[Career Exploration] School of Optometry @ University Houston + my experience with mental health w/ Katia Guzman

What if you were one step away from discovering your passion, and that step was merely a conversation away? Join us in an enlightening discussion with our star guest, Katia, a doctorate student of Optometry at the University of Houston. Raised in Houston, Texas, Katia, originally smitten with the idea of becoming a veterinarian, found her true calling in optometry after an impactful exchange with her college advisor. Accompany us on a journey that beautifully illustrates it's never too late to stumble upon your true path.

Transitioning from high school to college presents a unique set of challenges. But don't worry; we've got you covered. We're digging deep into the importance of self-care and mental health during this critical juncture. As we navigate through the maze of new friendships, seeking help, and optimizing financial aid, we're serving up some practical advice for graduate students to equip them for the road ahead.

As we traverse the realm of optometry, Katia shares her pearls of wisdom about the importance of critical thinking and offers guidance to undergraduates preparing for optometry school. Her story is a testimony to the power of passion and love for one’s career. We're wrapping up by expressing our heartiest gratitude to Katia for sharing her fascinating journey and urging you, our cherished listeners, to appreciate the gems in your lives. So, buckle up and get ready to be inspired to explore unchartered territories and chase your dreams.

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Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:00

Hi friend, I wanted to hop in here to share with you that this podcast has now evolved to the College and Career Ready podcast, although the content, mission and passion behind this podcast is still the same we wanted to bring our students into our conversation. Our now College and Career Ready podcast will be inclusive to students and parents. Thank you for continuing to be part of our community. And now let's get started with the episode. Hey friend, welcome to the Monflane's podcast. I'm your host, sonia Casique. I'm a mom of twins, a licensed school counselor, an educator and an entrepreneur. This is our community, where we get to work together while building a network of people and resources so you can reach your personal goals and career aspirations. You'll hear episodes with tools and strategies, while also sharing stories from a wide variety of experts in the field, because, truly, as a mom, we are our kids' most influential influencer. So come with me and let's get started. Hi friend, I'm so happy you're here with me today, whether you're listening, while on the road, while walking, jogging or working, thank you for being here. Today. I have a very special guest in a brand new student spotlight episode, where I will spotlight a current college student so they, too, can share with you their story and career journey. Friend, in regardless of what career you're pursuing, I think these student spotlight segments will be for everyone, because we all can learn from each other and from other people's experiences and, who knows, you might find your career path just by listening to one of these special episodes. But before I introduce my first guest, I want to ask you to please continue to spread the word about our podcast, share it with your friends at school or, if you're a parent, then please continue to spread the word with others. And it's very simple to share. All you have to do is send them directly the link, whether it's in a text message or on Instagram, on social media and if you can tag me, even better, so I can personally thank you for spreading the word about our podcast. Speaking of students, I was very excited. These last few weeks I had the opportunity to meet with several tens of students in various high schools, in person and virtually. I love being out in the community and have the privilege to speak to our young community. So a big shout out to those who I got to meet recently and, if you're listening in, a special thanks to you, my friend. So, as our first guest we have, katia.

Speaker 1: 2:45

Katia was born and raised in Houston, texas. She has a bachelor's degree of science from the University of Dallas and she's currently working on her doctorate of optometry from the University of Houston. Being the first in her immediate family to pursue a career in healthcare, katia is a great example of someone who is following her love and passion. All throughout her childhood and even high school, she had set her mind on being a veterinarian and it wasn't until her college advisor asked her about her plan B and it's really got her questioning. Who else was out there for Katia and thanks to that one conversation, katia explored options beyond veterinary school. Friend, I hope you have one, if not more than one, takeaway from this conversation, as Katia shares with us her career journey.

Speaker 1: 3:35

So, without further ado, let's get started. Welcome, katia. Welcome to the Monflinz podcast. Hello, thank you for having me. Absolutely. Thank you so much for joining us today. So you are the first graduate students for our podcast. So I'm really excited to have this conversation with you and you know I wanted you to introduce yourself first to our audience. So tell us a little bit about who Katia is, a little bit about your family and your background.

