optometrist course personal statement

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Optometry Personal Statement

Use this Optometry personal statement example as an inspiration to write your own for the UK university application, if you are applying to study Optometry course.

Finding a profession that both fulfils one’s intellectual interests and provides a sense of purpose is the key to a rewarding career. It would be necessary for me to pursue a career with a solid scientific aspect to work, since I have always been fascinated by the fields of biology and chemistry, with the objective of helping people every day. As a result of my involvement in various work placements within the health sector, I have come to realize that optometry is a profession that allows me to combine both. I have been captivated by human anatomy because of my studies in sciences at school. Studying biology has allowed me to gain a great deal of insight into how the human body develops diseases and how it attempts to fight them – sometimes unsuccessfully. Studying Level Chemistry has reinforced my understanding of biochemistry, which has been of particular interest to me. In school, I have thoroughly enjoyed studying biology and chemistry, and I look forward to applying what I have learned in these subjects to gain a detailed understanding of ocular science.

An extended work placement at a local optician helped me gain a deeper understanding of optometry both as a field of study and a profession. I shadowed different opticians as they performed eye tests and contact lens fittings during the placement. The importance of good communication skills in optometry has become apparent to me. Customers and patients would have a much more difficult time navigating what can often be complex procedures without them. In cases where patients are suffering from vision problems or are distressed by the prospect of undergoing tests, opticians should also act with empathy and patience. In the laboratory, I also had the opportunity to observe – and sometimes participate in – the lens and frame preparation processes during my placement. As a result of this experience, I have a much better understanding of the different types of lenses that are used in glasses, as well as the technical skills involved in making them. Since I found the work placement so rewarding, I have continued to volunteer every Saturday at the same optician.

I have also carried out a work placement at a local pharmacy. This experience encouraged me to develop some of the personal skills that I believe are necessary for working as an optician. During the placement, I had the opportunity to interact with customers. Through this, I learnt how much I enjoy work in which I can offer advice to people, and also felt a gratifying sense of responsibility in response to the fact that the advice I gave them regarding non-prescription medication could play a role in alleviating the symptoms of their health problems.

In my spare time, I have participated in a range of activities that also allow me to be involved in helping people. In Year 12 I mentored a group of Year 7 students; I enjoyed being able to make them feel less apprehensive about starting life in secondary school. I have been involved with several fund-raising initiatives for Afrikids and Cancer Research, such as selling cakes and doing a sponsored walk. These activities gave me a sense of satisfaction by allowing me to work as part of a team with a common goal. My sense of teamwork has also been improved by my involvement in my school’s hockey and netball teams. On a more personal note, I am a highly enthusiastic musician; I play the guitar, and also particularly enjoy traditional Indian music. I have found learning to play an instrument to be both an outlet for self-expression and a way of developing my skills of perseverance. I am also an avid reader of fiction, in particular stories that ignite my sense of adventure, such as Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland.

Recommended reading:

• Personal Statement Examples
• How to Write a Personal Statement for a PhD
• UCAS Personal Statement: A Writing Guide And Tips For Success
• How to Write a Personal Statement That Stands Out
• Tips for Writing a Personal Statement for the University
• How to Write UCAS Reference Letter

Optometry Personal Statement Examples

• 1 Personal Statement Example Links
• 2 Career Opportunities
• 3 UK Admission Requirements
• 4 UK Earnings Potential For Optometrists
• 5 Similar Courses in the UK
• 6 UK Curriculum
• 7 Alumni Network

Personal Statement Example Links

• Personal Statement Example 1
• Personal Statement Example 2
• Personal Statement Example 3
• Personal Statement Example 4
• Personal Statement Example 5
• Personal Statement Example 6

Ever been intrigued by the complexity and wonder of human vision? Inspired by the idea of improving and preserving sight through the science of eye care?

If so, a degree in Optometry could be your perfect journey. This fascinating field equips you with the knowledge and skills to diagnose and treat a variety of eye conditions, enhancing people’s quality of life through better vision.

As an optometrist, you will be responsible for diagnosing and managing vision problems, prescribing corrective lenses and medications, and providing advice on eye care and hygiene.

