FinalReflectionQuestions

MelBabich
February29,2016
Optometrist

1.Whilewritingyourpaper,whatdidyoulearnabouttheresearchprocess?
ThroughouttheresearchprocessIdiscoveredwhataspectshelpedmethemostandwhat
aspectschallengedmethemost.Itwascrucialtohavedetailedresourceswhenwritingawell
writtenpaperaboutOphthalmology.Achallengeofminewasfindingreliableresources,
althoughOphthalmologyisacommonthingitisdifficultfordoctorstosharespecificcasesor
personalexperiencesduetoHIPPAregulations.Although,piecesoftheresearchthatassisted
meinwritingmypaperweretheannotatedbibliographyandtheoutline.Thiswasthefirsttime
Icompletedanannotatedbibliography,whichwasakeycomponentwhenformingmyoutline
resultinginaresearchpaperthatflowednicely.Ilearnedduringtheresearchprocessthatitis
crucialtohaveanoutlineforalargepaperandanannotatedbibliographyisaveryhelpfultoolto
measanindividualwhenIamconstructinganoutline.

2.Howwastheresearchrelatedtoyourmentorhours?
TheresearchwasdoneonOphthalmology,whilemymentoringhourswerecompleted
withanOptometrist.ThemaindifferencebetweenthesetwoisthatOpthalmologistarecertified
tocompletecomplexeyesurgerieswhileOptometristarenot.Thesearesimilarinavarietyof
ways,whichIquicklylearnedwhileshadowingDr.EdMills.Iexplainedtohimaboutmy
previousresearchandwhatthePRIDEprojectwas,hethenproceededtotellmemore
information.ItoldhimthatIwroteaboutmanydifferenttypesofdiseasesordisorders.He
thenpulledupmultipleimagesofoptomapstoshowmehowtheylookonhismachineryand
pointedthingsoutonhowtoknowifsomethingispresentinthepatient.Thisisoneexample
howmyresearchrelatedtomymentorhourswithDr.Mills.Wespentatotalof14hours
together,andthroughoutthedayswewoulddiscussmyPRIDEpapermorewhichhethen
wouldprovidemoredetailsoransweranyquestionsIhad.

3.Summarizethementorhoursthatyoucompleted.
OverthecourseoffourdaysIwentintotheEyeCareCentersofficeduringtheir
morningshiftstoshadowDr.Millsandhisstaff.ThefirstdayIbeguntounderstandthebasics
behindhowtheofficeworksandreviewedbasicssuchastheeyechart.ThedaysproceedingI
hadtheopportunitytopracticewithanautorefractor,aslitlamp,aoptomapandother
apparatuses.ThereweresomepatientsinwhichIwasabletousethesemachineson,suchas
whenIlookedthroughaslitlampataneyeballthatpreviouslywentthroughalasiksurgery
manyyearsagoandunfortunatelytheywereexperiencingcomplications.NotonlydidIlearn

thescienceandmachinerybehindOptometrybutalsohowtoproperlyworkwithpatients.There
wasaspecificpatientwhoexperiencedhighanxietyinthedoctor'soffice,withinthat
appointmentIlearnedhowtoapproachapatientandrelaxtheindividualwhentheyarenot
comfortableintheenvironment.

4.Howdidworkingwithyourmentoraffectyourunderstandingofthetopicandyour
developmentoftheproduct?
Dr.MillsprovidedinsightanddetailonthereallifeworldofOptometry.Hetoldme
storiesthatIdidnothavetheopportunitytoreadonline,andhegavereallifeexamplesor
situations.Hehasthedesiretobehelpfultoothersandhelpothersunderstandthingsmore
clearly,thiswasawonderfultriatwhenitcametomymymentoringhoursandotherthingssuch
astheinterview.Dr.Millsandhisstaffgavemultipleideasforaproductandwediscussedthat
productsthatwouldbenefitotherssuchasteachingchildrenormedicaldevices.Iwasnotable
createamedicaldeviceortoolbecauseoftheHIPAAregulations,othermedicalrulesandthe
schoolrulesaboutthefinalproduct.Hisstaffwereallopenmindedwhendiscussingaproduct
andshowedmethatanythingispossibleinthemedicalfieldbecauseitwillalwaysbechanging
duetotechnology.MyproductwaspossiblebecauseDr.Millsandhisstaffprovidedmini
learninglessonsthroughoutthe14hoursofmebeingwithintheoffice.

5.Howdidcreatingaproductandcompletingthehourschallengeyoupersonally?
CreatingtheproductchallengedmepersonallybecauseIwasnervoustoteachaclassfull
ofstudentsaboutsomethingthatwascomplex.Ihavetaughtlittlekidsbefore,butthisclasswas
offourthgradersandIhavenothadmuchexperiencewiththatagegroupbefore.Alsoteaching
somethingthathastodealwiththeireyeswasinterestingforthembutIwasmoreconcerned
abouttheircomprehensionoftheinformation.AlthoughIwasveryrelievedwhenIquizzedthem
afterthelastfewslidesandtheyallwereeagertoanswermyquestions.Theproductchallenged
mebecauseofmynervousness,butIovercameallofthatbytheendofmypresentation.The
mentorhourswereachallengebecauseIhadtogooutofmycomfortzonewhenaskingpatients
ifitwasokaytotakephotoswhiletheywereintheirappointmentwithDr.Millsandhisstaff.
Thischallengedmebecauseaskingstrangersquestionswasnotausualthingformetodo,bythe
lastdayIwasmuchmorecomfortableaskingthepatients.

