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On Being A Newbie
Looking into my mirror I look at myself trying to figure out whether it was really worth the £150 I paid to have the letters MCOptom after my name. As much as I try, I still feel that money could have been spent on a worthier cause.
Four months on and the letters NQ follow me around instead. The company I work for calls me a ‘Newly Qualified’ or until I can prove to them that I am capable enough to be an Optometrist. Proving my Optom status is not as easy as it seems. You would think that after the experience of a Clinical Decision Making viva in the summer, being an Optom would come with ease and confidence.
One hundred miles from home in England’s most famous cathedral city of Canterbury, I started my life as a ‘Newly Qualified’. Not knowing a single soul I turned up in the city and found myself a place that’s an eight minute walk from work (comes in quite handy). I turned up on my first day feeling like a budding Optometrist and ended the day knowing it was going to be a journey full of joys and shock.
Being a Newly Qualified Optom in a branch that has not had a resident optometrist for over six years is not an easy job to start. I work with six other colleagues that have children my age or older and some have been at the branch more years than I could imagine. It has not been easy implementing change or making my space. I have learnt that you have to speak up to give constructive criticism. I have made decisions after which I have gone home and had sleepless nights…should I have referred Mrs Smith sooner or should I have told Mr. Jones he should not be driving…what if Mr Wilson really is seeing flashing lights at midnight everyday?
I have had an Ophthalmologist tell me off for wasting his time and then ask me how long I have been qualified for after I referred a patient whose IOPs elevated after dilation. Patient’s have accused me of only wanting to sell them glasses when I have recommend an update of their varifocals that are 5 years old and which have been driven over.
Every Saturday I get on a coach and do a three hour journey back home. I look back at my work as a newbie and smile (sometimes I do get frustrated and sometimes I do cry) but mostly I smile.
I am learning that a BSc (Hons) and MCOptom is not enough to make you qualified. Clichéd as it sounds, it is the patients I see that makes me an Optometrist. It’s the patient who comes in asking for me because I saw her friend, or the patient who comes in to thank me after picking up their new glasses that makes my journey from ‘Newly Qualified’ to Optometrist worthwhile.
Andrew Ho // Feb 23, 2007 at 3:37 pm
You are a great Optom Priya and I know a lot of people admire you for your perseverance and true commitment for the cause - to the public, to education, to family and to yourself. Primary health care involves a lot of differences of opinion, which are constantly in feverish conflict. It is foreseen by nature of the system like all academic machines; the fresh cogs turning the larger wheels will need to adjust the approach from what is written and learnt (particularly for precaution and safety) to what is actually done (once an experienced clinician). I have no doubt that you were acting on the full interest of the patient when you referred.
As for your ability as an Optom to be put under questioning; that will be part of your life as a health care professional and is to be expected as people want reassurance that they have been given the most professional and up to date advice. Be confident in your approach and if you truly do not know – show competence in making the effort to know. Being smart is to know you will not always have the answers to everything. Every patient will be a viva examiner. Expect nothing less.
Final thought - I am jealous of your NQ status.
Joy Myint // May 21, 2007 at 1:46 am
Ah the memories of being a NQ!! I have to say I am not sure when the transition from NQ to Optometrist takes place. There are no exams you take for that.
In fact many of your comments still ring true several years down the line. You still worry about referring, still listen to ophthalmologists question you (admittedly the last one to question me, will probably never do it again!). Patients will always question you.
In many ways like Andrew I am envious of your status, beacuse actually you are the optometry equivalent of a “teenager”. You are at the stage when you still know everything, as it is fresh in your memory from PQE. Knowledge fades with time, and since becoming an assesor (boo hiss) I have had to learn stuff again!
Guriqbal // May 27, 2008 at 4:18 am
The work you do is great. keep it up, life has many great packages for you………
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