As you know, we have not yet seated our charter class. Since we do not currently have optometry students to tell you about their experiences, we asked our latest WesternU charter class graduates, from the College of Veterinary Medicine (DVM), to tell you what it's like to be the first students in a new program at WesternU.
The profiles below will offer you some words of wisdom about being in a charter class!
Jonathan Williams, DVM
DVM, Class of 2008
Benefits of being a charter class/2nd class member: Being one of the first classes allows you to set the reputation of the school. People may doubt your skills because you are from the new school, but that gives you a chance to prove your worth and show off your WesternU education!
DVM Student, Class of 2008
Benefits of being a charter class/2nd class member: It was great to be one of the first classes because we witnessed the program unfold and begin developing right in front of our eyes! We also had a lot of input as to how things were going, and our feedback was valued immensely - it felt great to be an integral part of such a different and budding new program.
Best advice: Choosing to study at WesternU is a great way to become a self-sufficient professional, learn to work with others, and make contacts (where you have rotations) very early on in your career.
DVM Student, Class of 2007
Benefits of being a charter class member: It's a big challenge but it is very rewarding as well. You have an opportunity to help mold the program. You can give feedback and actually see changes and improvements based on your experiences.
Jennie Magee, DVM
DVM, Class of 2007
Benefits of being a charter class member: The staff at WesternU is very concerned with making a program that will work. They are constantly asking for feedback and doing reviews. This is your opportunity as a student in a new program to give them your input and help shape the program to be something that you are proud to have graduated from.
Elizabeth Hoppe, OD, MPH, DrPH
Founding Dean, Professor of Optometry
A word on the College of Optometry: We are looking for exceptional people to be leaders in our inaugural class. If you are excited about trying something new and innovative, if you want to learn side-by-side with other health professionals, if you have an interest in optometric rehabilitation, and if you want to work hard, this is the place for you!
On interprofessional education: We expect our graduates to be comfortable communicating with all kinds of other health professionals to maximize their patients’ health. In today’s complex health care system, our graduates will be able to serve as advocates for their patients and help to coordinate their care across disciplines. They will have an appreciation and understanding of the value that all members of the health care team can bring.
Read a Message from the Dean...
Read more about Dr. Hoppe...
Kristy Remick-Waltman, O.D., F.C.O.V.D.
Director of Community Outreach/ Assistant Professor Clinical Optometric Outreach Faculty
Why WesternU: I learned much from my professors in Optometry school, especially those that had been in private practice for over 20 years with the experience to run and manage a private practice. Now I have the chance to “give back” and offer students my wealth of practical clinical knowledge. My unique practice experiences have included multi-disciplinary clinics with physicians, psychologists, educators, physical, speech, and occupational rehabilitation therapists. I have always felt that optometry has much to offer and needs to be included in the multi-disciplinary team. The mission statement of the Optometry College at Western University includes training in neuro-optometric rehabilitation and vision therapy and I am truly excited to be a member of the faculty.
What Would You Tell Prospective Students Considering Western University for Their Optometric Education?
Western University College of Optometry will provide a unique and practical optometric education that will lead to a rewarding career in the great profession of optometry. The Optometry College is new with an enthusiastic and knowledgeable faculty dedicated to assist each student to achieve their academic and clinical potential. I am a native Southern Californian living in Northern California for the past 16 years, and even though the northern part of the state is beautiful and the people are nice, I’m really looking forward to living in the Southland again. Southern California provides numerous facilities, resources, great weather, and fun adventures for students; it is a great place to live!!!
On interprofessional education: Health professionals in the future will work in multi-disciplinary settings to provide the best possible care for their patients; students from Western University will have the advantage of understanding the benefits of working closely with other heath disciplines. Plus, just think of all the interesting students you will meet and the diverse “life long friends” you will make at Western University of Health Sciences.
Dr. Remick-Waltman will manage and supervise the school vision screening program and teach vision screening fundamentals to optometry students that will conduct the vision screenings. Additionally, she will arrange external sites in the community for optometry students involved with practicing optometrists and will manage the vision training technician activities for Western University of Health Sciences.
Dr. Kristy Remick-Waltman attended California State University at Long Beach. She was awarded the Doctor of Optometry degree from the Southern California College of Optometry. She completed clinical externships in vision therapy, and was awarded the Knight-Henry award for research in infant vision. Dr. Remick-Waltman was outreach faculty for the Southern California College of Optometry and Director of the Vision Perception Clinic located at the San Bernardino County Juvenile Hall. She has been in private practice for 25 years and is certified to prescribe therapeutic pharmaceuticals. Dr. Remick-Waltman has been actively involved in neuro-optometric rehabilitation and vision therapy multi-disciplinary practices. She was named California Young Optometrist of the Year, she was President of the Inland Empire Optometric Society, and she is co-author of the popular book, “EYES ON TRACK, A Missing Link to Successful Learning.”
OD, Class of 2013
The College of Optometry expects to graduate it's first class in 2013. Western University of Health Sciences has a distinguished history, and has set out to be known as a distinctive institution, as expressed by its Institutional Mission Statement: To educate, in a humanistic tradition, health care professionals and produce biomedical knowledge that will enhance and extend the quality of life in our communities.
The nation's newest College of Optometry will build upon this rock-solid foundation by establishing its own clear identity, delineating a central focus for its educational, clinical, and research programs, and by creating a distinguished reputation.
As an alum of the College of Optometry you can expect:
Opportunities: OD graduates can be self-employed or employed by others in a variety of private or group practice settings. ODs can choose from many types of specialty emphasis including neuro-optometric rehabilitation, vision therapy, pediatrics, geriatrics, and low vision rehabilitation.
Post Residency Starting Salary: $75,000 - $125,000
Expected Job Growth Next Ten Years: 11%
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