You may also work alongside ophthalmologists, surgeons, and other healthcare professionals to provide comprehensive eye care services.

To become an optometrist, you will need to complete a Doctor of Optometry degree program, which typically takes four years after completing a Bachelor’s degree.

During your degree, you will gain in-depth knowledge of ocular anatomy, physiology, optics, and pathology, as well as practical experience in clinical settings.

A career as an optometrist offers a high level of job security, competitive salaries, and the opportunity to make a positive impact on people’s lives by improving their vision and overall quality of life.

👍 When writing a personal statement : Highlight your passion for the course, demonstrating your understanding of it. Use relevant personal experiences, coursework, or work history to showcase how these have fostered your interest and readiness for the course.

Career Opportunities

Someone with a degree in optometry can pursue a number of different careers and professions. These include:

• Optometrist: An optometrist is a healthcare professional who specializes in the diagnosis, treatment, and management of eye and vision care. Optometrists provide comprehensive eye exams, prescribe corrective lenses, diagnose and treat eye diseases, and perform vision therapy.
• Ophthalmologist: An ophthalmologist is a medical doctor who specializes in the diagnosis, treatment, and management of eye and vision care. Ophthalmologists provide comprehensive eye exams, prescribe corrective lenses, diagnose and treat eye diseases, and perform surgery.
• Optician: An optician is a healthcare professional who specializes in the fitting and dispensing of eyeglasses and contact lenses. Opticians also provide advice on the selection of frames and lenses, as well as the maintenance and repair of eyeglasses and contact lenses.
• Vision Therapist: A vision therapist is a healthcare professional who specializes in the diagnosis, treatment, and management of vision-related problems. Vision therapists provide comprehensive vision therapy, including eye exercises and vision training.
• Optical Scientist: An optical scientist is a scientist who specializes in the study of light and its properties. Optical scientists research and develop new optical technologies, such as lenses, optical instruments, and optical systems.
• Optometric Technician: An optometric technician is a healthcare professional who assists optometrists in providing eye care services. Their responsibilities include conducting preliminary eye tests, maintaining optical instruments, and assisting with patient care.

UK Admission Requirements

In order to be accepted into an Optometry course in the UK, applicants must have achieved a minimum of three A-Levels at grade A or above, with at least one of these being in a science subject. Additionally, applicants must have achieved a minimum of five GCSEs at grade A*-C or equivalent, including Maths and English.

The entry requirements for an Optometry course in the UK are generally more stringent than those for similar courses such as Ophthalmology or Orthoptics. For example, applicants to an Optometry course are usually required to have achieved higher grades in their A-Levels and GCSEs than those applying to other courses.

Additionally, applicants to an Optometry course must usually have studied a science subject at A-Level , while those applying to other courses may not be required to do so.

UK Earnings Potential For Optometrists

The average earnings for someone with a degree in optometry vary depending on the location and type of practice. According to the Association of Optometrists, the average salary for optometrists in the UK is £58,000 per year. The highest salaries are typically found in London and the South East of England, where salaries can exceed £70,000.

In terms of trends in the job market, the demand for optometrists is expected to increase over the next few years due to an aging population and an increasing awareness of the importance of eye health.

The introduction of new technologies such as telemedicine and virtual reality are likely to create more opportunities for optometrists.

Similar Courses in the UK

Other university courses related to Optometry include Ophthalmic Dispensing, Orthoptics, and Vision Science.

Ophthalmic Dispensing focuses on the practical application of optical science, teaching students the skills needed to design, supply, and fit eyeglasses and contact lenses.

Orthoptics is a specialized area of optometry that focuses on the diagnosis and management of eye movement disorders.

Vision Science is an interdisciplinary field that combines the study of optics, vision, and neuroscience to understand how the visual system works.

The key differences between these courses and Optometry are that Optometry focuses on the diagnosis and management of eye and vision problems, while the other courses focus on specific areas of the eye and vision field.

In short: Ophthalmic Dispensing focuses on the practical application of optical science, Orthoptics focuses on the diagnosis and management of eye movement disorders, and Vision Science focuses on the study of optics, vision, and neuroscience.

