Today was the first day of clinic in La Carpio, a slum area of San José. I have to admit that since I no longer work in a clinic setting, I was nervous about working with the team. I have the skills as an optometric assistant, but it’s nerve wracking to put those skills to the test with hundreds of patients to see.
The reality is that our team is a diverse group of people who have come together with a common goal to help make someone else’s life a bit better. We each have skills to contribute even if some of us are not eyecare proessionals. We have a daycare owner/teacher, a medical lab technologist, and someone who works in advertising just to name a few. If I could give advice to anyone thinking about volunteering for a project like this, I would say that it is your desire to help and your bravery in stepping outside of your comfort zone that counts. We can teach you how to take visual acuities or register patients. You need to approach this work with empathy, compassion and the belief that you are there to support the team in any way you can.
I look forward to the rest of the week, especially now that I know my skills aren’t nearly as rusty as I had feared.
Myra Madrilejos, Optometric Assistant Edmonton
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