Speaker 2: 4:03

Okay, so I was born and raised in Houston, Texas. I have two younger brothers. I'm the oldest oldest of my immediate family and all of the grandchildren on both my mom's side and my dad's side, so I have a little bit of like the oldest child pressure. And I did a and I did undergrad at the University of Dallas and now I'm currently a third year at the University of Houston College of Optometry.

Speaker 1: 4:29

That's where I am. Congratulations on that third year. So you graduate. What in 2024? Yes, so May of 2024 will be my graduate. How exciting, awesome. Let's go back in time for just a second. Growing up, what were you wanting to pursue as a career? And then, when did you decide what career path you wanted to choose?

Speaker 2: 4:52

Okay, yes. So growing up I wanted you know like every little girl's dream wanted to work with animals. I wanted to be a veterinarian. Growing up I had dogs, birds I think at one point we had hermit crabs Like any animal you can think of. We had a lizard. We were saving birds from the side of the street.

Speaker 2: 5:10

My first year at the University of Dallas, I was getting my bachelor's in biology. I sat down with my counselor and he was like okay, I got the time to get serious. We're going to start thinking about schools to apply to what you really want to do. And so I mean, I sat down and told him about an area and then he was like, okay, good, you have a plan A, but like what about other options? And so I was like, yeah, though, like you're right. And so he asked me like what one of my favorite things to do? And I was like go to the optometrist, as funny as that sounds, but like I was excited to go get my new pair of glasses. And it was just like I would sleep on my decision and then the next day come like decide what glasses I want to wear because it was a cute little addition to my wardrobe, I guess.

Speaker 2: 5:53

He advised me to go shadow and so at the time I was going to see Dr Tran in Parallel Eye Care that's where I'm currently, or where my family is from right now and so I shadowed them and I just fell in love I the patients, the way he interacted with the patients, especially the opportunity to have your own practice in optometry. It's very common to be a practice owner and so you have a little bit of business, a little bit of fashion with your glasses. You still get that patient care, those patients that are just so happy to see you. They're very thankful, especially when it comes to the health of their eyes and if they have any systemic diseases. It was just all around. I just fell in love and it was something I could see myself doing for a long time. So, honestly, that talk with my counselor they go out and explore the world pretty much changed my life and what I wanted to do with it, and so very thankful for him.

Speaker 1: 6:50

Yes, and so at that point you scratched veterinary school and focused on this. Or was this just your backup plan? What did you decide at that point?

Speaker 2: 7:01

I think at that point I just scratched veterinary school out of the way and then, ever since then, I never looked back, honestly. So a couple of days after shadowing, they really liked me there and they offered me a job and so it was my first job actually that I had ever had was with an optometrist and so I worked front desk, I worked up patients and all the patients just loved me and I just loved them and I was like, yeah, this is what I want to do. And so here I am.

Speaker 1: 7:31

I really appreciate you sharing that. You didn't know exactly where you wanted to be until you were in college. You know that's kind of where they had that wake up call like, ok, let's focus on, because I feel there's so much pressure on students. We have in our audience. We have parents and students and both whether it's parents putting pressure on students or students putting pressure upon themselves to to decide what they want to do and they feel like they're running out of time. But I really love that you share that.

Speaker 2: 8:04

Yes, I think everyone is on their own schedule, right. So when I was young by 25, I thought I was going to have a family. I thought I was going to have a house. I didn't know this is what I was going to be doing. I think I've come to realize with ages, like everyone is on their own schedule. I have friends in an optometry school at the age of 30, just now becoming optometrist, they went to do other things and now they're here, and so that's the life lessons I've learned Like, don't feel rushed, take your time. You want to do something that you're going to love, right? And so you want to rush into things.

Speaker 1: 8:36

Yeah, no, absolutely. And then the other thing that I heard you say was the shadowing experience, and I'm a huge advocate of that and you can, honestly, students can shadow as as early as in high school just to explore what it is behind the scenes. You know, doing that career day and day out.

Speaker 2: 8:56

Yes, I really encourage shadowing, but probably the best that my counselor encouraged me to do.

