Friday, December 18, 2020

Using Art to Make Optometry School Memorable

A year ago, on November 8th, 2019, I beamed into the camera as I stood in front of the doors to Salus University. I had just finished my first interview with the optometry program and it only took a few hours for me to realize that PCO was the one. The warm, welcoming environment of the admissions staff, the amazing Dean of PCO, and the fall colors made this Florida girl fall in love with the University and Pennsylvania. After careful consideration of my other options, PCO ultimately won my heart over as my next “home away from home.” I couldn’t wait for my next “eye-venture” to start.

Unfortunately, things did not happen as I had envisioned due to the pandemic.

The transition to professional school was rocky, at best, as opportunities to connect with my new peers were limited due to social distancing guidelines. I was worried that it would be a repeat of my first year of undergrad, where it took me an entire semester before I finally made my first close friend. Anxious about how my student experience would play out, I decided to make the most of any opportunity to make it memorable.

When my class found out our White Coat Ceremony would be held virtually (and only lasted ten minutes), I did not let my disappointment get the best of me. I turned to my art and I let my passion flow. Such an important milestone should be captured in my memory and if not a photograph, then why not a drawing? And so, I created a self- portrait with my virtual white coat to share that day. I shared it with my class and thus began my “Virtual White Coat Ceremony” series.


That wasn’t the only time art made an aspect of optometry school memorable. Classes were intense and the content difficult. It required creative solutions. I began using my art to test my understanding of the material. From little comics explaining various entrance exams to detailed illustrations showing the pathway of cranial nerves throughout the skull, art helped me feel more prepared for each exam. I happily shared such study resources with my peers, knowing I wasn’t the only one struggling with certain topics. Besides helping us in our personal studies, I hoped it would be a fun resource to teach others about optometry. I hope that there will be those who become inspired to become an eye doctor and that the community will appreciate the collaboration between the arts and the sciences.

Art created a platform for me to connect with others and share my own passions. Through the “Virtual White Coat Ceremony” series, I was given more opportunities to connect with classmates that I probably would not have met, since our class is divided into four sections. The study resources I share with my peers allowed us to engage with one another, to test each other’s knowledge, and just appreciate the sense of camaraderie we are able to form despite the circumstances. I personally feel like my art gave me a presence within my class, and I don’t feel like the wallflower I had been in undergrad. Art made the first semester of optometry school memorable and I cannot wait to see the next development of my student experience.




- Ariella is a first-year optometry student at Salus University




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Friday, October 2, 2020

Adapting to the "Unknown"

2020 most certainly was not the year any optometrist or optometry student expected. When the global pandemic first rampaged the country, we were in the height of our midterms and had an exam planned for the day school was to close. Since then, a lot of the pandemic was just “unknown.”

When the stay-at-home orders started, and all school and public buildings were closed, I had to make the adjustment to become an at-home student. As someone who loves to study at the library, in order to keep focusing on school and relaxing at home separate, this was a very difficult transition. However, it was a necessary one in order to do well during my spring and summer semesters. This adjustment, along with watching the news on the pandemic across the globe, studying for midterms, not knowing when we would return, or what the course of my curriculum would be like, caused my focus and motivation to decrease and my anxiety to increase.

As I was getting accustomed to studying from home, the professors were also going through their adjustment of moving everything online, and we as students just had to stay patient. In order to help ease the transition to virtual learning, several professors pre-recorded lectures in addition to holding collaborative sessions and online office hours, making sure that they were available to answer questions and help us through difficult material. One of my favorite aspects of the virtual environment was being able to attend an open forum with Dean Trego and faculty every week, where we discussed current events, their impact on our current learning environment, and how to move forward with our curriculum. I greatly appreciated having the chance for my voice to be heard and having such close communication with our administration during an unprecedented time.

