Pacific University College of Optometry

Pacific University College of Optometry Student Ambassadors write about their experiences in Optometry School.

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Canadians at Pacific, eh?

Are you considering attending optometry school at PUCO? Are you Canadian or from elsewhere outside the USA? Do you have questions about adjusting to living in the USA?

This post was written with you in mind!

I’m a born-and-raised Canadian student, currently in my first year at PUCO. My acceptance to study at PUCO definitely brought me great excitement, but once the reality of “the big move” settled in, I also had uncertainties about what details my decision to study outside of my home country would involve. To help ease that uncertainty for some of you, I’d like to offer my own answers to some frequently asked questions of international prospective students looking to attend PUCO. Of course, these come with the bias of my own experiences, but I hope that at least a small amount of this information can help to prepare you for a smooth transition into attending graduate school south of the border.

Finances

Banking

The Bottom Line: You will need some sort of card or payment method that allows you to make frequent purchases in USD without charging you any point-of-sale cost.

·For me, this meant signing up for a USD credit card that I use like a debit card down here. I kept my Canadian account and CAD credit card for use whenever I return home, but got my USD credit card through the same bank (for me, BMO). My family and I can now freely deposit CAD money into this account for me to transfer into the USD account, which I use to pay off the USD credit card. Doing lump-sum transfers on a monthly basis saves on the international transfer fees, which would otherwise become significant over time on each individual purchase.

·I also opened a US bank account through Wells Fargo. I was advised that it is a good idea to have this as a source of back-up money, say if you ever lost your Canadian account cards. Because you are now international, retrieving replacement cards will be more complicated, so I strongly advise that you have a US account even if you do not use it very often. (And to build your American credit score as Dr. Bowen, our practice management professor, would encourage!) Wells Fargo is one of the few banks that will allow Canadian students without American SSNs to do this, and there is a Wells Fargo location in the heart of Forest Grove, just blocks from campus.

Paying Tuition

The Bottom Line: Canadian credit cards are not a good optionl consider cheques or bank drafts instead.

·There are service fees charged by the Canadian credit card companies that will accumulate to a significant amount over the course of paying your tuition fees. American debit or credit cards are fine, but this will require transfer of large sums of money internationally into your American account. I recommend getting cheques for your Canadian USD account, which you can simply take to the financial office on campus. You can also look into using bank drafts, if this is an option that might work for you.

·PUCO also has a quarterly payment plan, which I recommend for anyone using loans that accrue interest right away (ie. bank loans, lines of credit).

Several PUCO students made the trip to Vancouver, BC for BCDO 2017

Housing

Facebook Group

·The Bottom Line: The PUCO Facebook group is a great way to find rental properties and roommates.

·Upon acceptance to PUCO, you will be added to a Facebook group with the other incoming members of your class, as well as the Ambassadors and other members of the upper-year optometry classes. Upper year students will post housing opportunities that they would like to pass down to incoming optometry students to take over, especially as they move to be closer to their clinic or rotation sites. These fellow students are also good resources for recommendations on areas of town or websites to check out.

·There are many housing options in Forest Grove that serve as “optometry legacy houses”, where several generations of students have taken over the rental contracts from each other. We are lucky that previous PUCO students have established such a great tenant reputation amongst the landlords of Forest Grove!

·You can also check out Craigslist, as well as several other rental mapping websites such as Zillow, trulia, or homes.com.

Rent and Utilities

·The Bottom Line: American roommates are great resources when signing up for utility accounts (and also in general J ). I recommend paying rent with the same USD cheques as for tuition, but this may depend on your landlord’s preference.

·I recommend setting up (or at least planning) utilities 1-2 weeks before you move down. Your landlord should be able to tell you the specific companies that your house will use/require. If you do need to open new accounts with companies, be aware that you may run into issues because you may not yet have an American SSN. Personally, I had great roommates who offered to put their name down as the primary account holder until I was in the country and could deal with things locally.

·Again, not in my personal experience, but be aware of potential lack-of-SSN issues when dealing with house rental companies. Plan ahead rather than leaving accommodation arrangements until the last minute, just in case.

PUCO students enjoying BCDO 2017 in beautiful Vancouver, British Columbia

Paperwork

F-1 Status and SSN

·The Bottom Line: PUCO is AMAZINGLY prepared for and used to hosting international students!

·The Office of International Programs and the Graduate Admissions Office at PUCO are awesome about sending you information regarding all the necessary steps and paperwork required to smoothly get your F-1 status (NOTE: Canadians DO NOT have visas). You will have minimal work to do for the paperwork side of international admission, and will be guided step-by-step throughout the process via very clear email instructions. (Insert sigh of relief here, because less paperwork is better paperwork.) by Katelyn Eisenhooth.

·During your time at Pacific, you will undergo a short process to get your SSN (which will be required for your clinical rotations). This is arranged by the College staff and you will be well-informed of the steps.

·Two great contacts for this information: Katelyn Eisenhooth (Assistant Director of International Programs) and Nicole Shappart (Assistant Director of Graduate Studies)

Travel

Documents to Carry

·The Bottom Line: Bring the proper paperwork with you (passport & I-20) across the border, and all should be well.

·Along with the previous information regarding F-1 status, Katelyn will be very helpful at teaching you all there is to know about the paperwork necessary to enter/exit the USA as an F-1 student. Better yet, they will set this all up for you and provide you with the necessary signed documents by mail before your arrival.

·Be sure to keep your signatures and information on these forms updated! You will be told about this at international student orientation.

Border Crossing Rules

·The Bottom Line: Most of the rules are common sense. Some are not. When in doubt, do your research and ask Katelyn!!

Here is a link to the official website for the USA Customs and Border Patrol guidelines for entering the United States as an International Visitor (Student): https://www.dhs.gov/how-do-i/cross-us-borders

·Just in case, here is a link to the Canadian Border Services Agency that outlines the rules regarding bringing American goods back into Canada: http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/travel-voyage/bgb-rmf-eng.html

NOTE: If you plan to use NEXUS, it is imperative that you have your I-20 (F-1 document) linked to your NEXUS card.

