Help shape next generation of optometrists

Supervising a trainee optometrist gives you the chance to support the next generation of optometrists, contribute to the development of the profession and boost your own career. 

Widen career opportunities

Open up different career pathways early in your career by getting key experiences in management and leadership

Boosts employability and professional status

Employers want optometrists with excellent interpersonal and communication skills developed through real life experience

Develop your skills

As a supervisor you will face situations requiring adaptability, organisation and emotional intelligence – all skills that make you stand out among the crowd

Personal satisfaction

“The role provided me with a great sense of responsibility and personal satisfaction. I was able to quickly develop my interpersonal, mentoring and leadership skills within the practice where I worked.”

Vinay Najran, Director, Specsavers​

Building long-term relationships

“I get enjoyment out of it as it’s very fulfilling. I build long-term friendships, and my pre-regs contact me years later asking for advice.”

Raqia Hanif MCOptom, Director, Boots Opticians

Update your clinical knowledge

Teaching is one of the best ways to learn - supervision helps you retain your clinical knowledge and expertise

Brings job variety

Supervision adds variety and learning opportunities to your day-to-day work

Build relationships

You form a close bond with your trainee and see them develop into a well-rounded, professional clinician

Raqia Hanif MCOptom

Director, Boots Opticians, Swindon and Walton-on-Thames

“I get enjoyment out of it as it’s very fulfilling. I build long-term friendships, and my pre-regs contact me years later asking for advice. And you’re leaving a little bit of your legacy: how you’ve moulded that pre-reg to be a professional, caring team player will benefit any future interactions in optics for them.”

Chris Evans MCOptom DipTp(IP)

Director, Gwynns

“I enjoy passing on my experience but also learning from the students, because they’re coming in with knowledge from university that I haven’t thought about in years. Even in the hardest weeks of supervision, they always come out with something interesting or have caught on to something, so there’s constant reinforcement of my own knowledge”

What skills and qualities make you an effective supervisor? 

A good supervisor: 

  • has effective people skills and can communicate well with both trainees and patients
  • is empathetic towards their trainee and encourages them to learn and develop their skills in practice
  • is able to coach their trainee to help them unlock their potential and maximise their own performance
  • is able to help a trainee to learn, rather than directly teach them
  • is someone who can impart their knowledge and experience to others

You can practise and develop a range of useful skills during your time as a supervisor. We do not expect you to have all the expertise in place on day one. 

Successful supervision is about guiding and developing skills within your trainee that will allow them to recognise and work within their level of competence, to reflect on and action any areas that need development. This ultimately leads to a professional optometrist who is then safe enough to be able to work without the need for supervision. 

Chris Evans MCOptom DipTp(IP)

Director, Gwynns

“Being patient, understanding and flexible. Having the higher qualifications [in low vision and glaucoma and IP] helped me; it allowed me to show my pre-regs a whole varied learning experience because I see a more varied patient load. For myself, I am learning the best way to present information when someone does something that isn’t right so that the student is not discouraged.”

Angharad Bowie MCOptom Prof Cert Glaucoma

“You have to be patient with pre-reg trainees. Practice is completely different to a textbook. Be kind to them. Be willing to put time and effort into being a supervisor. Your supervision will mould their career and help them make future professional decisions.”

Next steps

Qualify as a supervisor

Find out everything you need to know about qualifying as a supervisor and mentoring a pre-registration trainee.

Supervisor training

Essential learning courses for those supervising or wishing to supervise pre-registration trainees on the Scheme for Registration.

Support for supervisors

The College has a number of resources available to help support you through your supervision journey.

Chris Evans MCOptom DipTp(IP)

Director, Gwynns

“You’ll be able to use your knowledge more effectively and pass it on to the future workforce, benefiting the profession. It’s not only rewarding but also helps you stay on top of your skills, which ultimately benefits our patients.”