6.Doyoufeelpreparedacademicallyandemotionallyforthepresentation?
Yes,Ifeelpreparedforthepresentationtothejudges.PublicSpeakinghasgivenme
manyhelpfulhintsonhowtoformatthepresentationandwhatthejudgeswillbelookingfor
whilepresenting.Alsotheclasshasprovidedtimesetasidetocreateourpowerpointsand
eventuallywewillhavetheopportunitytopracticeourspeechesandlearnfromourmistakes.
Emotionally,Iamreadybutstressedaboutpresenting.UsuallyIdonothaveadifficulttime
presentingorspeakinginfrontofotherpeople,butwhenIgetnervousIstuttermywords.This

isthemainreasonwhyIamnervousandstressedaboutthepresentation.OverallIdofeel
academicallyandemotionallypreparedforthepresentationportionofthePRIDEproject.

7.Howdidtheentireprocessstretchyouasalearnerandasanindividual?
Theentireprocessstretchedmeinmanyways,academicallyandpersonally.Asalearner
itshowedhowIshouldproperlycompletearesearchpaperandkeepanopenmindto
occupations.IfIwouldnothavekeptanopenmindaboutthetopic,Iwouldhaveshadowedan
Ophthalmologistandnothavehadsuchagreathandsonlearningexperience.Asalearneritalso
expandedmyknowledgeonthemedicalfieldasawhole,therequirementsandruleswithinthe
fieldanddetailsaboutOphthalmology/Optometry.Individually,thisexperiencetaughtmeto
staypositivethroughanythingbecausemyattitudeduringtheinterviewmayhavebeenareason
forDr.Millsagreeingtobemymentor.Alsomyattitudeduringthementoringhoursgavemea
positiveexperiencewiththepatientsattheEyeCareCenter.Bykeepinganoutgoingand
confidentattitudeitstretchedmebecauseitisdifficulttostaypositiveallthetime,butit
definitelyshowedagreatlyintheoutcomeofmyproject.

8.Describeanobstacleyouencounteredandhowyouovercameit.
Iapproachedafewobstaclesthroughoutthisprocesssuchaschoosingmytopicand
possiblelimitationsduringmymentorhours.WhileIwaschoosingatopicIknewIwantedto
picksomethinginthemedicalfield.AfterchoosingOphthalmologyformypaper,Irealizedthat
allofthegruesomesurgeriesthatcamealongwiththecareerwasnotsomethingIwasinterested
in.AtthatpointIhadtochooseanewtopicandIdidnotknowwhattopick.AtthatpointI
spoketoparentsandthencontactedmyOptometrist,Dr.Millswhowaspleasedtoassistme
throughouttheprocess.Althoughmynextconcernwassomethingthatwasnotinmycontrol,
HIPPAlawsandotherregulationswithinthemedicalfield.Ibelievethatthiswouldlimitmy
learningexperience,butitdidnot.Iwasstillabletoseepatientsandtakephotosiftheygave
consent.Iwasallowedtopracticeonmachineswiththestaffandusedfewofthemonthe
patientswiththeirconsentandthedoctor'sassistance.Thiswasanobstaclethatwasnottoo
difficulttoovercome,butIdidgooutmycomfortzonebyaskingthepatientsiftheygave
consentornottophotographyduringtheirappointment.

9.Whatlifeskillsdidyouacquireandhowwilltheyhelpyouinthefuture?
Theimportanceoftimemanagementwasacquired,thisprocessshowedmehow
importantdeadlinesare.SuchaswritingthePRIDEpaper,Ididnotcompletemyediting
processtothepaperuntilafterthesnowdaysandthedaysoffschoolduetotheflood.Iwas
luckyhavingtheseextradaysofftofinisheditingmypaper,butthatwillnotalwayshappen.I
quicklylearnedtheimportantlifeskillabouttimemanagementtohelppreventthe
procrastinationstress.AnotherlifeskillIlearnedwashowtomaintainaprofessionalattitude
duringappropriatetimes.ThiswasusedwhenIwasattheofficefor14hourswithDr.Millsand

thenurseswhilespeakingwiththeadultpatients.Usingmannersandbeingpolitehelpedme
immenselythroughtheprocess.Thematureattitudemadethisapositiveexperienceandproject
formeandthepeoplewhoassistedme.

10.Ifyouhadtogobackanddopartsoftheprojectagain,whatwouldyoudodifferently?
OverallIamcontentwiththeoutcomeofmyprojectsofar.Iammoreinterestedinthis
professionthenIwaswhenIoriginallychosethetopic.Afterspendingtimeintheofficewith
Dr.Millsandhisstaff,ItrulybeguntofindOptometryintriguing.IfIwastochangeanything,I
wouldhavechooseOptometryasmyresearchpapertopicandIwouldhavespendmoretimeat
thedoctor'soffice.BychoosingOptometryIwouldhavehadabetterbackgroundinformation
aboutthatspecificcareer.Byhavingthechancetospendmoretimeintheofficeitwouldhave
allowedmetogainedmoreexperienceandknowledgeaboutOptometry,themedicalfieldand
theinteractionwithpatients.