The Illinois College of Optometry Student Blog

It is my final year of optometry school and I’m a few short weeks away from graduation- pretty exciting! Many of my classmates are now thinking, “What comes next?” For me, the next step will be completing a residency. I am happy to say that I matched in a residency specializing in ocular disease, low vision rehabilitation, and traumatic brain injury. I can’t wait to start! Looking back, though, the application process was definitely a bit nerve-wracking. I, for sure, learned

Every year, ICO’s Career Development department hosts a Practice Opportunities Symposium that allows ICO students and alumni to come together and talk about their mode of practice. Many modes of practice were represented at this year’s event, including residency, private practice, corporate practice, specialty/non-traditional practice, and even a panel for Canadian practitioners. This was my first time attending an event like this and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I believed I lea

Hello again future colleagues! It’s the end of June–which has flown by a little too fast–and although I am so excited for my first day of classes, I don’t want to forget about what I will be leaving behind: my boyfriend, my best friend, my comfort zone. Despite how much time I still have left before August 1 rolls around, I find my agenda book filling up quickly in an effort to tie up loose ends and visit friends and family before my departure. I really look forward to the th