Vehicle Licensing

·The Bottom Line: You can keep your Canadian license plates and insurance.

·As a student studying internationally, you are allowed you to keep your home plates on your vehicle (if you plan on bringing one down to Forest Grove with you). This being said, you will need to go into your Canadian auto insurance broker’s office to let them know about your move, because there is a note that must be made on your file. For BC, it requires a “Z Class” status for the vehicle, which will likely bring a slight increase to your within-province insurance. For Alberta, fees and classifications may vary more by the individual insurance providers.

·NOTE: You need to bring your vehicle back across the Canadian border at least once per year! ICBC and most Albertan companies require that the vehicle cross back into Canada every 10 months in order to maintain its legal Canadian vehicle status. This may vary for certain insurance companies – if you are concerned, just ask your provider.

Health Care

Immunizations

·The Bottom Line: Becoming a healthcare provider requires immunization documentation!

·As part of your welcome email, and a few other times before the school year begins, you will be sent a form detailing the immunization documentation required to serve as a healthcare provider. There are some provincial differences (as well as American vs Canadian differences) in common immunization protocols. Start to track down your documentation of this as soon as possible, and read the details of the requirements that are sent to you very carefully. They may not match what you have already, but this is okay as long as you realize it in time to speak to your GP about getting what you need for PUCO!  Be aware that you may face some skepticism or confusion about which immunizations you truly need as an OD student, so you may be offered “reduced” immunization options instead. If you experience this, kindly let your provider know that the form provided by PUCO has been very carefully designed by our Patient Care team, and that as a healthcare provider in the USA there are strict rules regarding these specific levels of immunizations.

Insurance Plans

·The Bottom Line: PUCO provides you with health insurance, but you are welcome to substitute it with your own if it is sufficient.

·The American and Canadian healthcare systems have a few well-known differences, one of which is their method of providing health insurance. Although this could get confusing to arrange as an international student, PUCO has been nice enough to do the research and legwork for us, and offers a default coverage plan just for students! This plan offers some coverage for services like dental, doctor, emergency care, physiotherapy, etc.

·You also have the option to opt out of the PUCO coverage. This can be done if you are covered by a significant other or family member (just make sure that the coverage extends to the States!) or if you plan to purchase some other form of student insurance. Note that the Student Travel Insurance plans will NOT provide general services coverage (ie. dental, routine doctor, physiotherapy) but will kick-in should anything unexpected happen to you while you are in the USA. A popular and affordable option that I would recommend is ScotiaLife (overseen by Manulife), but there are several others! Word of warning: make sure that the student travel plan that you select allows you to come and go between USA/Canada throughout the year without voiding the policy! This is frequently overlooked by the brokers, and I don’t know about you but I like to be allowed to go home to visit!

·Also, there are varying rules regarding maintaining your basic Canadian healthcare coverage (ie. MSP for BC, AHCIP for Alberta, OHIP for Ontario…). Check with your province regarding the individual regulations, because some of them require exact knowledge of your USA destination as well as the dates you intend to be out of province. For BC, this was not the case in my experience, but it never hurts to make a quick call and let them know!

Several PUCO students made the trip to Vancouver, BC for BCDO 2017

Odds and Ends

Board Certification

·All Optometry students need to write Board Certification Exams in order to enter practice after graduation. Canadian students are eligible to write the American NBEO exams (info at: https://www.optometry.org/) if they plan to pursue a career in the USA, or can choose to write the Canadian exams (info at: http://www.ceo-eco.org/) if they plan to return to work in Canada. Or both if you are unsure! Currently, there is still eligibility for practice in British Columbia (with proper registration of course) for Canadians who have written the NBEO exams, though rumours have been circulating for a while that this option may close within the near future…

Phone Plans

·Common recommendations are AT&T and T-Mobile. Many companies down here will again require an SSN for plans, but these two companies will allow month-by-month plans for Canadian students. From experience, it is easiest to bring down your own phone that is unlocked from any carriers. There are options through both of these companies for very affordable ($30-60/month) plans with unlimited text/calling/data that can be used in the USA and Canada (and some even in Mexico) without ANY additional charges. This is a very nice feature for international students who tend to travel back and forth quite a bit, or if you plan to spend any length of time back in Canada and don’t want to flip between CAN/USA phone plans.

Costco Card

Not a ton to say here, other than that your Canadian Costco card will work in both countries – score!

Imported Essentials

·There are Canadian items that you will not find in the USA! Make sure to bring the following with you if you need them in your life:

o   Coffee crisp bars

o   Ketchup chips

o   Sour patch kids (the American kind taste different!)

o   All dressed chips (America finally has them, but they also taste different!)

o   Poutine (sad face)

o   Fuzzy peaches

o   Nanaimo bars (self-explanatory, no?)

o   PEROGIES.

o   Smarties (the American “Smarties” are Canada’s “Rockets” – you will get to politely argue about this with classmates)

o   The phrases “sorry”, “eh”, and “zed”

First-year PUCO student Kathy Nguyen stocking up on All Dressed Ruffles chips during one of her Canadian visits!

American Perks

There are also American items that will be new and exciting! Just to list a few…

o   AOSA and AOA+ memberships, as well as numerous other organizations and clubs to join

o   PayDay bars

o   Butterfinger bars

o   The Fahrenheit scale (used outside of the kitchen)

o   Trader Joe’s!

o   Dollar bills (but there’s also a pseudo-Loonie!)

o   American Netflix and Hulu (and you WILL have time to watch them!)

o   So. Much. More. But I can’t give away all of the surprises…

Important Final Notes

·The Canadian Association of Optometry Students (humorously abbreviated ‘CAOS’) has a PUCO chapter! They put on fun and informative events throughout the year that are directed towards keeping a little piece of homeland pride burning in all of us Canadians studying abroad.

Dr. Schwirtz and Dr. Birring from IRIS Canada speaking to PUCO students about optometry in Canada and how to increase efficiency in practice.