Speaker 1: 9:03

Absolutely Super, super. Let me ask you this so who influenced you the most? We always say there's mom fluency out there and of course, parents are huge, but there's also other people around that can support and mentor you. So who are your biggest influences?

Speaker 2: 9:21

My biggest or probably just I just cliched to say that something you mentioned it me women in my family. Everyone is a business owner. They're all very independent women and, honestly, the best role models I've had to look up to. And, of course, my teachers as well. They've been really good influences on me. My counselors I've had professors that take the time to like sit with me and they just guide me. I didn't know what I was doing. My parents they were. They had no idea what the healthcare graph is going to be exactly, and so my next person to look up to were my teachers, and it was a little scary to approach them, but they're really there to help you. I mean, they became educators because he wanted to teach them a passion for teaching. They want to help kids out. So, yeah, I think just all the women in my family has just been nice to look up to them and I mean they're doing amazing jobs. Yeah, teachers and the women in my family, I would say yeah, no, absolutely.

Speaker 1: 10:21

Thank you for sharing that. What about obstacles? What obstacles did you have to overcome? Because we always see people on the other side like, oh wow, she's an optometry school and she's soon to graduate. Things must have just been easy along the way. So what obstacles did you have to overcome?

Speaker 2: 10:43

Yes, so I've been very blessed growing up and I think probably this this might be taking it a different way now, but my biggest obstacle is overcoming a death in the family. I'm sure of optometry school. I never lost anyone and then all of a sudden I lose my grand father and that was probably one of and I was just sad at it. I want to go to split class anymore and it's real life, honestly, and I sympathize for anyone going through that. But with the support of my family, with the support of counselors, everything there just helped me become a stronger person. I know my grandfather would love to see me graduate right, and it's something he'll be doing from heaven now, I guess, wherever he's looking out for me. But yeah, I would say, just keep going. Honestly, that's one of the obstacles I've had in my career.

Speaker 1: 11:42

Yeah, no, that's that's a good point, because a lot of students can encounter, you know, things like that or health issues and that might set them back, and one of the things that I highly encourage others is to lean upon each other, whether it's family, friends, mentors, you know, to just continue, continue going. So you said your parents. I know your. Your parents are on different track. You're the first probably heading from the immediate family in the healthcare field. Yes, how did your parents take the information or the notice that you decided to go into optometry school versus veterinary school?

Speaker 2: 12:23

They were pretty supportive of it. I was very lucky in that aspect. They really just wanted me to be happy and comfortable in what I wanted to do. But after I told them and I explained to them and I think they saw the passion that I had for what I finally decided on, they were just happy for me. And so it is a little hard. They were a little doubtful, I think, just with anything in the healthcare, because it is four more years of college and it gets hard Like go like a career in the healthcare is really hard, especially all the schooling, all the stress he goes through. And they were just. They asked me if I was ready to do it and if I had what it took. And then they just buckled up and just kind of took the ride with me. And I mean anything. If I ever have a question or I am like stressed or anxious for whatever test, I call them up, they give me a little pep talk and then you know they've been really helpful and I think they took it very well.

Speaker 1: 13:21

Very good, Very good Right now as a college student, especially now in graduate school, what are some of the best tips or advice you can give a high schooler is we'll think about them first and then what are the best tips and advice you can give a college student.

Speaker 2: 13:41

Um, yes, a high schooler, enjoy high school. Those your friends, all the free time you have. That is going to be different in college and whatever you choose to be, your schedule is going to be different. Your friends, you're going to make new friends, don't be. I think that was probably one of the basics in high school is, I was, I'm a really shy person and this click of friends in high school and now going into college, I was like, oh, how am I going to make new friends? Like how I'm going to leave behind my old friends, how am I going to get out of my shell and make those new lifelong?

Speaker 1: 14:18

friends, that everyone could you know like the lifelong friends and making call.

Speaker 2: 14:21

Don't be scared. Honestly, just be yourself in your classes. You're going to find people with the same interests, right, if you're a biology major, you're going to have people in that class with the same interests in biology business major. Because I think that was probably one of my biggest. But what I was nervous for was how am I going to make new? And there are people everywhere. There are so many people willing to help you. If you're ever struggling in class, reach out to those people. I remember one time in college I saw a group of people studying for a biology test and I didn't have a study group yet and it took every bit of me to get the courage to add. And now those people are still my life today. So don't be. Yeah. As for help, maybe those are going to be your new best friends. I still talk to them till this day.

