing on my clinical skills for proficiencies. As second year progressed, the courses became more interesting yet overflowing with information. The amount of time to learn these important concepts for our careers was limited for the overwhelming amount of material, but our class pulled through! We saw our first patients at the end of our spring quarter to get a taste of clinic. We have just gotten our feet wet after a 10 day summer break in between our spring quarter and summer quarter (present quarter). My first 11 hour day in clinic was this past Saturday in Primary care. At our school we have different departments, Primary care, Low Vision, Ocular Disease, Vision therapy, Contact Lens, and Optical. Depending on the day, third year and fourth year students are assigned to a specific department for that day to see patients. I have Primary Care on Saturday from 8-5pm, so I am there pretty much from 7AM-7PM. It was a rush of both nervousness and excitement for me. My clinic partner and I saw a total of 4 patients. That may no sound like a lot, but as you are just learning and seeing your first patients, it is a lot. You also have to wait for a staff doctor to check your work, which can eat up a lot of time so the day flies by quicker than you would imagine.

I will try my best to keep y'all updated, even though, it will be a busy quarter. It only gets harder. :)

Second year

Life as a second year has been interesting. We are no longer the "lost" students on campus, but we are not yet in "clinic" yet. We have a sense of maturity among us. We are now beginning are challenging academic journey through optometry school. The first year was testing our stress levels and abilities to withstand the demands of optometry school. Now we are learning material that is extremely applicable to our skills for clinic and our careers.

I started studying the first week! Yea, normally the first week of school has no labs and is pretty laid back, but I just wanted to read along as we started school. I can only gain by reading, so why not?

The material is very interesting and more clinically relevant. The classes I am currently taking are:
Sensory Vision
Clinical Methods II
Clinical Medicine II
Ocular Physiology
Opthalmic Optics II


and all of their corresponding labs.


So this past week of school has been pretty exciting! We had our annual SCCO "Welcome Back" BBQ on Friday night. The BBQ is presented by the SCCO Student Association Board . All the students, their guests, faculty and staff are welcome. We have a pie eating contest every year and have one student from each class partake in the pie consumption. Our class won the pie eating contest!!!! Go 2013! I'll post pictures!

Hello June!

Happy Summer everyone! I have been missing in action ever since school has been let out for summer, can you blame me? I feel so alive and happy to be stress free! Although, I find myself still wanting to learn and be on campus. I actually have been on campus 6-8 times since school has let out, believe it or not. :) I have been a part of a research study for dry eye patients. You are compensated for your time and learn more about the subject matter of your own eyes. I just can't stay away from school. I want to hopefully refract a lot of my no-SCCO friends over the summer to make sure I don't forget over the summer. It's funny how once you learn a skill, you want to constantly practice it so you can master it. I associate it with learning to play the piano. When I first learned to play, I couldn't stop practicing.

Most of my classmates are traveling for the summer. This is our only summer break so...I suggest you do the same. As for me, I am trying to find work and learn as much as I can. I am also trying to RELAX and just take in the beauty of life. I will fly back home to TX towards the middle of the summer, but for now, I just want to work. :)

If you have any questions at all please leave it in the comments box! I will be sure to repsond quicker since I have nothing to study :)!