·YES, you will still be informed about Canadian events and conferences during your time at PUCO! Several of our Canadian students actually just made the quick trip up to attend the BCDO Conference and Optofair in Vancouver, BC this past weekend. We also have doctors and company representatives who frequently come down to PUCO to speak to students, and who are open and down-to-earth about answering student questions. Pacific is very good at keeping Canadians informed about opportunities back home.

·The level of education you will receive at PUCO is, in my opinion, worth every missed opportunity to consume poutine. In all seriousness, the knowledge and clinical skills that I have already gained from my numerous mentors and colleagues at PUCO is outstanding, and worth every bit of the move.

·Kinder Surprises are illegal in the USA. Seriously.

TLDR;

Are you considering attending optometry school at PUCO? I strongly recommend it!

Are you Canadian or from elsewhere outside the USA? It doesn’t matter - you’ll fit right in at PUCO. (But seriously Canadians, bring adequate ketchup chips.)

Do you have questions about adjusting to living in the USA? I hope that I’ve answered some of them and left you feeling at least a bit more prepared for the move, but if not then please feel welcome to contact me or any of PUCO’s wonderful students, staff, or faculty to gain more insight!

Thank you to Danielle Guenet and Kathy Nguyen for the picture contributions!

Written by Nadine Odermatt, First-year Student Ambassador at Pacific University College of Optometry.  [email protected]

Please note that this post reflects the opinions and experiences of the author and is not endorsed by Pacific University.

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AMIGOS take on Cambodia

One of the most active organizations at Pacific University College of Optometry is AMIGOS, our SVOSH chapter. Over the course of the year AMIGOS have the opportunity to participate in several mission trips providing eye care all over the world. PUCO is fortunate to boast one of the most active SVOSH chapters across all optometry schools, and currently offers seven trips for students to participate in throughout the year! AMIGOS members can choose to participate in one of the four spring break trips to Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Peru or a new local trip that will provide eye care to migrant workers in Eastern Oregon. PUCO students can also choose to go serve in Guatemala or Belize over the summer. Motivated students can choose to forgo most of their Winter Break and provide eye care in either Cambodia or Tanzania! The following post is going to describe what it was like to attend the winter break trip to Cambodia!

Cambodia

Team Cambodia consisted of 3 attending doctors, 1 optician and 6 optometry students (4 third year students and two second year students).

Due to unexpected snow—yes, SNOW—in the Portland area most of the team was delayed in arriving in Cambodia. In fact, the 4 fourth year students, attending doctor and optician ending up getting stuck in San Francisco and then again in Beijing (for over 28 hours!) before going on to Thailand and finally arriving in Cambodia.

The two-second year students and remaining doctors were able to complete a day of clinic in their absence in Phnom Penh. The team in Cambodia joined with Sabai Vision for the day of clinic and the team got to see some patients with keratoconus and traumatic injuries.

The next day the entire team was reunited and journeyed to Pursat, Province to provide eye care.

The WHOLE team headed off to Pursat Province

The first night of clinic in Pursat the team worked until it was dark out. The team was able to see almost all of the patients in need. It was a very humbling day as many of the patients waited for over 6 hours for the AMIGOS team to arrive. This timeframe was exacerbated due to the flight delays and the travel time it took to get to the region from Phnom Penh.

Dispensing glasses in Pursat

Translators helping out

The following day the team moved clinic sites to a local high school in Pursat. There the team was able to see some students and young children in need of care, some of whom had very high prescriptions making them essentially blind without glasses. Local high school students helped the AMIGOS with translation throughout the day of clinic. The team was also blessed by having volunteers from Building Bridges with Children nearby to help with translation and to volunteer with them.

Translators

Sunglasses

Getting organized

We also got to practice a lot of the skills we learn at school including acuity testing, direct ophthalmoscopy, retinoscopy and dispensing!

Retinoscopy

Acuity station

Dispensing station

At the end of the day Building Bridges for Children (BBC), a local non-profit organization emphasizing the importance of education in the area thanked the AMIGOS team for providing eye care to the community. BBC is essential in rebuilding Cambodia after the Khmer Rouge in the 1970’s wiped out a large portion of the population particularly the educated individuals of Cambodia. As a result of the Khmer Rouge regime there is a stigma against education in the nation and against objects associated with being a scholar, such as glasses. The team was very thankful to have been a part of the clinic days in Pursat and to be part of a movement to change this thought process. The AMIGOS team gave out over 250+ sunglasses to children and countless others to adults to protect their eyes from the strong sun in the region. Additionally, the team was able to see roughly 350 patients and provide glasses and eye drops to them to aid in conditions like dry eye and to prevent harm from the UV rays of the sun, which can cause pterygia, cataracts and pingueculae.

BBC and the Governor of Pursat

The fearless trip leaders!

The founder of BBC (on the left) and Governor of Pursat province (on the right) awarding the team plaques for their service and efforts in promoting eye care!

The last day involved setting up and training staff on an autorefractor, an instrument used to read the prescription in glasses, and a slit lamp, the main piece of equipment used to diagnose eye related health conditions and assess the health of the back of the eye. AMIGOS were proud not only to be able to train staff on these pieces of equipment, but to be able to donate the equipment to the cause. Overall, the people of Cambodia and their endearing personalities touched everyone.

Angkor Wat

Tuk Tuk ride

While the team worked hard during their time in Cambodia, they also had time to explore and see the country. Along the way they were able to take many “tuk tuks” what the locals call their taxi service. They were able to go to several markets in both Phnom Penh and Siem Reap, and visit many of the temples found in the country, including the famed Angkor Wat! And of course all the students made time to reflect on the ruthless past of Cambodia by visiting the genocide museum and/or the killing fields; reminders of a past that still scars many of the people there today. Cambodia touched all of the lives of everyone on the team and AMIGOS hopes that the work there will continue into the future!

Written by Ashley Wing, second-year student at Pacific University College of Optometry.  [email protected]

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College of Optometry | Eye Van from Pacific University on Vimeo.