Speaker 1: 15:09

Yeah, no, that's really good. What about college students? What have you learned? And, if you don't mind, sharing? I know we've talked off recording about being well rested before exams and taking yeah, so go ahead and tell us a little bit about that.

Speaker 2: 15:25

Yes, the two things I would give to college students would be one put yourself first, right? So if you are just not feeling it that day, it is okay. That is something I've learned in grad school. I wish I would have learned before in undergrad. But I would just stress and stress over having to study 24 seven. I would see my friends sitting all the time. I was like, oh, that means I have to be studying all the time and so I'd push myself to all nighters and I just, I just couldn't. I burnt myself out.

Speaker 2: 15:54

And so recently, in this past year, I took a step back and I started listening to my body. I started listening to my mental health, like if I was, if 10 pm came around and that's all I could take, I would give myself the rest of the night off. And once I started getting into that routine, oh, my studying habits just improved beyond what I thought they could be. My mental health has improved so much. Do it at your own pace, right? Yeah, I don't. Just because my friends are sitting 24 seven and I can't do that, I don't not like, I don't feel guilty about it anymore.

Speaker 2: 16:31

I started at 11 pm the night before test, which I had never done. I thought I had to study until the last minute, until minutes before the exam was going to start, and my grades have gotten so much better. Oh my gosh, like taking that day off to rest Like if I just wasn't feeling it that day and I gave myself the day off I really needed to learn that I'm doing so much better mentally. I'm like my health is so much better. My grades are doing amazing. I mean that first time, when I went to bed at 11 pm before that exam, I was so nervous, like, oh, hopefully that wasn't a mistake, right? But no, I'd rather have a rested brain before an exam, right? So I can critically think through my questions rather than staying up all night just because I thought I had to.

Speaker 1: 17:18

Right, yeah, absolutely. Thank you for sharing that, because a lot of students here parents say it, hear teachers say it, but when it's actually a student who has lived that experience and seen their grades improve because they're really focusing on themselves and their mental health, I really appreciate you sharing that.

Speaker 2: 17:41

Whoever I can tell that to like. It's probably one of the best things that I've learned in life. Just listen to yourself, listen to your body. Take that day off. Don't feel guilty about it, because I used to feel super guilty about it. Don't feel guilty about it.

Speaker 1: 17:54

Yeah, super, super, anything else, anything else for graduate students that you can think of, that you wish somebody would have told you, or probably they did, but it didn't really hit home until now.

Speaker 2: 18:06

Probably that one. Be prepared, just be prepared. I know a lot of times you see videos and they romanticize healthcare like we'll get back by 30 am when I take you to yoga and it just looks like butterflies and rainbows and it's not. I mean, it is right you make it what you want to make it. Be prepared to work. It's okay to be sad, it's okay to be stressed. Right, just ask for help. Please, please, please, reach out for help. I used to be really shy about asking for help. Now, like schools usually offer counselors, please talk to them. That will really help. Right, I'm listening to your body. I wish those were things I knew earlier.

Speaker 1: 18:42

Can you share with us how you managed to financially pay your education?

Speaker 2: 18:49

Yes. So this is something I didn't know before and I was like freaking out, like how am I going to afford this An extra four years on top of undergrad costs? But so I learned going to my interviews and talking to schools, is that in optometry school I believe it's similar to other graduate programs there's a lot of FAFSA aid for us, and so for me, I have the full tuition paid for. Well, this is the loan that I received from FAFSA, but it covers and then they also give us extra for housing and living as well, and so that really took a lot of load off of me, right? Because I didn't know how I was going to pay for it. I didn't have the money. But, yes, they provide you full tuition and extra money to live.

Speaker 1: 19:39

Super and I think that's important for students to know that when you go, because you're right, a lot of students might not even think beyond a bachelor's degree because they're like, am I going to even pay that? But they do base themselves on your income and not your parents income because at that point you're considered independent. So if you've been, if you've been going to school for years and you know you're really not making an income because you are going to school, they're basing your financial aid based on your income now as a graduate student, rather than your parents.

