Hi everyone! I’m Dena Colantino, and I’m a fourth-year student at UMSL School of Optometry. Let me start by saying that I am in no way an expert in the admissions process of optometry school. I can only speak to my own experiences and information I’ve gathered from friends, classmates, and members of the optometric […]
If I Knew Then: Advice for Optometry School Applicants Read More »
The optometry world just got a little bigger as it welcomes the grand opening of the first college of optometry in Haiti. The School of Optometry & Vision Sciences at the Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy of l’Université d’État d’Haïti plans to admit its first class of 19 students starting October of 2018. Funded by the
As a non-traditional student, I spent countless hours debating whether I should take the plunge in going back to school. I had only a few years under my belt of “real life” – paying bills, paying off debt, the “8-to-5 grind.” I was on automatic mode, going through the motions everyday only to realize that
The Decision: Applying for Optometry School Read More »
I thought about going back to school long before my life became a melodramatic episode of some cheap sit-com. I was going to go to a physician assistant program. I figured out what I was going to do, I told everyone what I was going to do, and promptly did nothing about it. Until my girlfriend,
Going Back to School Read More »
The only thing tougher than optometry school is being sick in optometry school. While classes, labs, and clinic hours are priority, don’t forget to take care of yourself! Here are 5 tips for staying healthy in school: Sleep: Losing sleep can take a serious toll on your immune system and your ability to learn. While
Staying Healthy In Optometry School Read More »
Let me preface by saying that I love optometry. I love what I do, and I enjoy clinical care and interacting with patients (shameless plug: check out my last article Tips on Engaging Patients for Effective Exams). That being said, there are some things that make my blood boil during exams! Hopefully you’ll relate to some
11 Most Annoying Patient Pet-Peeves Read More »
Preface: This article was written when I was not accepted into optometry school in 2014. Luckily for me, I was accepted into Nova in 2015 (I am currently an OD2 student and I could not be happier!). For those of you who are applying or thinking about applying to optometry schools, you understand how stressful it
The Dreaded Rejection Letter – A Cinderella Story Read More »
We all know this harsh truth about optometry school: life happens. If you haven’t experienced it yet, trust me, you will. Just because you got accepted into your school of choice, doesn’t mean the world stops turning around you. In fact, it seems that when you walk through the doors on the first day
I Got Married In Optometry School And Lived To Tell About It Read More »
Exams, boards, practicals, quizzes, assignments, and clinic are stresses that we all deal with in optometry school. How do you exactly take control over your stress? First things first, learn your personal signs of stress which can include stress eating (over eating or under eating), grinding your teeth, clenching your jaw, random changes in mood, becoming
Surviving The Stresses Of Optometry School Read More »
So you’ve decided to go to optometry school. Maybe you really love the subject of optometry and simply can’t see yourself doing anything else (if you’re in that boat, I salute you!), maybe you’re not 100% sure what you want to do yet, maybe you like the idea of the potential money after college, or maybe you’re
What to Expect When You’re Expecting (To Go to Optometry School!) Read More »
