‘Beh(eye)nd the scenes’

When our elementary school teachers asked us what we wanted to be when we grew up, my answer was always doctor. Ever since I can remember, I’ve always dreamed of being a doctor. At times when my peers would undergo different phases of possible future careers, I remained fixated on medicine. So when I received the opportunity to intern at the Cincinnati Eye Institute (CEI) and learn more about what being a d...

The first week of my internship was over spring break. I shadowed two different ophthalmologists - Dr. Ginger Henson, an oculoplastics¹ surgeon, and Dr. Michael Snyder, a cataract² and iris replacement surgeon - in both the operating room and the clinic. My sole task was to examine the different interactions the doctors had with their patients and compare them to those they had with their own staff. I was also al...

On my first day, I was in the operating room with Dr. Henson. She walked me through the variety of cases that came in, ranging from droopy eye lids to entropion repair, which is when the eyelid must be fixed so that it folds outward rather than inward. In her interactions with different patients, she was very calming. She soothed the patient as they drifted in and out during surgery due to an...

The next day, I found myself back in the operating room. I remember walking into the room and feeling the sudden shift in the atmosphere. Music was playing, and I heard a male voice joking around. As the procedure finished up, the same male voice boomed with congratulations for the patient and thanks for the nurses in the room. Dr. Snyder possessed a very unique personality. He believed that...

On Wed., Mar. 22, I was introduced to the clinical setting. Dr. Snyder showed me around the area, explaining the set-up. “The day after being in the operating room is always really busy. I always have my patients with cataracts come for post-op[erations] the day after surgery to evaluate eye pressure and make sure the lens¹ is in perfect position. “Then, they usually follow up at the month...

The next day, I was still with Dr. Snyder. This time it was New Patient Day. Compared to the previous day, it was very laid back. “What is fun about New Patient Day is that I am in the same seat as you. I have five seconds to look at a patient and gauge their personality so that I can adjust my approach accordingly. “I could get it right, or I could get it all wrong,” Snyder said. There...

On the last day of the first week of my internship, I found myself in Dr. Henson’s clinic. Like Dr. Snyder, Dr. Henson saw a variety of cases. She was able to soothe the patient, remaining calm even when some patients argued. What fascinated me the most was the mini-operating room she had in her clinic. “I usually do all the minor things in the mini-operating room. All the really big things...

  One week of my internship has already affected me so much. It has strengthened my determination to become a doctor. I realize that I like being in the operating room, but I also like interacting with other people. I enjoy learning about each unique situation and trying to figure out a solution. The two doctors I shadowed were amazing; they helped me understand their field and shaped the wa...