Another aspect of virtual learning that required a major adjustment was taking exams online. Taking exams from home created an entirely new level of test anxiety, as being told things like you cannot put your hands on your face or if you look away from the camera you may be flagged was fairly daunting. When I first began taking the exams virtually, I would feel so incredibly nervous beforehand and then feel shaken down after every exam at the prospect that I would be flagged for something and be penalized. Additionally, as I was quarantining at home with my parents and grandparents, I had to adjust to there being other activities happening and background noise around me. Sometimes, they would forget I had an exam, which made me nervous that the Respondus Lockdown Browsers would pick up their conversations and flag me for that as well. This meant that exam time had to become quiet time for the entire household, which made me feel as though I was taking away from my family members’ freedom. However, as time went on and I took more exams, I became increasingly comfortable in the environment and my family worked with my schedule to help me in the best way they could to excel in my exams. 
What got me through these semesters was my support system. It was the professors who were willing to take a chance with virtual learning to help us understand the material. It was the Center for Professional and Personal Development who was able to schedule a virtual session with me and help me process the changes I was experiencing. It was being able to Zoom call and stay in touch with my friends and study groups. It was the virtual study sessions where my friends and I were able to work through PowerPoints and even create our own Kahoots to practice and study the material. It was my family who adjusted their schedules to accommodate my exams. It was everyone who helped me learn that while adjusting to new environments takes time, I can still be successful anywhere. 

Throughout this global pandemic, I had to do a lot of self-evaluating, make a lot of minor and major adjustments to my lifestyle, and take things one step at a time. However, through all of that, I grew as a student and as a person. I became stronger in the way I handled global news and the idea of the “unknown.” I learned that things will not always go as planned but you learn to adapt and make adjustments as you go. And, most importantly, I learned that you are not in this alone, and, at any point if you need help, you have a support system, even if it may be virtual. I am very grateful for the opportunities Salus University and PCO continue to give us students as we continue to learn and prosper in our careers.





- Ashka is an optometry student at Salus University




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Friday, September 18, 2020

Clinical Rotations During COVID

My name is Mauli Chothani and I am currently a second-year Occupational Therapy student. During our last semester, we have two clinical rotations, each 12 weeks long. My first clinical rotation was scheduled to be January 6 through March 27. We are given a one-week break, and my second clinical rotation was scheduled to be April 6 through July 26. 

When COVID-19 began in March, I had two more weeks left of my first clinical rotation in an outpatient pediatric setting. The facility had to quickly shut down and move to teletherapy. It was challenging treating kids virtually because there was a lot more parent involvement required, and kids usually don’t have the same equipment at home that is used in clinic.

My second clinical rotation is in an outpatient orthopedic setting, focusing on upper extremity injuries. Since COVID was at its peak around the time I was supposed to begin in April, the student clinical affiliation program was temporarily furloughed. Therefore, my graduation was also delayed. Fortunately, I was able to begin on July 13, I will be finishing up on October 2 and graduating that same month.

Although COVID-19 delayed my rotation schedule and delayed my graduation, I used the time off to my advantage. I picked up on new hobbies, caught up with family/friends via Zoom, and virtually taught children English. Having the break was much needed!





- Mauli is a second-year occupational therapy student at Salus University


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Monday, August 17, 2020

Insights on the COVID-19 Pandemic

2020 has definitely been a year we can never forget. The COVID-19 pandemic has brought upon challenges we had never prepared for, becoming a time for us to function with strength, unity and caution. For me, this has been a difficult yet incredible learning opportunity! 

I graduated from my Bachelor of Science at the University of British Columbia in November 2019, and was excited to spend the next few months transitioning to optometry school. Little did I know, the world as we see it was about to change come March of this year. I had decided to take a trip to India this March, to visit family and reconnect with my cultural roots. My family and I left Vancouver, Canada just days before learning that COVID-19 was officially a pandemic. Just a week into our trip, what was supposed to be a relaxing time turned into a race to get early tickets back home before the Indian government enforced a complete nation-wide lockdown. We were one of the lucky ones to make it out the day before it started.


