In this critical time of change, mentors can help advance not only your career—but also the profession of optometry as a whole

NEW OPTOMETRISTS entering the workforce face even more challenges today in the wake of COVID-19.

One of the greatest but often unknown advantages of joining corporate optometry as a new graduate is the abundance of mentors who are available to you. Many successful O.D.s in corporate optometry are on advisory boards within the organization to help young O.D.s. Different perspectives help guide you to valuable insights in optometry.

Here, we round up some benefits of mentorship programs in corporate optometry that new grads can take advantage of.

#1 CLINICAL CASES.

As a new grad, you might be second-guessing yourself on some clinical cases. Corporate opticals attract a large demographic of patients and many times are the first health care providers these patients see.

Tap into your company’s mentoring network to learn more about OCT and specialty contact lenses. Seeking advice on how to handle clinical cases and interoffice referrals is a great way to keep learning at any stage in your career.

#2 PRACTICE MANAGEMENT.

Many young O.D.s come out of optometry school with little or no practice management education. Corporate optometry offers business startup resources to help guide you through your sublease.

The advisory board of O.D.s within your brand is there to help you with credentialing, medical model, billing/coding, patient volume, and many other practice management questions.

#3 SENIOR ADVICE.

Many O.D.s have experience in working in a variety of optometric settings. They have worked for different companies and learned from experience.

Learning from others who have gone through the same steps is invaluable. They have a different perspective on the industry, and sometimes taking a different look at the situation can lead to fresh insights and opportunities, including helping a young graduate navigate obstacles much more easily. Many O.D.s are looking to help others to help move the profession forward. COT!

—Maria Sampalis, O.D.