UK Curriculum

The key topics and modules covered in an Optometry course in the UK typically include:

• Anatomy and Physiology of the Eye: This module covers the structure and function of the eye, including the anatomy of the eye, the physiology of vision, and the optics of the eye.
• Ophthalmic Optics: This module covers the principles of optics and the use of optical instruments, including the use of lenses and prisms, and the measurement and correction of refractive errors.
• Clinical Optometry: This module covers the diagnosis and management of eye diseases and disorders, as well as the application of optical aids and contact lenses.
• Contact Lens Practice: This module covers the use and fitting of contact lenses, and the management of contact lens-related problems.
• Low Vision and Rehabilitation: This module covers the diagnosis and management of low vision, as well as the use of low vision aids.
• Professional Practice: This module covers the professional responsibilities of an optometrist, including the ethical and legal aspects of practice.

Hands-on experience and practical work are integral to an Optometry course. Students will typically have the opportunity to work with patients in a clinical setting, as well as practice fitting contact lenses and using optical instruments.

Alumni Network

Notable alumni from the course of optometry include Dr. George Waring IV , who is a professor at the University of Alabama School of Optometry. He is an internationally recognized leader in the field of optometry and has contributed to the advancement of the profession through his research, teaching, and clinical practice.

Dr. Waring has published numerous articles in peer-reviewed journals and has lectured extensively on the topics of contact lenses, ocular disease, and vision care. He is also the recipient of numerous awards and honors, including the American Academy of Optometry’s Distinguished Service Award and the American Optometric Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award.

The University of Alabama School of Optometry also hosts an annual Alumni Reunion, which is a great opportunity for alumni to connect with each other and stay up to date on the latest developments in the field.

Alumni also have the opportunity to participate in a variety of networking events, such as the Alumni Networking Dinner, which is held twice a year. This event provides alumni with the opportunity to meet and network with fellow alumni and faculty members. Additionally, alumni can join the Alumni Association, which provides access to exclusive events and resources.

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How to Write – A Killer Personal Statement Optometry Example

The Personal Statement Optometry Edition

The personal statement for Optometry plays a significant role in the application process for many universities. They provide the admissions team with information on your academia, work experience, and personality, to help them determine whether you’re a good fit for their program.

Personal Statement Format - Optometry

A structured and well-written personal statement will highlight your strengths and demonstrate your transferable skillset. You should include your educational background, work history, volunteering, extracurriculars, hobbies, and aspirations (whether you want to stay in primary care, work in a hospital, or create your own business). If you’ve taken courses related to optometry, be sure to mention those too.

If you’re not too sure what to write about, ask yourself these questions:

What do I hope to accomplish by applying to optometry?

How have my experiences prepared me for university?

Why should they choose me?

This guide has you covered with keywords, bonus tips, and a successful personal statement optometry example.

If you’re applying through UCAS, then you’re limited to 4000 characters (including spaces) and up to 47 lines. Check your length by pasting your draft here , you may need to remove the spaces between paragraphs- this is normal and you will not be penalised for that. 

Table of Contents

• Step 1 – Scope of Practice
• Step 2 – Keywords
• Step 3 – Mentor/Editing Service
• Killer Personal Statement Optometry Example
• Overview of the statement

Step 1: Understand an Optometrist's Scope of Practice

An optometrist’s  Scope of Practice simply means what their roles are, what they’re allowed to do, and day-to-day roles. 

Roles – Research the difference between roles of dispensing opticians, optometrists, ophthalmologists, and

– this will show off your background research and understanding.

If you have shadowed an optometrist, mention their roles in educating, advocating, and treating patients. This isn’t somewhere to list roles but suggests how you hope to make a difference through these roles.

Standards of Practice – Look into the General Optical Council Standards – These are 19 standards each optical professional must abide by. Integrate some of these in your personal statement optometry.

e.g., Standard 5: Keep your knowledge and skills up to date – Show your ability to research outside of your currciculum, mention an article, or research that you read. Show that you’re aware that learning extends beyond university!

