Students face off in a battle of optometry wits and bragging rites! Here’s how AOA’s website tells the tale:
War paint, team outfits, loud cheers—things got pretty serious at the Varilux® Optometry Student Bowl. Students at this annual trivia event flexed their mental muscles and showed their school pride to the delight of the crowd and the amusement of fans in person and on social media. This year, David Nguyen of Southern California College of Optometry was the winner and the school took home bragging rights.
SCCO’s David Nguyen is celebrated by classmates! Student Brianna Kebo from Class of 2017 reports, “David was awesome!!! There was no competition. By the last round, he had double the points of his opponents!”
Here’s what SCCO students had to say:
In the sea of over 1000 students in attendance at the 23rd annual Varilux Optometry Student Bowl at Optometry’s Meeting in Philadelphia, PA, SCCO’s group of 40 students and faculty was small, but our cheers were loud, proud and could be heard all across the ballroom. Standing on our chairs for the whole duration of the event, we could not contain our excitement as we cheered on our contestant. – David Nguyen, Class of 2015
The picture of calm, cool and collected, David nailed every question without skipping a beat – the other contestants didn’t even stand a chance. When the final score was announced, it was no surprise that SCCO’s very own David Nguyen was the champion and bringing home the coveted bowl to MBKU. With a long overdue win in their hands, students, administrators, alumni and trustees are flying high on SCCO pride. Congratulations to David! Way to represent! – Michelle Pham, Class of 2016, AOSA Trustee
David was awesome!!! There was no competition. By the last round, he had double the points of his opponents! – Brianna Kebo, Class of 2017
David with Dr. Stanley Woo, Dean of SCCO
What’s the Varilux Optometry Student Bowl? Watch this short video:
Published by Jane Ann Munroe, OD, Assistant Dean of Admissions, SCCO
I wanted to be an optometrist when I was only 10 years old. Why? I had some kind of geeky fascination with eyeglass frames, and was obsessed with getting a pair of my own. In my situation, having perfect eyesight was a distinct disadvantage, so I had to hatch a plan.
After repeated intense squinting while looking at the blackboard, I approached my teacher and lied with conviction, complaining that I couldn’t see. This report got me first to the school nurse and then finally on to an optometrist for an eye exam, where I tried my best Mr. Magoo impression to no avail.
I would have to wait two more long years until the gods finally smiled on me when, by some miracle, I acquired enough astigmatism to warrant my first bona fide pair of prescription eyeglasses!
Along with my love of people and wanting to take care of them, subsequent visits to the optometrist and shadowing, I sealed the deal—optometry was now officially what I wanted to do with my life.
I made first contact with the Southern California College of Optometry when I was in 8th grade. My older sister had a newly minted driver’s license and so I coerced her into driving me all the way from our home in La Mirada to Los Angeles, SCCO’s then-home. After a master planning effort to plot out our route on a paper map folded in 8 places, we arrived at SCCO where my sister quickly surmised that I didn’t have an appointment with an admissions advisor. She called me a loser, drove me all the way back home and the next day, phoned to help make the requisite appointment.
I entered high school in the late 1960’s (ouch, that hurt) when young females wanted to be anything but what I’d chosen as my newly dedicated pursuit—a science geek. I wore thick horn-rimmed black eyeglass frames (told you I was serious) and hung around chemistry lab after class. This was at a time when women just did not pursue careers in science and being the tomboy that I was, that was fine with me. This trend continued right through into undergrad, attending many classes where I was the only female--bespectacled or not--in the class. At a recent high school reunion, many of my classmates still remember me as the science geek with the blinders on—many envious of my joy and passion for my future profession.
I graduated from SCCO in 1977. Looking back with 40 years of experience as an optometrist, I am awed to know that I chose this wonderful profession way-back-when and with only my juvenile perspective to inform me. In 1977 when I graduated from optometry school, the profession began a series of major changes to its practice scope: securing the rights to use diagnostic drugs (dilating drops), securing the rights to prescribe therapeutic drugs (huge change!), being recognized as physicians by the federal government and treating glaucoma. In some US states, optometry has made even bigger strides into minor surgery, use of lasers, hospital privileges...etc. If I had the opportunity to go back and make another choice and knowing what I do today about health care and my own hardwiring, I’d make the same choice for optometry--nobody loves this profession more than I do. http://www.ketchum.edu/index.php/about/administration-directory
I grew up with optometry and now it’s your turn to inherit its future. That’s what this blog is about—getting you into optometry school and I am just the person to help you achieve this goal. We’re going to talk about the admissions process, how to prepare to take the OAT, how to be a competitive applicant, how to prepare to interview, to name a few. We’re going to talk about SCCO, student life and what it’s like to be an optometric intern. I am very persuasive, motivating and I am completely sold on optometry as the best profession in health care. I speak from experience!
Get ready to dialogue. Don’t be afraid to ask questions and please, chime in on discussions. I want to know what kind of help you need. You got this!
View all posts by Jane Ann Munroe, OD, Assistant Dean of Admissions, SCCO
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Eryn Kraning, Senior Director of Recruiting and Admissions, SCCO
Jane Ann Munroe, OD, Assistant Dean of Admissions, SCCO