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American Academy of Optometry

This past November I attended my first American Academy of Optometry meeting, along with a great group of Pacific University optometry students and staff. Each year, doctors of optometry and optometry students around the country travel to this enriching event. It is held at a different location each year, and this year we had to luxury of traveling to beautiful, sunny Anaheim, California.

The field of optometry is ever-changing, and the Academy of Optometry allows us to stay up-to-date on the highest quality of continuing education (CE) and most recent vision science research. This annual meeting includes nearly 300 hours of lectures & workshops, symposia, and scientific lecture and poster presentations. Even as a first year optometry student I found many of the CEs to be engaging and relatable to what I am learning about in my classes.

In between CE events, we spent time in the exhibit hall at the conference center. Many of the exhibitors had new technology on display and they were more than willing to educate myself and my classmates about the new advancements within our field. In addition, there were virtual tours given by contact lens companies to demonstrate the clarity of their new lens line.

The fun didn’t end at Academy either! Many of my classmates explored the beaches, Disneyland, and local restaurants while in California as well.

We visited the Anaheim Packing District on Friday afternoon for lunch. The Packing District is a large building featuring a combination of a restored Packard Building, former Car Showroom, Farmers Park and restored citrus Packing House. It features 20+ artisan eateries with live music every weekend. It is quite the eclectic and fun place to visit! On Saturday afternoon, we spent our day laying out at Laguna Beach and enjoying the sound of ocean waves crashing on the shore. The temperatures were in the mid 80’s the entire week, and it was a great change from the rainy Forest Grove weather we had been experiencing throughout November.

My first experience at the American Academy of Optometry was one I will never forget. I highly recommend this event to all optometry students alike for years to come. Next year the conference will be held in Chicago, IL and I hope to see many of you there!

By Abby Timmerman, Pacific University College of Optometry first-year Student Ambassador. [email protected]

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Forest Grove Lions Run & Walk for Sight

This past September the Forest Grove Lions hosted the 16th Annual Run & Walk for Sight! The races are staged on the beautiful Pacific University Campus, located in the heart of Forest Grove. The event is sanctioned by the Road Runners Club of America, and featured electronically chip timed 10K and 5K runs, as well as a 5K walk. Walkers, runners, children, strollers, and even dogs were all welcome and encouraged to participate in this fun community event!

Special thanks to the volunteers who helped manage the race courses and ensured a safe event!

The Forest Grove Lions Club is a part of the world’s largest service organization, dedicated to serving local communities. In addition to their local service work, they also collect donations and help raise funds to support one of Pacific’s most popular student clubs, AMIGOS Eye Care. AMIGOS is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing quality vision care at no cost to under-served people in the Portland area and throughout the world. 

The Lions Club generously donates 100% of the event proceeds to fund scholarships for optometry students, purchase needed clinic equipment, and support the Pacific University AMIGOS Eye Care program with international service work. Pacific is lucky to have dedicated and generous community partners, like the Forest Grove Lions, who go above and beyond to encourage students and community members to participate in this incredible event!

A few race participants from Class of 2019

When raising awareness for an important cause, a little friendly competition doesn’t hurt. The current students at Pacific University College of Optometry had a competition to see how many students from each class they could get to sign up for the event. This year the Class of 2019 won for the most participation!

Members of the Class of 2019 after the race!

The fun didn’t stop after the race was over! Following the event, annual festivities continued down Main Street, including the Sidewalk Chalk Art Festival, live music, shopping and wine tasting. It is a great opportunity to experience the Forest Grove community!  

By Allie Ruehlen, Pacific University College of Optometry second year Student Ambassador.  [email protected]

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Go Timbers!

Need a break from studying? Go cheer on the Timbers! The Portland Timbers are a Major League Soccer club that play their home games at Providence Park in downtown Portland, Oregon. In 2015, the franchise celebrated their fifth year as an MLS franchise and 40th anniversary of the Timbers’ legacy, which dates back to 1975 when they played in the North American Soccer League. 

Providence Park is one the of the most unique stadiums in MLS soccer and can pack up to 22,000 crazed fans. Home to the “Timbers Army” and one of the MLS’ most passionate fan bases. Providence Park has proven to be one of the most intimidating stadiums for visiting teams.

 You can watch and hear the constant singing, humming, and pounding of voices and drums of the Timbers Army during the entire game! The overall environment and energy is exhilarating! 

The atmosphere at Providence Park provides an incredible fan experience; whether you are looking for a fun, family outing or you are the Timbers’ biggest fan! You will find there are few more exciting things in sports than watching the mascot and authentic Lumberman, “Timber Joey” use his massive chainsaw to saw a slice off the log to celebrate a Timbers goal. Timber Joey then walks around the stadium, holding up the chunk of sawed off log and will present it the Timbers player who scored the goal. 

Come rain or shine, the Timbers will play and the fans will fill the seats! It is not uncommon for a game to sell out quickly, so plan ahead to get your tickets! We lucked out during the last game with great seats and only a small rain shower that ceased before the start of the game.

Don’t forget to bring your rain jacket or rock a Timbers poncho to show your spirit even more! It’s very stylish, don’t you think? 

GO TIMBERS! 

By Allie Ruehlen, Pacific University College of Optometery second year Student Ambassador.  [email protected]

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Master’s of Education/Vision Function in Learning

When I first visited Forest Grove in February 2013 for my interview, I immediately knew Pacific University was the perfect place to pursue my optometric education. The faculty and students were very welcoming, the academic and clinical programs were strong, and the campus was beautiful! Another aspect of the optometry program that caught my attention was the option to complete a master’s degree at the same time. 

In addition to being an optometry student, I am also part of the Master of Education/Vision Function in Learning (MEd/VFL) program. The College of Optometry partnered with the College of Education to provide a program to qualify each optometrist as an education vision consultant. This can supplement an optometrist’s knowledge of vision problems as they relate to children’s reading and learning processes. You are required to complete a minimum of 30 semester hours in addition to your optometry course load, but you have the flexibility to take these courses at your own pace!