Speaker 2: 20:13

Exactly the way. Income of nothing is pretty much, and so I got my. I got my full fast bill, yeah.

Speaker 1: 20:21

Super, super, super awesome.

Speaker 2: 20:24

Any financial tips, any anything that you'd like to share with others, whether it's cost saving tips or I think for me buy my groceries at the beginning of the week and then, instead of eating out every day I love eating out every day, but this is just something that saves me a little bit extra money and it's really helpful to have roommates who also stay in and cook, because it'll just like cook together. I would say that just sacrifice these four years living a little bit more I don't know financially conservative, and I really think that will help. I know it's something I used to like going out to eat. I used to like going shopping all the time, but just cutting back a little bit on that and then knowing that once you're out of here and making your own money, you can, you know, resume what you like to do after that.

Speaker 1: 21:16

Yeah, very good, very good. What qualities do you think have stood out most about you and has made you successful? So what do you? What do you think has made Katya, you know, withstand high demands of going to school and learning and everything else?

Speaker 2: 21:36

I would say be open for it, being open for a challenge. Right, You're going to fail, You're gonna have that one test that you're not gonna do. Well, and don't let that test to find you. Just be open to challenge yourself. Honestly, I like challenging myself. I used to not be okay with failing, you know we were always like but if you're not failing, you're not trying hard enough. Right, you wanna surpass your limits in a healthy way, and so I'm always open for a challenge. You know you don't succeed that test, study harder for the next one. Prove to yourself that you can do it because you can. And so I have noticed in some of my friends that they did do all the tests and they were super, super down on themselves. I would go and talk to them like, hey, like that does not define who you are right, Keep working harder and you can do it. And so I think that's something that you have to take it to grad school. Don't be afraid to fail. Just keep pushing and do better the next time around.

Speaker 1: 22:35

Yeah, very good, very good, Tell us a little bit about optometry. Tell us a little bit more about that career. What other fields are similar to optometry? Just to kind of spark the interest of students who may be listening and, you know, maybe this is like, hmm, that's interesting, I wanna know more about it.

Speaker 2: 22:52

Yes, so actually an optometry. If you've ever been to an eye doctor, we're known for that one, but there is just so much more to it. We do overall health of our patients. A lot of our patients were the first doctors that they see with diseases such as diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure. Even cancers, like some of these are detected in the eye. So we are just like an overall health doctor, not really just focus on the eyes, and that's something I learned, right, I mean, I knew about optometry school, I shadowed and then I got into school and I was like this is like so much more than I thought it was about and I love it. I love that these patients trust me with that. So I'm seeing patients now as a student clinician.

Speaker 2: 23:40

This is second year of optometry.

Speaker 2: 23:42

School was when we first started seeing patients and I was so nervous If I don't know what I'm seeing, but there's always someone there to guide and always someone there to help which I've been very thankful for and asking questions, and so that's pretty much what that looks like.

Speaker 2: 23:58

So the first year is classes. You have like anatomy again, you have a little bit of physics, has evolved, a lot of biology courses and then, starting second year, you enter your clinic courses, you start seeing patients there in my third and now we have a lot more clinics, a lot more patient care, which I really, really enjoy. So the school aspect of it, like studying, it gets hard, but when I'm in there with my patients, oh, it just makes it so much worth it. Knowing when I actually know something and when I actually see something in the patient. When you take it from the textbook and you actually see it in a patient, oh, it's so exciting. And then just seeing how I've helped a lot of patients. A lot of them don't know that they have diseases such as diabetes and we're the first ones to tell them.

Speaker 2: 24:43

So it's really especially, we do a lot of free care. A lot of patients with in the lower income that haven't been able to see a doctor in the past they come to see us and then now it's our job to guide them with the next steps over their health, and so we do that. We also do a lot of glaucoma, so anything into the eyes and also systemic overall health of the patient is what optometry school is about. I would say.