Step 2: Keywords

• Collaboration- an ability to work closely with others
• Educator- willingness to teach others, educate patients on their vision health
• Advocate- care and support those with visual conditions, impairments & vulnerable patients
• Leader- handle the business side of optometry, manage a clinic, and mentor juniors
• Empathy- work with a diverse community, care for the young, elderly, those with disabilities etc…
• Communication- an ability to speak coherently, clearly, jargon-free, and alter your tone

Purchase the full guide with 3 successful examples, keywords, insider knowledge, top tips, full structure breakdown, and more...

Step 3: mentor/editing service.

Find a Mentor

Most applicants resort to their career adviser for help with their optometry personal statement. Make sure your career adviser has a track record of successful students who have previously applied and helped with a personal statement optometry application.

Optometry is a unique field, focusing on the eyes and a part of healthcare. It’s competitive, meaning you want to use each paragraph to add value rather than repeating what’s already on your UCAS application.

The universities will have your academic records, predicted grades, and final results- so they know you’re hard working and can handle the workload. They want to know how you are as a person, your work experience, knowledge beyond the A Level curriculum, and evidence of your caring nature.

Professional Mentor – a personal statement editor or advisor is someone who helps applicants for a living. They should have had experience with optometry and the application process. My services include editing, rewriting, content addition or budget services which include proofreading, review, and grammar corrections .

Optometrist – if you’ve shadowed an optometrist you might be able to ask them to read through your personal statement for optometry. They can highlight any technical errors or fact-check to make sure the content is correct

Personal Statement Optometry Example

“As an avid photographer, I grew passionate about learning the different camera lenses, apertures, and their impact on focus. This intertwined with my anatomical interests, which stemmed from biology, where I dissected an eye. Visualising the ciliary muscles and learning their function alongside the zonular fibres helped me to understand their function on the lens. A simple contraction causes tension enabling us to focus on near objects. This significant but small muscle carries out an essential function, if impaired, our vision would be hugely affected. Researching this inspired me to understand ocular anatomy and age-related conditions. My research and the dissection tutorial sparked my fascination for vision health. As a teenager, I was always drawn to healthcare, but I was now drawn to this fascinating sector of healthcare. Following my research on age-related conditions, I came across cataracts which are prevalent within the geriatric population. I oversaw the impact cataracts had on elderly patients while volunteering weekly at a residential home. Many residents lacked independence due to their visual impairments and mobility issues. I recognised that many required visual aids, glasses, or regular medication and appointments. To understand the impact this had on their quality of life, I spoke to many who were happy to share their stories. I empathised with their struggles and understood how vision is essential. I also learned how residents coped with their deteriorating vision by improving their room lighting, colour-coded medication, and asking for help. I was able to help with tasks like clipping nails, meal times, and cleaning. I found the team to be very helpful, and we worked closely to make sure everyone was cared for. This work was undoubtedly rewarding, but it made me wonder how those in developing countries or of a lower income are able to access or afford such care. This made me grateful for the cataract surgeries and extensive care the NHS provides for all ages. I hope to use this experience to understand my future patients and educate them on coping methods while they await surgery. I found myself using a more gentle and slower speech when communicating with elderly patients; some suffered from hearing issues and additionally required me to write things down or speak facing them while accentuating my words. I now bear this in mind and am more patient and empathetic toward others. To understand what optometry entails, I shadowed my optometrist for two weeks. I oversaw consultations, eye health checks, diabetic checks, and the use of OCT scans. Being eager to learn, I curiously asked the optometrist to explain the purpose behind each check. I’m grateful that she was kind enough to explain the procedures and the various conditions that can arise. We spoke about retinal detachment, symptoms, and the risk of sudden vision loss. I recognised how crucial it is to care for those in the chair, whether it be elderly patients or those with limited English. Each required a thorough check and an explanation that they could understand. In order to gain a comprehensive experience, I learned about the administrative side of optometry, what is involved in running a clinic, and ensuring referrals are followed up. I had a chance to respond to phone calls and book appointments. This improved my communication skills and ability to empathise with those who were distressed by their symptoms, I could relate as I had recently suffered from allergies, which caused a great deal of irritation and itchiness. Overall, I believe my shadowing, rooted interests in anatomy, and willingness to work in a patient-centred profession have drawn me to optometry. I, therefore, wish to learn, develop, and treat those who are in my care by providing a quality service that will continue beyond university.”

