Month: March 2016

Optometry Visit Day

It’s almost time! Twice a year the Ohio State College of Optometry sets up an Admissions Visit Day for prospective students and anyone interested in visiting the college. Faculty, staff, and current students will be on hand to give tours of the building, explain financial aid information and share personal experiences. This year the Spring Visit Day will be held on April 2, starting at 12:30pm. Some current students have shared their Visit Day experiences either from the perspective of attending Visit Day or of helping to make the Visit Day successful. It’s an exciting day to learn about your potential future profession! Come out and visit us! For more information about the event and to RSVP, please visit http://optometry.osu.edu/visitday/

 

“As a freshman in undergrad, I attended Visit Day to be able to hear first-hand from students and my possible future professors about the benefits of attending the College of Optometry at OSU. Through the Visit Day, I met a fourth year student ambassador who was really helpful in getting me in touch with a first year student who would be more relatable to me at that point in my undergrad career. He answered all of the questions I had about being a first year and even helped to coordinate with one of the professors so that I could sit in on a first year class. The whole experience confirmed how dedicated everyone at the college is to making sure prospective students receive all the information and guidance they need in learning about optometry at OSU.”

-Jessica Bodamer

“I actually found my roommate from Visit Day last year! She was in the process of applying and when she got accepted she messaged me on Facebook and we ended up being roommates!”

-Emily Rausch

“My favorite part of visit day now is seeing the process go full circle. As an undergraduate I used to come to every event possible and would cling to the words of faculty, staff, and students. They all seemed so passionate and knowledgeable about their profession. A few short years later and now I am on the other side of the coin helping prospective students pursue their dreams, it is truly a wonderful feeling.”

-Amber Mathias

“My first Visit Day was in undergrad. I was nervous to come and be around all of these optometry students and doctors that I desperately wanted to be. I was shocked when I arrived and everyone was so excited for me to be there and to share about the school. They were so welcoming and so excited for me and my future in optometry. It was the first time I realized and experienced that optometry truly is a family. I also have had really great experiences at the student organization fair, held typically at the Autumn Visit Day event. All of the students are so passionate about what they do for their clubs and it was a great way to learn about all of the different ways you are able to practice optometry.”

-Kait Laux

“In early high school I knew I wanted to do something medical but I wasn’t sure which direction I wanted to go. The options can be overwhelming so when I found OSU’s optometry visit day online I knew I had to check it out. Having 20/20 vision my entire life, I had not been to the eye doctor in recent memory, and truly did not know much about what the profession had to offer. Nonetheless, my mom and I drove over to the college and it’s safe to say that was the beginning of it all. As only a 15 year old I knew I had found my future profession that day. The visit day helped me to see not only what OSU’s program was about, but also all the opportunities optometry has to offer. I was blown away by the family here at OSU optometry. Nearly 10 years later as a 2nd year optometry student I am so thankful I took the chance on optometry.”

-Ashley Bulinski

“I love helping with visit days because they combine two of my favorite things: optometry and Ohio State. We have a really strong program with a lot of great opportunities, and it’s so fun to share that with people. I love talking to other people who are nerdy about eyes just like I am!”

-Heather Van Law

Ambassador of the Month: Tyler Hamby

class composite-2019.pdf - Adobe Acrobat Pro

Our Ambassador of the Month is Tyler Hamby! Tyler is a member of the Class of 2019 and we hope you enjoy reading about his experience so far!

Hometown, Undergrad Institution, Undergrad degree

Birmingham, AL          University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), Biology

What led you to the field of optometry?

I was drawn to optometry for several reasons. My grandfather was an optometrist who practiced for over 50 years and as a young kid, I was around his office a lot. I always thought what he did seemed neat, but never really gave much thought to being an Optometrist until I entered college. I played baseball at UAB and during my freshman year realized that I was having trouble seeing the ball during practice and games. I went to the optometrist, was prescribed contacts, and my performance improved. It was then that I decided that optometry was what I wanted to do.

What made you choose Ohio State over any other schools you looked at?

I chose Ohio State because of the wonderful academic reputation that it carries. Having such a long history of optometric educational excellence definitely drew me to the school. In addition, after visiting Columbus for the first time, I fell in love with the city and felt like it would be a great place to live while I was in optometry school.

What is something you’ve learned so far this year that really surprised you or you didn’t realize about optometry?

As someone who has never had any major problems with my eyes, I did not realize just how much an optometrist does to treat a patient’s overall health. It has truly amazed me to see how much of an individual’s overall physical condition can be seen through an eye exam.

You are part of the Navy Health Professions Scholarship Program. What does that provide you and what obligations do you have after school?

The Navy provides financial support for me during school and upon graduation, I will serve a minimum of 4 years as an optometrist in the US Navy treating sailors, pilots, and their families. I have always wanted to serve my country and those who put their lives on the line to protect our freedoms. My older brother is in the Navy, so I have gotten to see first-hand how much sacrifice goes into serving. When I found out that I could combine my two passions of serving my country and optometry, I was immediately attracted to the opportunity.

If an applying student is interested in an Armed Forces Scholarship Program, where should they go to get more information about the programs?

There are opportunities to serve as an optometrist in the Navy, Army, and Air Force. Doing research online is a great way to get preliminary information about the program. After you decide that you want to apply, contacting a medical recruiter will put you on the correct path.      

What piece of advice would you give a prospective student looking to go to optometry school?

I would tell prospective students looking at optometry to spend a lot of time researching different schools, different cities, and different career opportunities within optometry. All of these factors might affect where you apply and ultimately attend optometry school.

We just ran a post earlier this month about moving to Columbus. As an out of state student, how did you find housing here? Do you like living close to campus? What suggestions would you give to someone out of state looking for housing in Columbus?

Moving to Columbus from out of state was definitely a big move for me. I found a place to live by simply looking up apartments online and visiting them on my interview day at Ohio State. I enjoy living close to campus. Being able to walk to and from school every day is very convenient.

When you’re not studying, what do you like to do to unwind and relax? Do you have any favorite Columbus hot spots?

When I am not studying, I like to run.  I have found Columbus to be a great city if you are interested in outdoor activities. I have not been able to completely explore all Columbus has to offer yet, but I really like the arena district with its good food and hockey.

If not for Ohio State…

I would be attending an Optometry school in another city, more than likely in the South.  It has been quite a transition for someone who has lived in the south their entire life to move to Ohio, but I am so thankful that I have.  I am enjoying my experience at Ohio State and have grown to love the city of Columbus.