Q&A with Nicole, our talented optometric assistant
Meet Nicole, our talented Optometric Assistant who has worked at Watertown Eye since December 2014. In this Q&A, she explains why she applied for a job at Watertown Eye and what has made her stay:
Nicole, far right
Q: Why did you decide to work at Watertown Eye?
A: Before working at Watertown Eye, I worked in an animal hospital. While working there, I had to make the hardest decision of my life, which was to put my cat, Oliver, to sleep. The taxing emotional experience made me realize I no longer wanted to be a veterinarian and to consider optometry instead. I decided to search for a job in the optometry field and luckily saw Dr. Koumjian’s job post. I felt that the position and hours were perfect for me while I was finishing my undergraduate degree in biology at UMass Boston.
Q: Have you gained anything by working at Watertown Eye?
A: I have gained so much by working with Karen. She is an amazing teacher who has helped me love the profession. She has given me the opportunity to gain the experience and knowledge that I will eventually need at optometry school and when practicing optometry. I do not think that I would have my life figured out as much as I do if Karen hadn’t taken the chance to train me.
Q: What do you like about working at the office?
A: The thing that I love most about the office is I never feel like it is a chore to go to work. I love working for Karen, I love the patients, and I love learning each and every day I go to work.
Q: Why do you want to be an optometrist?
A: I want to be an optometrist because the first time I saw a picture of the back of my eye, I realized how fascinating the eye really is. People truly take their eyes for granted. On my first day working with Karen, I fell more in love with the profession. In contrast to veterinarians who have to wait for the medications they prescribe to benefit their patients, optometrists get automatic satisfaction from helping patients. For example, when Karen hands a patient a new pair of glasses that have an updated prescription and they put them on, the patients become instantly happy. They are amazed by how much more clearly they can see. It is a great feeling to help someone see the beautiful world.
To our great luck, Nicole continues to work with us until she graduates from college in May. Hopefully our patients will have the chance to say “hello” to her when they stop in.