Remember- Scope of Practice, use keywords, and get help with your Personal Statement Optometry

Sentence structure, flow, spelling, and grammar are equally important. Without flow and good transitional sentences, it becomes difficult to read, losing the admission tutor’s interest.

Therefore, I strongly advise getting professional help with the draft once it is written. Invest in your future now to maximise your chances of getting into your dream 0ptometry course.

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Inside OptomCAS Part II: Your Personal Statement for Applying to Optometry School

In the previous post, we zoomed in on the Letters of Evaluation (LOEs) section of the application for optometry school, clarifying requirements and providing some pearls for effectively fulfilling them. This time we turn our attention to another crucial part of the application: the personal statement, a.k.a., the essay.

The LOEs and the personal statement [both of which you’ll manage through the  Optometry Centralized Application Service (OptomCAS)]  are relied upon heavily by the schools and colleges of optometry as they determine whether you’re the type of person who can succeed as a student in their programs and as a future optometrist. Your official instructions for composing the essay are as follows: “Please describe what inspires your decision for becoming an optometrist, including your preparation for training in this profession, your aptitude and motivation, the basis for your interest in optometry, and your future career goals. Your essay should be limited to 4500 characters.”

While the instructions have a kind of “just the facts,” flat quality, your essay will need to be the opposite of that in order to provide the admissions office with information they’ll notice and appreciate. According to Michael Bacigalupi, OD, MS, FAAO, Assistant Dean for Student Affairs & Admissions at Nova Southeastern University College of Optometry (NSU), “The personal statement allows me to get to know a student much better than just filling out blank spaces and checking off boxes on an application. It gives me a better sense of who the applicant is. Through the personal statement, students can convey what we’re looking for, which is motivation, dedication and a love of the profession of optometry. Those qualities aren’t measurable by OAT scores and GPAs.” By the way, Dr. Bacigalupi uses the word “love” of the profession on purpose. “I want students to be passionate about becoming an optometrist,” he says. “Like in any health profession, the rewards can be substantial, but the road to success is not easy, so you have to love it.”

Like some other schools and colleges of optometry, NSU requires applicants to submit an essay in addition to the personal statement. In fact, they ask for two supplemental essays. The two essay questions change from time to time, but for the last application cycle they were: 1) “What specifically are your reasons for choosing to apply to Nova Southeastern University College of Optometry?” and 2) “Professional school is very challenging. What experiences in your life and/or undergraduate career have prepared you for the rigors of optometry school?”

Dr. Bacigalupi says the statements and essays (he reads about 3,000 per year) that catch his attention are the ones that tell a story and talk about a crossroad or a serious decision an applicant made in life that led him or her to optometry as a career. He cites as an example, “Let’s say someone was an at-risk youth but realized that’s not the way he or she wanted to end up so instead took the right path and decided to focus on school. That’s a story that illustrates motivation.” He also recalls an essay from an applicant who had temporarily lost his vision, which led to the realization of how important sight is in daily life and the desire to help safeguard it for others. Don’t worry if your experiences aren’t as dramatic as those, Dr. Bacigalupi says, just be honest while providing insight into who you really are.

Essays that definitely don’t impress are those that seem to be quickly thrown together or are poorly crafted and contain spelling or grammar errors. “What comes across through those things is that the applicant rushed through this step without much care, which may indicate a lack of commitment or that this isn’t that important to him or her,” Dr. Bacigalupi explains. He recommends having another person or people, perhaps with no ties to optometry, read the personal statement with an eye toward content, grammar and readability before it’s submitted. “That gives you insight into whether it’s readable and will be effective,” he says.