Speaker 1: 25:12

Okay, and you get a doctorate in optometry. Yes, a doctor in optometry Okay, very, very cool. So it seems like once you're into the program, you're actually seeing patients on year two. So you're doing a lot of practicum and a lot of hands-on learning. At that point. It's not like your typical first four years of just books and tests.

Speaker 2: 25:33

Yeah, so this is like real life. You see your patients, you're learning from your patients. Yeah, it's really nice. I've enjoyed my three years here so far.

Speaker 1: 25:44

That's awesome. Was there anything that you were afraid of when you went into the program? Is there anything that you were like, oh I don't know if I can do that or that's going to be difficult? And you've seen different ones in.

Speaker 2: 25:59

I was probably afraid of not knowing what I'm looking at. But what if we don't know what the patient has? And that's the thing about optometry school they teach you how to critical think through it, right? So? And then you have your colleagues. And another thing we learned form body removals. So if somebody gets something in their eye I move it. What if I hurt my patient? But no, all of my teachers have walked us through it. I actually did see a patient with one got to remove it for the first time. I think the first time is probably the scariest it's going to be, and then, once you get through it, it gets so much better. So maybe that just being a little careful around the eyeball and it just seems so sensitive, right, we would practice grapes and we would practice on tomatoes, but when you have the real eyeball in front of you with something, have to go in and remove it. That was probably honestly the scariest thing for me.

Speaker 1: 26:57

First, as far as undergraduate, if somebody wants to go into optometry school, is there a preferred degree that you know people would recommend?

Speaker 2: 27:06

or Mm, hmm, a lot of us do biology. Just because he gets a lot of the prerequisites out of the way. We major in. Whatever you want to do, as long as you hit those prerequisites and then every school that you're looking into applying to will provide you with this list online of what's required, and a lot of them also have entrance exams, and usually those doing those prerequisites will will prepare you for that entrance exam.

Speaker 1: 27:35

Nice, nice, nice. Ok, so you know? I'm assuming that right now you're so close that you can now think beyond finishing your degree. What would be next in your education or your career? Do you just want to start working? What is? What is next for Gaudia?

Speaker 2: 27:54

Yes, for sure, I will probably start working so after graduation in 2024, I think it takes a couple of months for license to come in and work, for me to practice, and so, which is perfect because that gives me time to just explore my options. Yeah, but right now working. But in the future I would love, love, love to have my own practice, just have my own practice, have my own schedule, be very personal with my, with my patients, just provide overall care, and so that might be maybe 10 years from now possible.

Speaker 1: 28:30

Yeah, absolutely. And let me ask you this what's your drive? You know, of course, completing and getting your degree, but what else drives and motivates you day in and day out?

Speaker 2: 28:46

Day in and day out. Let's I would say, knowing I'm doing this for myself, like I little girl me would be so proud of myself right now. I had to drink this moment and so just thinking about my under self being so proud and like cheering me on, I think it's like probably one of the best things that keeps me going. I used to dream about being in this exact moment. I used to dream about being in an optometry school back in undergrad and I'm here now. Right, Things get tough, but I'm just like wow, like I get to do this right and it's just nice living out my little dream, thinking about my, my past self being so proud of me right now.

Speaker 1: 29:23

Oh, my goodness, I love that, I love that, I love that. Super Well, I appreciate anything else you'd like to add.

Speaker 2: 29:32

Take care of yourself throughout the whole experience. And then any optometry school. The websites are very easy to navigate. I guess a place to start would be the school that I go to university. If you send optometry, it's very straightforward and then you just click to see any prerequisites that you need. You could schedule an appointment to get a tour of the school or meet with the financial aid counselor. They're very open. I always see them giving little tours to students. They always stop by and say hi, yeah.

Speaker 1: 30:03

Super Awesome. Thank you, katya. I'm really excited that you had joined us and I can't wait to maybe have you back in a couple of years and then we'll have Dr Guzman share with us about her experience. Thank you so much and I appreciate you being here. Hi friend, thank you for listening in. If you enjoyed this episode, it would mean so much to me. If you share it with a friend, send it to them right now or, even better, talk me on your Instagram stories so I can personally thank you for helping me build our community. I'm so thankful for each and every one of you. Let's keep in touch and I'll talk to you soon. Adios.