One of my favorite classes that I have taken in the MEd/VFL program is RDNG 642: Reading Assessments and Techniques. It involved learning about reading and writing assessment techniques, and coming up with ways to help struggling readers and writers. Part of the reason I loved this class was that we were paired up with a young reader in the Early Learning Community at Pacific University. We met weekly to read books together. My reading buddy always put a smile on my face and it also helped to temporarily take my mind off of my school work. 

Coming from a family full of teachers, I was always asked growing up if I was planning on following in their footsteps. I truly love working with kids and coming up with different ways to explain concepts, but I knew that I was passionate about the eye and profession of optometry. When I first heard about the MEd/VFL program, I knew that it was the perfect fit for me to combine my interests of optometry, pediatrics, and education. 

If you are interested in learning more about the MEd/VFL program you can visit: 

http://www.pacificu.edu/future-graduate-professional/colleges/college-education/areas-study/visual-function-learning-med

By Carly Hyshka, Pacific University College of Optometry third year Student Ambassador

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The final push before the big test

Part one of the national boards exam is during the spring of your third year in optometry school. Studying for this exam consumes every bit of free time for the better part of four months. It’s difficult to remain focused and productive for such a long period of time with such an enormous scope of material. The way I have always handled the weight of optometry school is to balance hard work with the spoils of Oregon. So in an effort to maintain sane in the days leading up to the test, along with one of my closest friends, we took a trip to the coast.

Studying was a priority, but the location helps to balance the anxiety and maintain hope during stressful times. The drive is about an hour to the closest coastal town of Ocean Side. The view was breathtaking, full of ocean waves, and haystack rocks. 

We headed to Cape Lookout for our yurt. They are inexpensive permanent tent structures that can be found all along the coast. They are roomy, dry, and perfect for a quick getaway. 

The day we arrived it was a calm clear evening perfect for fire in the evening. With the test only days away, we quizzed each other and continued to study until we were exhausted. However the atmosphere made it feel so far removed from “work” that is was rather pleasant. 

At around midnight, the moon was hidden behind the hills that line the coast; the ocean had crept up the beach and pounded the wall of stones that separated sand from forest. It was quite a sight. In the morning, we drove back refreshed and ready for the week ahead as we made our final push before the biggest exam of our careers. It was a much needed breather that really helped frame a calm and focused state of mind for the test. I will always remember my time here as a breathtaking, life giving, and exhilarating adventure. 

By Daniel Cleveland, fourth year Pacific University College of Optometry Student Ambassador. 

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Time flies when you are having fun!

It’s crazy to think that there is only 1 month left of my first year of optometry school at Pacific University College of Optometry. Looking back on the year, I am proud to say I’ve learned so much in what seems like such a short time. As the saying goes, time flies when you’re having fun! 

I have really enjoyed my classes so far in optometry school and some of my favorites are the ones where my classmates and I work together to learn the fundamentals of an eye exam. For all of you hands on learners, Clinical Procedures and Ocular Disease are perfect for you. In these classes, we have learned some of the essential skills of any professional optometrist. As with any skill, a lot of practice is necessary and may be frustrating at times, however having the ability to lean on the support of my classmates is the key to our success! 

A really fun skill we’ve learned is Retinoscopy. To perform this skill, you take a retinoscope  and shine the light into the patient’s eye, looking for a reflex response. Retinoscopy gives us an objective estimate of the patient’s prescription. With this method, the patient does not tell you which lens they like better, it is completely up to the doctor to find the correct lenses that the patient can see through. It is really fun because you get a chance to work with the phoropter, and you can feel very accomplished after you nail your classmate’s prescription. I really enjoyed such a practical application; it helps me remember why I am working so hard in my studies. 

"Retting” Kevin’s Prescription

Currently, we are learning direct ophthalmoscopy. With the ophthalmoscope, we are able to see in the back of the eye and assess its health. If you have ever seen a picture of the back of the eye, what you see in the photo is similar to what you would see with the ophthalmoscope. It can be a bit tricky, but it’s always exciting to see into the eye. If you have ever heard your optometrist say, the eye is the window of someone’s health, it’s true. Just from looking into someone’s eyes, you can see if they are at the risk of developing glaucoma, or have high blood pressure, and you can learn so much about their overall health, which in my opinion, is pretty amazing. 

Getting close with the ophthalmoscope to see the back of my classmate’s eye

Can you see the heart formed by the blood vessels of the optic disc in one of my classmate’s eyes? 

First year is not all about the books, you really do get to practice what you learn!  

By Goretti Chan, first year Pacific University College of Optometry Student Ambassador. 

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Serving the local community one eye exam at a time

One of the responsibilities of becoming an optometrist is having the ability to provide vision screenings, conduct examinations, and perhaps the most important is to educate the community regarding eye care. Starting during the first semester of optometry school, PUCO students are requested to participate in vision screenings in the Portland, OR community. The vision screenings are conducted in elementary schools, Head Start Preschools, migrant camps, and health fairs in collaboration with other healthcare organizations. For remote screening locations, PUCO is fortunate to have an Eye Van which travels with students and faculty to ensure vision care is provided even in the most unlikely of settings. The goal of our vision screenings is to provide access to vision care in populations who may be unaware of the services optometrists render or who may be otherwise underserved. PUCO students and faculty are able to provide access to glasses, make referrals when necessary, and to improve the overall health of our community members through vision screenings. 

Awesome first year students ready to assist in providing care at an outdoor screening

As vision screenings are the student’s first exposure to real patients, instead of our classmates, screenings are an essential piece of the curriculum at PUCO. Students are able to interact with patients from a multitude of backgrounds, nationalities, and cultures. Screenings take place everywhere: outdoors, in schools, at the Oregon Convention Center and even at Nike Headquarters! Thus, students have the opportunity to interact with patients in several different environments.

PUCO students ready to participate in a Special Olympics Screening Event at Nike

Students from various years at PUCO (first years, second years, third years, and occasionally fourth years) collaborate with each other, as well as faculty members, to provide care to screening participants. First year students practice entrance skills and are primarily responsible for taking visual acuities, checking eye pressure, verifying glasses, checking depth perception, and pupils. Second and third years have the ability to practice their refraction, slit lamp, and retinoscopy skills. Students are monitored by and receive advice from the attending doctors. Overall, screenings are a very collaborative environment where the faculty and more experienced students assist beginning students to improve our skills. 

