The HCPE Summer Shadowing Contest is designed to recognize rising 2nd-year students who use their summer break to gain additional exposure to the profession.
Participants are tasked to shadow at minimum two optometrists in at least two, different practice modalities. They must log and verify their hours, and complete a written reflection of their experiences. The top three winners were awarded prizes with a total cash value of $1000. The HCPE and SCO are proud of these aspiring ODs and their accomplishments!
2019 Winners
1st Place Winner
Lindsay Thornton
Charlotte, NC
“My experience at Carolinas Vision Group is what made me decide that private practice is the modality I ultimately prefer. Private practice allows an optometrist to be the ultimate decision maker in their business tactics, and grants them the freedom to make changes in order to increase profits.”
2nd Place Winner
Gabrielle Magee
Des Moines, IA
“Shadowing three different office settings in the same metro area showed me how vast the field of optometry truly is. It opened my eyes to all the different ways I could potentially practice, just in my hometown. This experience further solidified my goals to pursue a career in pediatric behavioral/developmental optometry, doing vision therapy, sports vision, and rehabilitative services.”
3rd Place Winner
Jacob Norris
Greeneville, TN
“Optometry is a great medical profession, and a field where honestly one could never get bored. Every exam is different, because every patient is different. There are so many opportunities for specialization, and I look forward to my future in this ever-growing profession.”