Tell us a little about yourself (quirky habits or favourite things etc):
Hi Everyone :) I’m Wendy and currently settled in Sydney. I have been an optometrist for over half a decade now, and spent my first 5 years working in country locations along the eastern side of Oz: from Cairns down to Tassy and a few places in between!
How did you end up in optometry as a career?
Optometry became my first preference, after I could not choose to be an interpreter (my mother said I wasn’t good enough compared to Asians from Asia). I was always good at science, so after deciding between Pharmacy and Optometry, I chose Optometry due to the higher enter rank needed.
What are you most passionate about outside of optometry?
I love hiking and racquet sports (especially squash), so I try to pursue those in my spare time. In my travels, I bought a guitar in Cairns and a piano sized keyboard in Tassy, so music is something I am passionate about. I have a bit of a farmer’s streak in me, and I’m really into organic gardening and pursuing a healthy vegetarian lifestyle.
How would you spend your free time?
I spend a lot of my free time actually, going to CPD and Leadership events, like conferences etc, and mixing that up with overseas travel. On Saturdays, I hang out with friends and we play a lot of exciting games, most recently Laser Tag - I’m looking forward to Escape Room next! On Sundays, I go to Church. I go to the beach a lot too at sunset, the beaches here are breathtakingly beautiful! If I have a whole day free, I go hiking with a group (too scared to hike by myself, I’m quite directionless and become lost very easily).
I’m supposed to be finishing off my therapeutics, so my free time will be devoted to studying very very soon.
Most embarrassing moment?
Doing a presentation when I wasn’t invited to with my whole family present and Science HOD present too, at a CSIRO Student Research Scheme speech night. I kept my cool though, but looking back, I should have been more embarrassed.
What inspired you to join YO as a subcommittee member?
It was fun introducing YO to Specsavers graduates in Melbourne this year, so I thought: why not join? I worked in the country as soon as I graduated and stayed in various country locations for at least a year. It was a bit lonely and isolating in the country for me, and I feel like YO is a good platform to reach out to young regional optoms. You guys are doing a fantastic job by the way! It’s not easy being in the country!
If you had one superpower, what would it be?
I wish I could read minds. I’m told I cannot really read people and empathise well enough. I’m really working on that actually.
What is your current favourite phrase?
“Zero to Hero”
