08/02/2022
To my friends in the Mt. Pleasant, Iowa community--
Eye doctors looked forward to the year 2020 with great anticipation. Now we can say with hindsight that it was not what we expected. As anyone who was a former patient of mine knows, I made the difficult decision in March 2020 to end my clinical career as an optometrist who sees patients directly. When I did, I hoped to be working as a Medical Science Liaison in the eyecare industry by that summer of 2020. But just days after giving notice of my resignation, the consequences of a global pandemic became apparent--restrictions, closures, and cancellations began. What I thought would be a couple months of preparation for a new profession in Medical Affairs, turned out to be a year-long journey of discovery, learning, and waiting. Yet looking back, I would not change the timeline even if I could. I learned and grew so much during that year-long hiring process.
Over a year ago, with great anticipation, excitement, and joy, I began to use my patient care experience and lifelong love of learning in a new way. ALCON Vision was a great resource for me as a clinician caring for patients over a 33-year span. In May 2021, I began working for ALCON--the global leader in eye care devices--as their Medical Science Liaison for Vision Care, Dry Eye and Ocular Health, for The Americas. I can happily say the wait was well worth it and I love my new role! Throughout my career I‘ve made many friends across the country who serve the public as clinicians, administrators, educators, and researchers. My new role is to encourage and enable eye doctors like them to conduct clinical trials to improve eye health and vision care for patients around the world! Working together, in separate ways, we each get to help people preserve and improve their sight--one of God’s greatest gifts.
For that, and for any of you who may see this, I am grateful. (And if anyone you know thinks I’m retired, please share this with them!)
Blessings,
Christopher P. Olson, OD FAAO