Preparing for a screening at Tigard Compassion with coffee and entrance skills kits in hand

Through vision screenings, students are provided with an opportunity to interact with patients in a clinical setting early on. The experience is both rewarding and humbling as students become accustom to the nature of a clinical setting and beginning our careers as primary eye care providers through direct patient care. It is an amazing experience to see how proficient PUCO students are at providing care to the community and a great reminder to many of us why we have endeavored to become an optometrist in the first place. 

By Ashley Wing, first year Pacific University College of Optometry Student Ambassador

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Mr. Optometry 2016

The 3rd Annual Mr. Optometry male pageant was held on January 22, 2016 at Pacific University. Contestants from the first, second, and third year classes in the College of Optometry gave it their all while competing to win the title of Mr. Optometry. After rounds of dancing, interviewing, lip sync battles, and Jeopardy, the new Mr. Optometry was crowned. 

The contestants giving a fierce pose after their opening dance moves.

The second year class council (Class of 2018) planned the event and next year the Class of 2019 will be planning the event. As the Class President for the Class of 2018, I mediated meetings regarding the planning and the implementation of the show. Mr. Optometry was a huge hit! You know the saying, “There’s no I in TEAM”? Well, it’s completely true. The second year class council completely came together to contribute their time and energy so that all aspects of the event would be successful. Not only was the second year class council awesome, but we do owe a lot of credit to both the first and third year classes. The first year class had enthusiastic contestants who showed that their hips really don’t lie (yes, that’s right... the contestants danced to Shakira’s “Hips Don’t Lie”.) The third year class was the original class that created Mr. Optometry Pageant in 2014 and prepared us with the planning details. (Fourth year students are off on rotation, in case you were wondering where they are.)

Our amazing crew, contestants, and judges! 

In the end, it was a great feeling to have the support of both our class council, and the support of the whole PUCO family, even some of the faculty sat as judges for the pageant. My stomach is still sore from laughing so hard during the show. I can’t wait for the incoming students to experience Mr. Optometry in the future! For any incoming students who enjoy planning events and showing off their leadership skills, Class Council is the place for you! 

Past Mr. Optometry 2015 Scott handing off the reigns to Joel.  

By Diana Yin, second year Pacific University College of Optometry Student Ambassador

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Second semester starts at the slopes

Martin Luther King Jr. Day has come and gone and with it sadly, so has one of the most exciting and highly anticipated yearly events of optometry school here at Pacific: Skip Trip. Every year over MLK weekend, students make the three and a half hour journey down to Bend, Oregon where we can all spend a relaxing and fun weekend enjoying the mountains, some fresh air, and each other’s company. 

Some of the Colorado natives in Class of 2017 enjoying a great day at Mount Bachelor

Spending some time in the mountains is one of the best aspects of Ski Trip, and most students choose to take advantage of the opportunity by hitting Mount Bachelor for some skiing, snowboarding or tubing. As someone from Colorado, I often miss the snow and being able to ski, so when I got to Pacific University it was a relief to learn that mountains and snow were not very far away at all!  In fact, several of my classmates bought season lift tickets over the years so they would be able to frequently spend their weekends at the slopes. Even if you are not from a snowy place or have maybe never been skiing or snowboarding before, Ski Trip is a great chance to get out and try something new! 

Daniel and Natasha of the class of 2017 brave a very snowy day to hit the slopes 

Even if skiing or snowboarding is not exactly your thing, fear not! There are a TON of fun things to do in the Bend, OR area. If you still want to get outside, many students rent snowshoes and soak in some of the amazing views that way. Others choose to go snow tubing near the vacation houses where students usually stay. 

Some PUCO students enjoying the fresh powder and great views while snowshoeing

Bend itself is a wonderful charming mountain town that has many awesome options if you are looking for things to do an prefer to stay inside. There is no shortage of great shopping, restaurants, breweries, distilleries, and wineries for students to take advantage of. Many of the breweries also make it into a challenge to visit as many as you can, allowing you to earn higher-level prizes with the more breweries you visit. Nonetheless, many of the students also enjoy time soaking in the hot tub. After a great day of skiing or enjoying the town,  all three classes get together at one of the houses and the house hosts a different theme each night. This year, the first night was “Noah’s Ark” themed and the second night was “Celebrities”.

Ladies in the class of 2017 showing off their animal sides for a “Noah’s Ark” themed evening 

Mayhem and Flo (Taylor and Ali in the class of 2017) ready to spend the night among other celebrities at the “red carpet” event.

Now a few weeks later with thoughts of the National Boards Exam quickly approaching, I can’t help to think back and wish I were still at Ski Trip enjoying all the great things it has to offer. The chance to get outside, and enjoy the beautiful mountain scenery while spending time with my classmates and members of the other classes made it the perfect way to kick off the spring semester. I feel very grateful for the opportunity I had to attend this event for the last three years, and for all of the great experiences and memories I have made from our adventures in Bend. I wouldn’t have missed it for the world, and if you get the chance, make sure you don’t either!  

By Kelsey Elrod, third year Pacific University College of Optometry Student Ambassador. 

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Two days in the life as a second year PUCO Optometry Student

Second year. It’s the transformation year at Pacific University College of Optometry that will take you from being a first year to a clinic-ready third year. From the first day of class, it is obvious that my classmates and I have leveled up: exams and proficiencies are more regular than my sleeping schedule. Also, I continue to spend a lot of quality time with my classmates in the procedures lab. 

However, I feel that being busy is never a bad thing as long as you are being productive. As much work as this semester is, I am enjoying the depth that we are diving into topics, from ocular disease, and systemic disease to distance refraction, and being trained to think like future doctors through patient encounters and clinic assisting. Every week is very different and that is what keeps me engaged and motivated. 

Curious what that looks like? Here is the highlight reel from my last 48 hours at school.

