Deepali Poojara: “You never know who’s going to come through the door”

Dispensing optician, Deepali Poojara, is entering the final months of her journey to qualifying as an optometrist and is preparing for the final assessments for her Clinical Learning in Practice (CLiP) placement at Specsavers Westway Cross in north west London.

After starting her placement in August last year, when OT visited her in practice last month (April), she had just two assessments remaining: a face-to-face patient exam and a practical objective structured clinical examination (OSCE).

“The last four months have really flown by,” she said, describing a schedule packed with back-to-back assessments, including remote evaluations, in-person visits, and university-based exams.

Poojara spoke to OT about the triumphs and challenges she has experienced during her training, and reflected on her most recent face-to-face assessment of an eye examination.

Although the CLiP optometrist initially struggled to complete an eye examination within the allotted one hour and 15 minutes, a retake saw significant improvement, she shared.

“I was much quicker the second time, which really surprised me,” she explained.

The next challenge is to complete the same process in 50 minutes. But despite the time pressure, Poojara said her confidence has grown and she feels ready for the assessment.

Reflecting on her assessments, Poojara feels like communication is an element where she has improved greatly following a concerted effort.

“You might understand something clinically, but explaining it clearly to a patient is completely different,” she noted.

Positive feedback from assessors has reinforced her progress in recent months, in particular around patient management and communication.

The unpredictability of real patient interactions is an aspect of in-person assessments that Poojara finds nerve-wracking. “You never know who’s going to come through the door,” she said. “But having already experienced it once, I feel more prepared,” she added.

Hands-on patient experience has been central to building her confidence, from routine eye examinations to identifying conditions such as cataracts.

Repeated clinical exposure in practice has strengthened Poojara’s judgement. She recalled a recent “light bulb moment” when she identified a case of pigment dispersion syndrome, something she had previously only seen in textbooks.

“I did all the relevant tests, got my supervisor to confirm it, and it was correct,” she said. “Moments like that really make everything click,” she added.

Part of Poojara’s upcoming OSCE will focus on practical skills, including binocular vision, a clinical area she described as challenging.

However, she has developed a more logical approach to understanding the underlying eye muscle functions. “When it makes sense in your mind, it’s much easier to interpret what’s happening with the patient,” she explained.

Reflecting on her journey since starting CLiP in September, Poojara described that initial excitement gave way to periods of stress and self-doubt as the volume of assessments and administrative tasks increased.

“There were moments where it felt overwhelming,” she told OT, adding: “But now, seeing the end, it’s amazing how quickly it’s gone,” she added.

Offering advice for incoming CLiP optometrists, Poojara advised: prepare early, familiarise yourself with the clinical environment, and maintain balance through small personal routines.

“Even something like going for a walk or listening to music can help,” she said.