I'm also the lead year tutor for second year optometry undergraduates, this involves giving student support and organising talks from companies.”
My responsibilities
“My work is very varied and can be broadly divided into three main areas: research, education, and administration.
I'm involved in a number of research projects, for example on orthokeratology and I'm supervising two PhD students at the moment. I’ve supervised a number of MSc students and currently have around six undergraduate students doing research as part of their BSc degree.
Research can involve a lot of planning, writing grants, collecting and analysing data, writing papers and reports. It’s not just the image you often see on TV of someone wearing a lab coat and goggles!
The education element to my job involves face to face teaching, tutorials, clinics, labs, and preparation for each of these. I also develop online materials and learn how to use software and new technology. At the moment I’m learning how to create animations for education. I also work with a team of eight visiting tutors, supporting them as the academic lead for the module.
My administration work involves committee meetings, external work and some travel, even abroad. I chair the employability committee which is across the School of Health Sciences and looks at how graduates can be better equipped for jobs and I'm on the university optometry clinical advisory board. I also sit on the School of Health Sciences ethics committee.”
Career progression
“My approach to career progression has been to gain a wide range of experience. As an undergraduate I tried to gain as much optometry related experience as possible, this included research, high street practice, working in a hospital, and volunteering for a charity. I would recommend trying everything before deciding what kind of career path you want to pursue.
During my PhD I continued to keep my hand in on clinical work and had an opportunity to start teaching. After my PhD, I worked in practice for around a year and then undertook postdoctoral research. I did locuming and I still do in a range of practices through agencies and personal contacts.
My PhD was in the field of myopia and I am doing a Masters in Academic Practice.
I have undertaken research related training such as an ERASMUS placement where I visited Madrid to look at how they do research there.
I have achieved a Fellowship by portfolio with the British Contact Lens Association and I also attend many courses relating to education, research, and, of course clinical optometry."
The joy of academic optometry
“My advice for people interested in getting involved in the academic sector is firstly that you don’t have to make all the decisions at the start of your career. Gain experience as a research assistant or visiting supervisor to see what interests you.
The career path you follow may vary depending on the university, whether you’re on a teaching, research, or combined contract and may also vary if you’re working outside the UK. You can also work in industry and be involved with research and development in the private sector and you could work in a hospital or practice and still be involved with research.
Getting used to rejection is something you have to do in this job, whether that’s for grant applications or research papers. You may also end up taking on a lot of short-term contracts. But there are great rewards in this kind of work.
I love the variety, the job satisfaction in teaching the students and watching them gain confidence, the excitement of getting access to new technology, the opportunity to do research and the collaboration with others, in the UK and abroad.”
