“I don’t know what it is, but you have it.” – Oprah Winfrey
Class of 2021, it’s NBEO Part I exam time! It’s hard for me to realize that you fresh-faced students, who I remember in my class from right out of your undergraduate education, are already taking that first step toward optometric practice. It’s as if my three-month-old grandson is suddenly headed to kindergarten. The time has flown by.
I know that next month’s examination looms large on your personal horizons. It’s a significant hurdle but also an important step forward for you. It takes you one step closer to the title of Doctor of Optometry. After that, the downhill tumble to the fourth year board exams and graduation with your OD degree will seem to happen even faster.
Unlike Oprah, I actually know what it is that you have. You have the academic history to have ended up at The Ohio State University College of Optometry. You have worked hard across five semesters of your optometric education. You acquire new clinical skills and capability every day. You have it when you study, when you get enough sleep, when you exercise, when you eat right, and when you encourage yourself and your classmates. You have it with each concept you refresh in your mind and each time you turn a physical or digital page of notes to learn the next topic.
You’re on the home stretch now. Take care of yourselves, and keep up your rational, intelligent preparation based on all you’ve learned. #buckeyesrulepartI