Arriving back in Vancouver after just 2 weeks, it seemed as though the world had completely changed. Streets were generally empty, household items were being sold out in all stores, and overall the world had become a fearful place. With the virus spreading and uncertainty for how schools, universities, and workplaces would function, many people around us including myself were starting to worry. Although I was not enrolled in any courses at that time, I began to wonder how long this pandemic would last, and what optometry school would look like for me. After some time, I started to notice some of the inspiring stories being shared in my community of people reaching out to those who were going through a tough time with the business closures and loss of jobs. People in my community, and in communities around the world were choosing to step up despite their own concerns and hardships. I realized that this pandemic would not be over until we tackle it by coming together and supporting one another. I decided to use this opportunity and organized a group of volunteers to start The Mask Project through my organization “Girls Empowered”, which I have been running for many years. We utilized our extra time indoors to make and donate cotton masks to women in need in shelters and resource centers around Vancouver. At a certain point during quarantine, I had felt as though I was serving no purpose, but channeling the time and resources I had to help others gave me a sense of strength. 

Another observation I have made during this pandemic is that despite all the technology and resources we may have in today’s time, proper leadership and the ability to listen as a population at large is critical in circumstances such as this pandemic. I have witnessed the direct effects of excellent leadership from the top doctor of BC, which helped us control the pandemic much better than any other province in Canada. I have also witnessed the negative effects from a lack of effective leadership which has led to an explosive rise of cases in other parts of the world. What has been the most shocking of all for me is to see the lack of unity we as people have, even when it comes to taking care of our own health. I have seen protests for wearing masks, hate crimes against certain races, and the refusal to accept protocols and public health measures. At a time like this, I feel that we need to be vigilant listeners and abide by the recommendations of health experts who are looking out for our health. We need to show compassion and kindness to those around us so that we can fight this challenge together. 

It is encouraging to see that despite some not cooperating, many choose to make the extra effort to social distance and protect one another. I am especially grateful to institutions such as Salus University, who are putting in so much effort to keep vital protocols in place so that we feel safe and stay healthy while adapting a hybrid model of study. As a new journey begins for my future classmates and I, I hope that we learn and grow as a strong, cohesive community to keep ourselves and those around us safe. I believe this pandemic has taught us the importance of listening, adapting and being patient while doing our part to keep our communities healthy. 






- Jaskirat is an optometry student at Salus University




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Friday, July 17, 2020

Transitioning into Optometry School During a Pandemic



There are so many unknowns when applying to graduate school. Where will I get in? Will I enjoy living in this city for four years? Who will be my future roommate? And now the additional unknown of how classes will change based on a worldwide pandemic. 

When we got the news of a hybrid first semester, I didn’t know how to feel. I graduated from the University of Miami, in 2019 so I didn’t experience the shift of online learning. In my gap year before optometry school, I worked as a public health teacher in a local high school. Through this role, however I felt the shift of online teaching, as I had to change the curriculum to accommodate an online setting. From a teacher’s perspective, I saw how important it was to have a continuation of learning, and how easily discouraged students could get being at home. I found that Salus University's approach was ideal, and truly has the student’s best interest at heart. By holding our lectures online, and maintaining small groups for lab, I am assured that I will be safe, educated, and friends with my classmates. 

Being from Miami, Florida the now epicenter of COVID-19, I saw the effects of this virus firsthand. I witnessed what irresponsible actions will result to - and how quickly hospitals can reach capacity. I am fortunate that Salus University understands the impact of this virus, and is taking all the steps to keep us healthy. 

So what are my intentions for a hybrid semester?
  • Setting a schedule and sticking to it!
  • Practicing the life skills, I’ve learned in quarantine, such as preparing my homemade coffee and cauliflower gnocchi.
  • Maintaining a positive attitude, remaining grateful for continuation of learning, mindful of the state of our world, and thankful for this beautiful community.














- Sonali is an optometry student at Salus University



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