“I can’t believe how quickly the time is passing”

At the time of writing, I am nearly finished with Stage 1 and have almost achieved all the competencies.

I can’t believe how quickly the time is passing. I have really enjoyed my pre-reg experience so far. It has been great to get to know patients and help care for and improve their vision. Although it has required a lot of hard work with studying and working full-time, it has been very rewarding.

I also feel lucky to work in a practice where I am so well supported by my supervisor, the other optometrists and my colleagues on the shop-floor, who have all helped to make it an enjoyable and rewarding experience.

In January, I was fortunate enough to be able to spend a week in the eye department at Falkirk Community Hospital.

Some of my biggest learnings have come from that experience. It was useful to see what happens at the hospital, on the other end of referrals from practice. I spent time in various clinics, but my time in the rapid access clinic was the most valuable. I got to see a wide range of ocular pathology that I may never come across in day-to-day practice, such as endophthalmitis and end stage ocular cicatricial pemphigoid. I’m extremely grateful to have been given this opportunity and would highly recommend a similar experience to other pre-regs if they get the chance.

My supervisor has been excellent and has been able to keep me calm in the more stressful moments of pre-reg.

It is great to have someone who helps to put things into perspective when pre-reg gets difficult, such as before one of my recent visits when I wasn’t sure if I felt ready enough. We had a really good chat about it, and I decided to go for it. I’m glad he convinced me to keep the date as it was. I am very grateful for all his support.

I feel I have progressed hugely since the start of pre-reg.

Going from completing two or three eye tests per day in the early days to now completing eight or nine per day – I would not have believed it in the beginning. You do get quicker and more confident as you complete more and more tests, and this helps to improve the patient experience too.

Going from completing two or three eye tests per day in the early days to now completing eight or nine per day – I would not have believed it in the beginning

I have been pleasantly surprised by how interested the patients are in me and my pre-reg journey.

They are always curious to know how long I have left and how the pre-reg process works. Whenever I ask to use their file for a competency, they are always keen to help and answer any questions I have. They like to wish me luck when they leave the test room too, which is kind of them.

Over the next few months, I hope to sign off Stage 1 and start to prepare for the direct observations and overarching assessments of Stage 2.

To be ready for the next stage, I plan to continue to refine my refraction and contact lens routines and carefully look through each of the case scenarios, preparing various investigation and management plans for them and discussing these with my supervisor.