What is the next step you plan to take to upskill your career?

We canvassed the views of practitioners who featured in our Life in practice section on one burning topic, asking them: what is the next step you plan to take to upskill your career?

Amit Sharma, optometrist and partner at Davis Optometrists and DW Roberts Opticians, Hakim Group independent practices, Birmingham

Featured in: How I got here

Amit Sharma

“Right now, I feel deeply fulfilled in my role as an optometrist. I’ve been fortunate to work with innovative technologies, most recently intense pulsed light therapy and Valeda for dry age-related macular degeneration treatment. For my next layer of growth, I’m thinking about evolving in my leadership journey.

“Within my work family at Hakim Group, I’m surrounded by some truly inspiring leaders. I want to learn from them and carve out a clear path toward becoming a more impactful leader. For me, that means focusing on peak performance coaching, thought leadership, and creating environments where others can thrive.”

Read Amit’s How I got here reflections in The Skills and satisfaction edition, online now.

Ali Mahmood, ophthalmic director at Roberts Independent Opticians, Newton-le-Willows

Featured in: Decoding domiciliary

Ali Mahmood

“Attending more dementia awareness and training courses. I really want to get involved in that. I’ve already tried a few courses online, but I want to go on some proper in-person courses and develop my skills on that side.

“Dementia is a very big reason for going out to houses and care homes. For me, it’s learning a bit more about the best way to communicate with these patients, and learning more about the condition.”

Read Ali’s Decoding domiciliary reflections in The Skills and satisfaction edition, online now. 

Usman Beg, locum optometrist, Blackburn

Featured in: Life as a locum

Usman Beg

“I’m currently undergoing my minor eye conditions services (MECS) accreditation. The application of MECS in care homes is really widespread, because a lot of these patients have red or irritated eyes. They might have blepharitis, dry eyes, or frequent eye infections and allergic infections.

“I do have my eye on independent prescribing (IP) too. I’m trying to get ahead of that learning curve – if I could get ahead of the next big thing, that would be super.”

Read Usman’s Life as a locum reflections in The Skills and satisfaction edition, online now.

Jane Smellie, optometrist and owner of Jane Smellie Opticians, Cheshire

Featured in: A conversation about...

Jane Smellie

“After completing my glaucoma higher certificate last year, I certainly feel that I need to have a break from studying. My 56-year-old brain needs time to recover.

“Instead, I have focused on utilising my qualifications, alongside those of my colleagues, to promote more IP-led care in all three of my practices, and to launch the hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine retinopathy monitoring and WGOS4 glaucoma referral refinement and monitoring in my Welsh practice.

“In the next 10 years, before I retire, my aim is to upskill my team to allow us to continue to provide a wide range of specialist services. One of my big goals is to have optometrists performing SLT and YAG capsulotomies in practice. Whether I will have the brain power to upskill to that level – only time will tell.”

Read Jane’s A conversation about... reflections in The Skills and satisfaction edition, online now. 

Ian Cameron, IP optometrist and owner of Cameron Optometry, Edinburgh

Featured in: A conversation about...

Ian Cameron

“I would really like to get something going on lumps and bumps. There is a cohort of optometrists who have done the training so we feel very comfortable removing these things, but regulation is against us on the use of injectable anaesthesia.

“I’d love to find a way through that to set up a service, as the NHS waiting time in this area is something like three years.”

Read Ian’s A conversation about... reflections in The Skills and satisfaction edition, online now.