USC Undergrads Get Hands-On Experience with Ophthalmology and Optometry in Day-Long Summer Program.

by Eric Weintraub

Above: Kent Nguyen OD, and Lernik Torossian, OD

The USC Roski Eye Institute recently organized a day-long summer program with the aim of introducing USC undergraduates from groups underrepresented in medicine to potential careers in eye care. The event, “Eye Care for All,” drew participation from students across USC, particularly the Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, and the Viterbi School of Engineering.

Now in its second year, “Eye Care for All” was founded by two Roski optometrists, Lernik Torossian, OD, and Kent Nguyen, OD; both Assistant Professors of Clinical Ophthalmology.

“When hearing from the students during the program in 2022, it became clear that many were experiencing a profound interest in a career in eye care for the first time. This confirmed the necessity to continue this program,” said Dr. Torossian. “We set out to reach more USC undergraduate students who could benefit from hearing professionals in the field speak about the life of being an eye doctor and researcher. We aimed to prepare students for success in graduate school and most importantly, understand that it is possible for anyone interested to consider this career path.”

Throughout the program, students had the opportunity to attend lectures on ophthalmology, optometry, and vision science research presented by Roski faculty and residents. Faculty shared insights into various fields, such as: corneal transplantation, neuro-ophthalmology, oculoplastics, retinal degeneration, bioelectronic medicine, cataract surgery and more.

Lareen Abu Tayeh, a Health Promotion and Disease Prevention major from the Class of 2024, expressed why she signed up for the program: “I’ve always been interested in ophthalmology, and I want to learn more about the diversity aspect of the specialty and the different areas I can go into with regards to ophthalmology. I find it exceptional how you can treat someone in more than one way simply by looking at their eye.”

Faculty also discussed their experiences as healthcare providers and offered guidance about medical education and careers in eye care.

Jocelyn Sanchez, a Biomedical Engineering major from the Class of 2026, shared how the information benefitted her: “Since high school, I’ve been interested in the medical field. I’ve never looked into optometry or ophthalmology. I wanted to get this experience to learn more about these areas. I’ve worn glasses me whole life, so this is particularly interesting to me.”

Tej Desai, a Health and Human Sciences major from the Class of 2027, added how the program was aiding big decisions he’s making about his career: “I did a STEM-based engineering program in high school, but then I realized it wasn’t right for me. I’ve been in an exploratory mindset since to discover what I really want to do. Ophthalmology recently caught my eye, so I wanted to check this out, learn more about the field, more about healthcare and more about medicine.”

A highlight of the program involved one-on-one interactions between the undergraduates and current KSOM medical students, enabling discussions about training and career trajectories. Under the supervision of Dr. Torossian and Dr. Nguyen, medical students also led attendees in a hands-on cow eye dissection. The unique experience provided attendees with a close-up examination of the eye’s internal structures, including the lens, cornea, vitreous, retina, and optic nerve.

Now with the second year completed, Dr. Torossian and Dr. Nguyen hope to continue to offer “Eye Care for All” as an annual program to USC undergraduates.

“Diversity is important in healthcare because it brings in different backgrounds, viewpoints, and ideas that ultimately lead to better patient care,” said Dr. Nguyen. “As the field of eye care is dynamic, every year we aim to increase the involvement of diverse faculty to introduce the students to new research and unique perspectives. We hope to incorporate more hands-on activities such as technology and instrument demonstrations in the future.” 

The 2023 program would not have been possible without the support provided by JEDI-West and the office of Dean Carolyn C. Meltzer. They, along with many others at USC, see the importance of diversity in healthcare and helped make the program a success this summer.

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Please email us at USCEYES@MED.USC.EDU if you are interested in learning more about future Eye Care for All events. (Please use subject line “USC DEI”).