Ocular Disease Lab: Foreign Body Removal

Looking at our model patient’s eye with fluorescein through the slit lamp

For ocular disease lab, we were able to practice removing foreign bodies from practice (cow) eyes using different types of tools and techniques. This is always a fun lab because a) no optometry students are harmed while we perfect our techinue, b) it is our golden opportunity to get it right before we do this on a patient one day and c) it’s a great photo op!  

Breaking all the rules: perforating a cornea

Removing foreign bodies should be in an optometrist’s skill set, but perforating a cornea is certainly not. One of the perks of working on a dummy cornea was getting to do just that -- purely for learning, of course. We had the chance to learn how to detect a perforated cornea using fluorescein dye and cobalt blue light, known as a Seidel test. 

Intramural Volleyball

This is not academic at all and that is why it’s awesome. A group of second years take a breather one night a week to play intramural volleyball. Managing stress by taking a regular, scheduled break to do something relaxing, whether that’s sports, cooking or Netflix is the key for your sanity and success. Trust us - we had an exam in the morning! 

Fabry Disease Presentation and Free Lunch

Second years + fascinating talk + free lunch = happiness

The next day, our class had the privilege of hearing a presentation by a mother and son duo, both of whom have Fabry disease. Fabry disease is a genetic, lysosomal storage disorder that can affect various parts of the body including the eyes. It was an insightful and interactive conversation in which they detailed the path to their diagnosis and the challenges they now face living with and managing the disease. We were given the opportunity to perform slit lamp examinations on their eyes afterwards. Being able to see pathology that you have only seen in pictures, in a real patient’s eyes, are “eureka” moments you live for as an optometry student. Not only was it a memorable experience, we were lucky enough to be treated to a pizza lunch also! 

Dispensing Lab: All About That Tint

Dispensing is a course dedicated to teaching us all about the optical side of optometry. We learn how to adjust frames, fit frames on patients, differentiate between lens materials and take measurements. This class helps us learn how to make informed recommendations and solutions for our future patients. 

Meet Rose, one of our resident model patients

This week in lab, we learned about different types of polarized filters, photochromatic lenses and tints. Picking a tint color for our various examples of patient histories made so much more sense when we were just enlightened on color vision in our Perception class. This is a prime example of how the content in one class can mutually complement and reinforce all the information we are learning in another. 

Second years sorting out tinted lenses during Dispensing Lab

In a nutshell, second year challenges you to work more efficiently and learn more than you ever thought possible while having fun along the way! I’ll leave you with a stellar picture of the second years decked out in black and white to mimic a contrast grating.  #optoproblems

Class of 2018 on our contrast grating day

By Rebecca Chung, second year Student Ambassador at Pacific University College of Optometry 

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Sports and Vision... Unite!

As my first semester of Optometry School came to a close, there were many memories, classes, adventures and friends to look back on. One fond memory in particular was the Sports Vision Lab for our Behavioral Optometry class. Pacific is unique because it has a very well established Sports Vision Program. The Pacific Sports Vision team has tested and helped to improve vision and vision skills with Olympic athletes, Trailblazer’s Basketball players, college athletes, and even young kids just beginning sports. As students, we get our first introduction to the program in our first semester in the Sports Vision Lab! 

In the lab, we get the opportunity to go into the Pacific Eye Clinic in Forest Grove to use the sports vision testing room. This lab is so much fun since we get to bring our our inner competitiveness, love for sports and love for eyes, all in one lab! What could be better?! 

We preformed the tests ourselves and tested our classmates. Some of the tests include: hand-eye coordination, hand and foot reaction speeds, eye-body coordination, contrast sensitivity and the effects vision have on balance. 

My classmate, Ashley, performing the eye-hand coordination test. She pushes the buttons that light up on the board in varying speeds as fast as she can! 

Personally, I loved the eye-body coordination test because it reminded me of snowboarding. You get to stand on an electronic board and move the board forward, backward and side to side with your lower body depending on where the target is on the screen. (shown below) The goal is to see how many correct movements you can get in one minute. 

My classmate, Tracy, performing the eye-body coordination test on the electronic balance board.

The best part about this lab is that it is taught by one of my favorite professors, Dr. Coffey, who only teaches this class and lab in the first semester of school. We were told by upperclassmen to enjoy our time with Dr. Coffey because it goes by quickly, and now I would definitely pass along that advice as well! Dr. Coffey not only knows an incredible amount about the worlds of sports vision, vision therapy, private practice, etc., but also has a lot of great advice about Portland and the surrounding area. We ended the semester with the sports vision lab and took this awesome class photo on the last day for this class. This semester with Dr. Coffey was definitely worth it!  

Pacific University College of Optometry Class of 2019 with Dr. Coffey.

By Dayna Hazlewood, first year Student Ambassador at Pacific University College of Optometry 

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It’s That Time of Year Again!

The air is cool and crisp, fireplaces are lit, bellies are full of turkey and pumpkin pie, and the houses are full of laughter. While some students make their way home for a few days to spend some time with family and friends, a lot of optometry students stay in Forest Grove and spend Thanksgiving with our PUCO family. 

Just a few of those at “Friendsgiving”

Every year a few of the students open up their home to all the students and everyone brings their favorite Thanksgiving dish (pot luck style). This is a tradition that we call “Friendsgiving”. With an average of twenty states and four provinces represented, there is a broad range of cultural dishes. My first year I tried chili poutine, a Canadian dish, for the first time and I introduced many of my friends to Texas “caviar”. This year I tried the Hawaiian twist on popcorn, “Hurricane Popcorn”. Of course there were tons and tons of all the favorite casseroles including green bean, corn, mac and cheese, potatoes, and yams. Needless to say, there is plenty of food for everyone. 

One of three tables of food

Watching one of our friend’s adorable baby girl

Even though all the delicious food is a huge plus, my favorite part is hanging out with friends and meeting new ones. This year the event was held at a student’s house that has a large backyard with a fire pit. After all of our bellies were full, we gathered around the campfire and enjoyed the evening. I am thankful for the friends I have made while at Pacific. I have made friendships that will last a lifetime and it’s times like “Friendsgiving” that make us the family that we are.

my optometry family

By Kayla Averitt, third year Student Ambassador at Pacific University College of Optometry. 