Need more inspiration and ideas about what to write about in your personal statement? ASCO points out in its Optometry Career Guide that, in general, optometry schools are looking for students who can demonstrate strong academic commitment as well as exhibit the potential to excel in deductive reasoning, interpersonal communication and empathy. They like to attract well-rounded candidates who have achieved not only in the classroom but also in other areas, such as in leadership ability. A disposition to serve others and a work ethic characterized by dedication and persistence are other desirable qualities. Adds Dr. Bacigalupi, “We want to see in the statement and essays that we’d be admitting teachable students who ultimately will make good colleagues; therefore, the right balance of people skills and academic abilities is very important.”

The 2015-2016  OptomCAS application  cycle opens on July 1, so the time to start working on your essay is right about now. Good luck!

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Applying to optometry school

Applying to optometry school can be complicated, but we are here to help! Advisors at the Health Professions and Prelaw Center can help you develop your best strategy and troubleshoot problems you encounter in your application. Make sure to attend one of our Personal Statement Writing Workshops so you can get started early on your application essay.

Consult the information below for helpful advice.

OPTOMCAS application #

Applicants apply to optometry schools through an electronic, centralized application administered by the Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry called OptomCAS . Once you complete your OptomCAS application, it will be processed and sent to all the optometry schools you select to receive it. All schools and colleges of optometry in the United States participate in OptomCAS.

For the OptomCAS application you will create your own User Name and Password that will allow you to create your electronic application. You can log in, fill out part of the application, and save your changes before logging out. Once you are satisfied that everything is accurate and complete, you submit it electronically and it is sent to OptomCAS for processing.

Coursework section #

On the OptomCAS application, you will fill out information regarding every college course you have taken, so you will need to refer to transcripts from every college or university you have attended. You will also need to order official transcripts from all colleges and universities you have attended to be sent to the application service. At IU Bloomington, you can order your transcript from Student Central .

OptomCAS will not process your application without all of your transcripts. You can check the status of your online application to see if your transcripts have been received.

OptomCAS will verify that you have entered your coursework correctly on the application by matching your application against the transcripts from the colleges and universities you have attended. After OptomCAS processes your application, they will send it to the schools you have selected to receive it.

Experiences and achievements #

The OptomCAS application includes a section where you can provide information on experiences and achievements such as employment, extracurricular activities, optometric experience, shadowing, volunteering, awards and honors. Shadowing of optometrists should also be listed here. For further information, please refer to the application instructions on the OptomCAS website.

Supplemental program materials and personal essay #

The “Program Materials” section of the OptomCAS application will ask you to submit supplemental materials for each individual optometry school where you are applying.

In the “Program Materials” section, individual optometry schools will ask that you submit an essay. Most of the schools ask that you write an essay no more than 4500 characters (including spaces) responding to this prompt: “Please describe what inspires your decision for becoming an optometrist, including your preparation for training in this profession, your aptitude and motivation, the basis for your interest in optometry, and your future career goals.”

The admissions committee will read your essay to learn why you want to become an optometrist. An effective approach is to write about the series of events in your life that have led you to optometry. What started you on the path toward the goal of becoming an optometrist, and what kept you on that path once you started, even at times when it wasn’t easy? Drawing material from your prehealth journal can provide useful insights and help bring your writing to life.

Make sure to attend one of the Personal Statement Writing Workshops offered by the Health Professions and Prelaw Center to help you begin a draft of your essay. Schedule an appointment with a HPPLC advisor for feedback on a draft of your essay.

Letters of recommendation #

Optometry schools require that you submit letters of recommendation written by others on your behalf along with your application.  Letters of recommendation can provide admissions committees insight into your personal qualities. Recommendation letters can tell them about your communication and interpersonal skills, and your readiness for optometry school.

Developing relationships with your professors is an important part of your intellectual growth and will help you obtain strong letters of recommendation.

Optometry schools vary in their requirements for letters of recommendation. Most optometry schools will require a minimum of three letters of recommendation. The Indiana University School of Optometry requires three letters of recommendation. At least one should be from a science professor.

Consult the individual optometry school websites for information on the recommendations each school requires or reference the OptomCAS website's page on letters of recommendation .

Letters of recommendation are sent to optometry schools directly from the recommenders through the OptomCAS application system.  For more information please consult the instructions on the OptomCAS website.

