Meghan Elkins, OD '10
Where do you currently live?
Huntington, WV
What is your greatest professional accomplishment or patient care success story?
I actually asked my colleague her opinion on my greatest accomplishment or success story and she emphatically replies, “hands down it’s Mr. _____!”
In 2015, I was working with a resident and I palpated a stye that turned out to be lymphoma. This patient still says I saved his life—primary B cell lymphoma really is not life-threatening, but the patient thinks highly of me, per my colleague. So, she says that is my greatest accomplishment, but I would have to say teaching her throughout her student rotation and residency year, and now mentoring her in the early stages of her career, has been my greatest accomplishment.
Lecturing in Hawaii for Pacific & AFOS is pretty high up on the list, too!
Why did you choose Southern College of Optometry to pursue your optometric education?
I did not have a lot of money for application fees, so I only applied to two schools. SCO was the first to offer me an interview, which I attended, received an acceptance, and awarded a scholarship before I was even offered an interview from Ohio State. I felt so at home on campus from the moment Joyce greeted me at the front door. When you know, you know, and SCO always felt like the only choice for me.
Share your best memory from your time at Southern College of Optometry:
I have too many. I could mention the time I received test answers because one of the professors could not keep the email addresses for student Elkins (me) and the doctor Elkins (Lindsay) straight. (Note: I did not open the email!)
I also love remembering Dr. Chang’s test answer choices of a) true, b) false, c) none of the above.
The story I love to tell my current students and residents is when I received a text message from Dr. Sparrow telling me to check the primary care resident refrigerator. I figured it was some Reese’s Cups, but inside was my very own Wills Eye. A post-it note from her was on the front: “Take care of those patients.” I have bought every edition since then, but that copy and that post-it still sit at home. I hope that I have lived up to her charge. I think I have.