1 The practice is a frightening place
Entering a new environment that is full of strangers is always going to be a little frightening. Factor in a grumpy patient, and the prospect of starting your pre-reg training may not be so exciting. However, what you must remember is your colleagues are there to make you feel welcome and help you adapt to your new surroundings – they’ve all been in your shoes at some stage.
Pre-reg Gobi Sivalingam says: ‘It’s not as scary as they make it out to be. It’s not like all patients are scary and want to trick you. The directors aren’t testing you and they’re not expecting you to be a qualified optometrist from day one. They know you’ll be learning.’
2 You’ll be testing all of the time
Before starting your pre-reg, you may be expecting to carry out dozens of tests a day. Yet, it can actually take a little while to build up a diary of appointments. Engage with patients, wait for your chance and the appointments will come.
‘You might be expecting to have your clinic fully booked all of the time. But, don’t come in expecting that because you’ll need to fill in wherever needed. The pre-reg year helps to bring almost every factor into play. You need to be able to do anything you are asked,’ says pre-reg Ali-Raza Hassam.
3 Mistakes are bad
Getting something wrong in class can be very embarrassing indeed. But making mistakes during your pre-reg year is an opportunity to learn and develop as an optometrist. In fact, you’ll be expected to make errors. So, embrace them and turn your mistakes into a positive experience.
Sivalingam says: ‘Whatever you check in your first few months, your supervisor will check too. Don’t be too worried about [making a mistake], just make sure that you do the rest of the test thoroughly. It’s not the end of the world if you do something wrong, your peers will understand that you will make certain mistakes and they will cover for you.’
4 I won’t enjoy my pre-reg
Although leaving university may require a leap of faith, there is much to look forward to and you should not head into your placement with negative expectations.
‘Everybody tells you that you’re going to have a really bad time and it just hasn’t been that way for me. So, don’t be disheartened and don’t think that. I have definitely
enjoyed it a lot more than people said we would,’ says pre-reg Aarti Dua.
5 The OSCE is IMPOSSIBLE
Just recalling the full name of the OSCE (Objective Structured Clinical Exam) is a bit of a headache. Notoriously tricky and devilishly difficulty, the OCSE will put the fear of God into most students. However, in fact, the OSCE first-time pass rate is around 80%.
Sivalingam says: ‘People think the patients try to catch you out and ask trick questions. But, it’s not a trick, they have a script. They are just trying to get a certain answer out of you. It’s not like a weird riddle or anything.’