Q&A with Dr. Amanda Weiss, 2004-2005 Primary Eye Care Resident

Dr. Amanda Weiss of Edwardsville, Illinois, earned her Doctor of Optometry degree from Southern College of Optometry in 2004.

Q: Dr. Weiss, why did you opt to do the Primary Eye Care Optometry residency program?

A: I wanted the added educational experience in order to later practice optometry at an advanced professional level with confidence, and to practice optometry in any capacity that I desire.

Q: Why did you decide to do your residency at SCO?

A: Given that I transferred into SCO and that I only attended my 3rd and 4th years at the school, I felt that SCO and its faculty still had more to offer me after those two short years. I thoroughly enjoyed my clinical experience at the school and at the VA on externs, and I was especially excited about the diverse clinical experience and settings that the Primary Eye Care residency had to offer.

Q&A with Dr. Hema Chavda, 2003-2004 Primary Eye Care Resident

Dr. Hema Chavda of Atlanta, Georgia, earned her Doctor of Optometry degree at Southern College of Optometry in 2003.

Q: Dr. Chavda, why did you decide to pursue the Primary Eye Care Optometry residency at SCO?

A: By my fourth year at SCO, I knew that I wanted to do a residency but I didn’t know just where. I studied all the different options that I had. The reason I chose Primary Eye Care is that it doesn’t limit you; you’re exposed to everything, anywhere from a child to a 90-year-old person. I pretty much saw them all, from contact lens fits to managing glaucoma and disease, and even vision therapy at times, so that’s why Primary Eye Care for me was the best way to go.

Q: What were some of the opportunities or strengths presented by a Primary Eye Care program?

A: It builds your confidence. You see challenging patients that optometry students don’t usually get to see. You have thought-provoking discussions with your colleagues and supervisors. I feel so much more confident just from this one year for handling any patient who comes through the door.

Q: Given that SCO’s Primary Eye Care Residency Program is a campus-based program with all the resources available at both The Eye Center and SCO as well, what sort of advantages did that offer you?

A: Getting to work at The Eye Center was great because it’s probably the best facility to do a residency program in the whole country. You have the best and latest state-of-the-art technology at your fingertips. I also had the opportunity to present three posters at different national optometry meetings and that sort of experience isn’t as available to you as an optometry student.

Q: What sort of support structure did you find from the faculty and staff?

A: I can’t say enough about how helpful my residency supervisor, Dr. Kristin Anderson, was. She’s just the best. I can’t put into words how great she is, and everyone in The Eye Center has been wonderful. Residency by far was one of the best years in my life. Everyone was very helpful, everywhere from the front desk even to Communications and Media Services helping me with my posters.

Q: What advice would you give a fourth-year optometry student debating whether or not to choose to do a residency?

A: I would highly recommend doing a residency; in fact, I think it should be required; that’s just my personal opinion, but it gives you experience over one year in what you probably would get in three to five years outside.

Q: Now that you’ve completed the program, what was the best thing about your residency?

A: A residency challenges you, not only with patient care but even academically. It gives you great experience, and I would definitely recommend it to anyone thinking about it in any field.