“I AM EAGER TO USE THE SKILLS I HAVE LEARNT TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE”

Hayley Smith explains why undertaking her pre-reg at the independent practice she had worked at since starting her degree was the best fit for her

The pre-registration year is mentioned on the very first day of university, but is a year that always seems so far in the future.

When the time comes to start looking for a pre-reg placement, it feels surreal. During my final year studying optometry, I couldn’t believe that soon I would be leaving the comfort of university, with all my friends, lecturers and supervisors beside me, to work in the big bad world. Although I was feeling apprehensive, if I learned anything at university it was how to navigate nerve-wracking times – which this certainly was.

Choosing a pre-reg setting

I studied at Glasgow Caledonian University, which was great at informing us of the opportunities offered by multiples, including presentations about the process of applying and the locations offering pre-reg placements.

I had been working Saturdays at an independent practice called Peter Ivins Eye Care since my first year of university. However, the

NAME: Hayley Smith

ROLE: Pre-registration optometrist at Peter Ivins Eye Care LOCATION: Bearsden likelihood of being able to complete my pre-reg there was low due to the number of testing rooms available.

After applying for placements in both multiple and independent practices, I attended an interview and was subsequently offered a place at a multiple. I was keen to take this, butwhen Peter Ivins Eye Care suggested that it may be possible to stay on to do my pre-reg at the practice, I realised how keen I was to continue to work in a setting I had grown so fond of. There was no doubt in my mind that this would be the best fit for me.

Developing a support network

I am delighted to be completing my prereg at this practice, after seeing how much staff prioritise patient care. They also have specialised clinics, including dry eye, myopia management, and visual stress, which have demonstrated how I could specialise. I plan to expand my clinical skills to enable me to take part in these clinics myself eventually. It makes me feel at ease, knowing I will be working alongside a great team who are happy to help and share their wisdom.

The practice has been great in helping me prepare, allowing me to observe sight tests, running me through their system, and making me feel comfortable by welcoming any questions. They have also set up hospital placements, lab visits and courses to assist my learning throughout the year. Staff are making my transition to pre-reg as smooth as possible. The faith they have in me has built my confidence. I am thrilled to know I have a good support network.

Preparing for the year, I am feeling emotions ranging from excitement to nervousness. I am eager to use my skills to make a difference to patients, and excited to have more independence than I had at university. With that comes nerves, but I have no doubt that others are feeling the same way. It will be a challenging yet rewarding year, and I cannot wait to see what is in store.

ORAN SAYS

The process of finding a pre-reg placement was... made easier thanks to communication. University provided support for assessment days and interviews, and we were also asked our preferences, to best match candidates with practices.

Ahead of starting my pre-reg, I feel… excited to put my skills into action, enabling me to have a positive impact on my patients.

I chose to complete my pre-reg at Specsavers because… I was already working as an optical assistant, so had built a relationship with practice colleagues. It is a friendly environment, and everyone is on hand for support.

Oran O’Connor is a pre-registration optometrist at Specsavers Newtownards

05:30

When I wake up, I have a lot of things whizzing in my head. Depending on how energetic I feel, I go for a walk or a run – something to start my day and clear my head.

06:30

For breakfast I’ll have granola or a smoothie, or porridge with fruit. I catch up on the news and on football transfer gossip. We’re obsessed with sport in my family.

07:15

I love listening to podcasts in the car. They vary between optometry, business, and sport. During the summer, I enjoyed listening to the cricket. The Ashes were great.

07:45

Owner of Lunettes Opticians, Tushar Majithia, walks OT through a working day that’s punctuated by sports updates and family time

NAME: Tushar Majithia

We’re relocating our Grantham practice, so I check in with the contractors to see how things are progressing, which takes 15 or 20 minutes.

08:30

When I get into the practice I have a cup of tea, catch-up with the staff, reply to messages and emails, and look at what’s ahead in the diary: what appointments I’ve got, which patients, and if there are any problems that might need to be considered.

10:00

Day-to-day, I do the testing. We have quite a mix of appointments: eye tests, contact lens work, low vision, and enhanced services work. No day is the same, which makes it interesting.

12:30

I grab a jacket potato, a salad, or a sandwich. It’s nice to have a bit of fresh air, so I go out for a quick walk.

My fantasy practice...

There is a lot of diagnostic equipment that we would love to have. When we invest in technology and new equipment, we want it to be sustainable. It has to be viable to bring into the business. We’d like to get widefield imaging, something like a Daytona. Also, myopia management devices.

I will then answer emails and phone calls, catching up on the news and sport at the same time.

15:00

I don’t tend to get involved a lot with the day-to-day running of the business. The staff are all quite motivated and know their roles. If there is a quiet patch in the diary, it’s nice for them to have a chat and a gossip. That’s good for team building, and makes for a more enjoyable working environment.

17:00

OWNER OF: Lunettes Opticians LOCATION: Lincolnshire

We usually work until 5pm. On a Monday or Tuesday, I’ll play tennis after work. A couple of times a week I’ll go to the gym or for a swim, and meet the family there. In the summer, it’s nice to play nine holes of golf with some friends, and then have a drink afterwards.

19:00

We tend to knock up dinner quite quickly: pasta, stir fry, chilli, or fajitas. If I do go to the gym or we go for a swim, we can come straight home and have that.

19:30

In the evenings, I relax with the family. We quite often watch a series on Netflix, or food or travel programmes. We’ve started watching Break Point, a Netflix series about tennis. We’ve also been watching Hijack on Apple TV, with Idris Elba. Also, things like Ted Lasso – lighthearted shows that are enjoyable to watch as a family.

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Read about Tushar’s day in more detail on the OT website: www.optometry.co.uk/adayinthelife

It would be nice to have technology that integrates all the bits of equipment, such as the topographer, the optical coherence tomography and the visual fields, and brings all the data seamlessly into the patient record. If money was no object, we would get a Myopia Master. On luxury items, it would be nice to have amazing pieces of art within the practice, so patients can have a look around while they’re waiting for their appointments.