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A Forest Paul Bunyan Wouldn’t Cut Down

Coming from Edmonton, Alberta up in the deep northern tundra of Canadialand, moving to Forest Grove was going to be a challenge and most likely a cultural shock. First of all, Edmonton is about the size of Portland in terms of population. To put this into perspective, my undergraduate university (The University of Alberta) had a larger population than the whole city of Forest Grove. Secondly, anyone who has lived in or visited Canada between the months of October to May can attest to the wonderfully warm winters. (If you have never been to Canada, that was a joke.) Overall, I was excited to have warmer winter weathers, but I was, to be honest, worried about living in a small town. 

I just completed my first semester at Pacific University College of Optometry and I can honestly say that there is A LOT TO DO AROUND HERE! Personally, I love sports, outdoor activities, and gastronomy, however I will also touch on other activities that my classmates and I have enjoyed doing so far. So let’s start with the activities to do in Forest Grove and work our way towards the borders of Oregon. 

In Forest Grove, there are definitely “hot spots”, which is where you need to go! A few of my favorites are Taco Tuesdays at El Torrero ($1.00 tacos), the Wednesday Farmer’s Market on Main Street and weekend movie nights with some friends at McMenamins Grand Lodge.   

Taco Tuesday at El Torrero with some classmates after a tough week of exams

Also, at PUCO there are opportunities to become involved with intramural sports teams. This year, I joined the volleyball and soccer teams representing the first year class. Overall, I have enjoyed the chance to get some exercise but it also has a good competitive nature for those who played competitively back home. Also, this year the third year class in the Optometry program organized a Kickball tournament which included some friendly competition and overall a very fun Saturday. Each class had two teams attending the event, which boiled up some competitive chirps and some good laughs. I’d also like to report that no one got hurt. 

One of the first year teams competing in the Kickball tournament

In just a few months, I have already made some new life-long friends, good memories and I have learned a lot! I mean a lot! Although, through all of the work and studies we’ve managed to find time to go to Cannon Beach, Portland’s multiple brewery houses for good eats, played in “The Opto Cup” (PUCO’s golf tournament in the fall). I have also hiked along the Silver Falls State Park, and went camping near Salem. All in all, there’s a good balance of things to do around here. 

Living in Forest Grove has made us explore and be innovative in finding things to do. It kind of brings us back to the “good ol’ days” of going to the park and inventing games and not relying on the big city fun to spend our time. At the end of the day, whether it’d be passing the football around at the park, throwing the Frisbee around during a break at school or having a BBQ with some friends, there is something for everyone at Pacific in Forest Grove. If you can’t find anything to do within the town, there is always something nearby to be discovered. This is definitely one forest that Paul Bunyan would not cut down.

By Joel Baillargeon, First Year Student Ambassador at Pacific University College of Optometry

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Academy 2015 in New Orleans

Every fall, students at Pacific University College of Optometry have a couple days off for the American Academy of Optometry’s meeting. A lot of students take this time to take a break from classes and do something fun, however Pacific encourages us to go to the annual meeting. Many of our professor’s attend and speak at the meeting as well. 

The American Academy of Optometry is the research arm of the optometric community, and emphasizes lifelong learning throughout our entire profession. They host an annual meeting where there are hundreds of hours of continuing education (CE) offered, many symposia, and plenty of opportunities for fun! It’s an excuse for faculty, students, and optometric professionals to congregate and learn together, and to further the optometric community. This year, Academy was in New Orleans, and a group of my friends and I headed to the Big Easy! 

We left Forest Grove on Tuesday afternoon, ready for a week of learning, food and fun in New Orleans! After several hours of plane rides and an unreasonably quick layover in Denver, we finally arrived in New Orleans, checked into our hotel and we were ready for a busy day of CE lectures the next day. On Wednesday, we attended several lectures on binocular vision and ocular disease, with emphasis on optometric management in kids. We also attended the plenary session on ocular melanomas and diagnosing them in the office. 

Ready for Continuing Education at the meeting!

With a quick five hours of CE under our belts for the day, we were ready for a big, New Orleans-style dinner. We found a nearby restaurant that offered exactly what we were looking for, and we settled in for an amazing dinner. Our “Bounty of the Sea” fit the bill, and left us very satisfied after a long day. After dinner, we ventured to the French Quarter and perused Frenchman and Bourbon streets, a tourist must. We found a couple great bars with live music, and helped celebrate our friend’s birthday in style. 

Our “Bounty of the Sea”

A group of us taking the time to explore New Orleans

Each day followed a similar pattern of waking up, spending the day indulging in several CE lectures, then exploring the town each night to find our new favorite restaurant for dinner. Before we knew it, it was already Saturday and the conference was over. We booked our flights to leave on Sunday, so we were happy to have the free days to explore the city. On Saturday, we went to a local art market, had lunch at yet another fabulous restaurant, did some souvenir shopping, watched street performers, and went to the world famous Cafe du Monde for beignets and coffee. That night we went to Pat O’Brien’s and watched dueling pianos perform some of our favorite songs. Saturday was a great day to say the least. 

My friend Yuno enjoying her beignets at Cafe du Monde

Our view watching the street performers

Our final day in New Orleans took us to the World War II Museum. We spent close to five hours at the museum, and I still wish we could have stayed longer. This world famous museum takes you on a personal journey through the war, and provides a great detail about the most important battles and the story behind them. It was a truly profound experience, and I am so thankful I had the opportunity to go. 

When it came time for us to board our plane back to Oregon, we sat down with full minds, content stomachs, and happy hearts. Academy break left us refreshed and ready to go back to school with a renewed sense of passion for the wonderful profession that we are entering. I am already looking forward to Academy 2016 in Anaheim, CA! 

By Kendra Weiler, Second Year Student Ambassador at Pacific University College of Optometry.