Future Optometric Doctors Program: 3 Tips to Increase Awareness for Optometry Applicants

One of our greatest privileges as optometrists is helping patients preserve the precious gift of sight. But while we work diligently to protect vision, our profession faces a critical challenge: a shortage of optometrists. This shortage, coupled with a declining applicant pool, calls for proactive efforts to secure the future of optometry.

Dr. Connor Robbs is an optometrist and passionate advocate committed to preserving and elevating the field. Through his “Future Optometric Doctors Program,” Dr. Robbs is taking an innovative approach to inspire high school students to consider optometry as a career, addressing the pipeline issue head-on. This program, based at the Illinois College of Optometry (ICO), immerses students in real-world clinical experiences and has sparked significant interest in optometry among the youth.

What’s Covered:

Dr. Connor Robbs’ Journey in Eyecare

Dr. Robbs’ path to optometry started early, thanks to his mother, who ran a private practice. At just ten years old, he began learning about optometry from behind the scenes, managing billing and assisting as a technician. As he grew, his mother encouraged him to consider optometry a fulfilling career combining medical expertise, patient care, and business acumen. This early exposure proved invaluable, allowing him to develop critical communication skills and a genuine appreciation for the field.

In college, Dr. Robbs’ interest in optometry expanded through academic and extracurricular involvement, including eye health and biomechanics research. He graduated from the Illinois College of Optometry in 2022 and now practices at Naper Grove Vision Care. His experiences, coupled with the mentorship he received, inspired him to launch a program that offers students the same opportunities to explore optometry that he had as a teenager.

Why Optometry Needs a Branding Revolution

Dr. Robbs firmly believes that optometry suffers from a branding problem. “We need more optometrists,” he says, “but we also need to communicate how rewarding this profession is to students early on.” While the field has made strides in advocating for legislative advancements and expanding the scope of practice, these efforts mean little if there aren’t enough optometrists to meet patient demand.

The “Future Optometric Doctors Program” aims to solve this issue by targeting high school students rather than focusing recruitment solely on college undergraduates. Dr. Robbs hopes to foster a sustained interest in the field and build a more robust pipeline of future optometrists by introducing students to the medical, technical, and interpersonal aspects of optometry in their formative years.

The Future Optometric Doctors Program: A Three-Tiered Approach

Dr. Robbs’s program has three main components, or “tiers,” each strategically developed to give students a comprehensive view of optometry.

1. Seeing the Science: The first tier involves taking high-resolution retinal images of each participant’s eyes. These images give students a fascinating view of their optic nerve and blood vessels, illustrating how optometry goes beyond prescribing glasses and contact lenses. Students can take home these retinal photos, providing a tangible reminder of the experience and an introduction to the medical complexities optometrists handle.
2. Shadowing in Disease-Focused Clinics: The second tier focuses on hands-on shadowing in ICO’s disease-heavy clinics, where students observe the diagnosis and treatment of various eye conditions. This immersion experience is crucial because it allows stude