Leave Room for Curiosity in Your Career

The power of curiosity extends far beyond optometry. I find that it is a mindset that can shape every aspect of our lives. Here, I share how curiosity shaped my own career and led me down paths I never could have predicted.

THE EARLY DAYS

When I graduated from the School of Optometry and Vision Science, University of Waterloo, in Waterloo, Ontario, in 2014, I knew I was interested in treating ocular disease. I applied for a residency but did not match because of a visa issue. At the time, it felt like a setback.

Instead, I began practicing in a rural community in Alberta, Canada. Looking back, that experience allowed me to channel my hunger for learning in a different way. It gave me the opportunity to ask questions as a new grad, not only about clinical care, but also about the field and what was possible within it.

Those questions eventually led me to become involved with my provincial association as a board member. Through that work, I became increasingly curious about how optometrists across different jurisdictions have varying levels of scopes of practice. Alongside other optometry leaders in Alberta, Canada, I wondered whether we could expand what was possible for our field.

That curiosity ultimately took me to Oklahoma, where I completed a residency and later a fellowship. I sought to learn from optometrists practicing at the highest level of optometry’s scope, with a goal to bring that knowledge back to Canada and share it with my colleagues.

As my career evolved, I found myself becoming curious about health care systems, leadership, and the forces that shape patient care beyond the examination room. That curiosity led me to pursue a Master of Business Administration (MBA), which I just completed.

My MBA program gave me a better understanding of healthcare strategy, program development, and how organizations make decisions about where to invest resources and attention. It also helped me connect clinical outcomes to the metrics that matter to industry, policymakers, and healthcare leaders. Whether working with pharmaceutical companies or professional associations, my MBA program has enabled me to advocate more effectively for our patients and our field.

I HAVE CURIOSITY TO THANK

The practice of nurturing a curious perspective has opened doors I never could have anticipated. It has allowed me to contribute to discussions with the provincial government on optometric remuneration and scope of practice, serve on advisory boards for companies creating emerging ophthalmic medications and technologies, and teach colleagues at conferences across North America. It has been very rewarding to have a finger on the pulse of the profession and contribute to critical discussions and decisions as they unfold in real time.

Those experiences were not part of a master plan. Each can be traced to a question I wanted to answer, a skill I wanted to develop, or a conversation I wanted to be part of.

If I had tried to map out my entire career based only on what I knew as a new grad, my world would have been much smaller. Curiosity was often the quiet force that nudged me toward the next opportunity. It encouraged me to explore something that interested me and see where it would lead.

My encouragement is this: Pay attention to what sparks your curiosity. Get comfortable flexing the muscle of curiosity. Revisit it often. Then, give yourself permission to go and investigate what it brings up for you. It may be related to medical optometry, vision therapy, contact lenses, research, education, or entrepreneurship. Or, it may not be optometry-related at all. There is no wrong answer. The important thing is not to ignore it.