On this page...

• OPTOMCAS application
• Coursework section
• Experiences and achievements
• Supplemental program materials and personal essay
• Letters of recommendation

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Although most applicants focus on GPA and test-scores, the personal statement is a very important component of your application and should be carefully composed. This is your opportunity to highlight things about yourself that may not be mentioned in other sections of your application and to distinguish yourself from other applicants.

You should have several different people objectively read your personal statement and provide constructive feedback. In addition to the Health Professions Advisory Committee (HPAC) , your letter writers are often a great option. There are also resources on campus that can assist you, such as the UH Writing Center , University Career Services , and your major advisor. Consider the feedback you receive carefully, but be sure that the personal statement is still written in your voice!

Below we have outlined some advice and general guidelines to consider while writing your personal statement. Keep in mind that these recommendations are not restricted to medical/dental applications, but can be applied while writing essays for any healthcare professional program.

• See also UH University Career Services Personal Statement Tips
• Sign up for the UH Writing Center Personal Statement Workshops

Types of Prompts

Before beginning your personal statement, it is important you carefully review the specific question (or prompt) that is being asked and the character-limit, as there can be distinct differences between the application services.

TMDSAS ( 5000 characters ):

• Explain your motivation to seek a career in medicine. You are asked to include the value of your experiences that prepare you to be a physician.
• Explain your motivation to seek a career in dentistry. You are asked to discuss your philosophy of the dental profession and indicate your goals relevant to the profession.
• Personal Characteristics Essay - Learning from others is enhanced in educational settings that include individuals from diverse backgrounds and experiences. Please describe your personal characteristics (background, talents, skills, etc.) or experiences that would add to the educational experience of others. The personal characteristics essay is required to all applicants and limited to 2500 characters, including spaces.
• Optional Essay – The optional essay is an opportunity to provide the admissions committee(s) with a broader picture of who you are as an applicant. The essay is optional, however, you are strongly encouraged to take advantage of this opportunity. Consider briefly discussing any unique circumstances or life experiences that are relevant to your application which have not previously been presented. Optional Essay is limited to 2500 characters, including spaces.

AMCAS ( 5300 characters ):

• Why have you selected the field of medicine?
• What motivates you to learn more about medicine?
• What do you want medical schools to know about you that has not been disclosed in other sections of the application?

AACOMAS ( 5300 characters ):

• What motivates you to learn more about osteopathic medicine?

AADSAS ( 4500 characters ):

• Explain a defining moment that helped steer you toward a career in dentistry. Consider using that moment as the focal point of your essay.
• Be colorful, positive, imaginative and personal when discussing why you are a good candidate for dental school. Ask yourself—in a pile of 100 applications, would I enjoy reading my statement? Be sure to convey your passion for dentistry in your statement.
• Be yourself.  Don’t use jargon, clichés or big phrases that you would not use in daily conversation. Remember, dental schools want to know about the real you.
• Be original and thoughtful: Discuss how you would contribute to the profession and patient care, all of which will help you stand out from other applicants.

AACPMAS (4500 characters):

• State below why you are interested in becoming a Doctor of Podiatric Medicine. Provide information about your development for a career in Podiatric Medicine

CASPA (5000 characters):

• In the space provided write a brief statement expressing your motivation or desire to become a physician assistant.

OptomCAS (4500 characters) :

Essays can be customized for each individual Optometry program.  Most Optometry schools include this as their main essay question:

• Please describe what inspires your decision for becoming an optometrist, including your preparation for training in this profession, your aptitude and motivation, the basis for your interest in optometry, and your future career.

OTCAS (no character limit):

• Your Personal Statement should address why you selected OT as a career and how an Occupational Therapy degree relates to your immediate and long-term professional goals. Describe how your personal, educational, and professional background will help you achieve your goals.

PTCAS (4500 characters):

• Prompt: Every person has a story that has led them to a career. Since there are a variety of health professions that "help" others, please go beyond your initial interaction or experiences with physical therapy and share the deeper story that has confirmed your decision to specifically pursue physical therapy as your career.

PharmCAS (4500 characters):

• Your Personal Essay should address why you selected pharmacy as a career. How the Doctor of Pharmacy degree relates to your immediate and long-term professional goals. You should describe how your personal, educational, and professional background will help you achieve your goals.

VMCAS (1000 characters):

• There are many career choices within the veterinary What are your future career goals and why?
• In what ways do veterinarians contribute to society and what do you hope to contribute?
• Consider the breadth of society which veterinarians What attributes do you believe are essential to be successful within the veterinary profession? Of these attributes, which do you possess and how have you demonstrated these in the past?

When should I start writing?

You should begin working on your personal statement early in the spring semester prior to your intended application year and submitting your application materials to HPAC (if applicable).  Remember that the people who are helping you with your statement will need time to review it and you will need time to work through multiple drafts before submission.  In addition, some of your letter writers may want to see a copy of your personal statement before they write your letter, so you should strive to have a competent draft by mid-March.

What should be included?

It is important to treat the personal statement as an answer to a question (i.e., the prompt), rather than the opportunity to flex your creative writing muscles. Indeed, most applicants are STEM majors without much experience in creative writing; therefore, it is recommended that you avoid using the essay to practice your creative writing skills and stick to simply addressing the prompt in a direct, concise way. Some questions you may want to consider while planning your essay are:

• Why have you selected the field of medicine, dentistry, or other health profession?
• What motivates you to learn more about medicine, dentistry, or other health profession?
• How have you demonstrated your interest and commitment to your decision?
• What experiences have allowed you to develop the skills necessary to be successful in this program and to become an effective physician, dentist, PA, etc.?
• Did you have any exposure to role models who influenced your decision? Which of their attributes inspired you?
• Are your perceptions of this profession realistic?
• What are your professional goals?
• Is there anything you wish for your chosen health professional schools to know about you that has not been disclosed in other sections of the application?

Depending on the nature of the prompt, you may also wish to include information such as:

• Unique hardships, challenges, or obstacles that may have influenced your educational pursuits.
• Commentary on significant fluctuations in your academic record that are not explained elsewhere in your application.

What should NOT be included?

• Avoid clichés and over-using/mis-using terms : How many times do you think admissions committees have read the phrase, “I want to become a physician because I like science and I want to help people”? Similarly, words like empathy and passion are, while applicable, can become empty in meaning when overused or misused. Consider exemplifying these terms, rather than simply stating them.
• Avoid unnecessary drama: While you may feel compelled to "hook" the reader with a dramatic opening to your statement, doing so may detract from the overall purpose (i.e., describing your decision to pursue medicine/dentistry) and may induce many an eye-roll by committee members.
• Avoid being vague : "[Insert experience] was challenging and rewarding." What does that mean? Be specific about what was impactful and how it affected you.
• Avoid brash decision-making :  Your decision to become a doctor/dentist should be the result of a series of thoughtful, conscious, and reflective decisions. NOT an instantaneous realization or epiphany. Similarly, you have not “always known” that you want to be a physician/dentist. No one is "born to be a doctor." Nothing is innate, you have to work for it.
• Avoid excuses :  In general, there are better uses for your personal statement than explaining away and justifying poor grades, incidents of misconduct, etc. Indeed, TMDSAS offers additional essays and opportunities to discuss these issues. However, if you choose to address these subjects, be sure to focus on what you have learned from those incidents and how your experiences have made you a stronger person.  Always accept responsibility and avoid blaming anyone else for your decisions or mistakes.
• Avoid restating your resume or activities section :  Choose ONE or TWO significant and distinguishing experiences to elaborate upon when outline the reasons behind your decision to pursue a career in healthcare. There is no need to narrate completely your 4+ years of college or carefully detail your activities from year to year; indeed, there are other sections in the application where you can detail your experiences and what you learned from each.
• Avoid grandiosity :  Claiming that you plan to cure cancer (or HIV, or healthcare disparities, or anything else) shows a grave lack of understanding of whatever problem you are planning to solve. Similarly, avoid “I know what it is like to be a physician/dentist from [shadowing/clinical volunteer experience].”  No, you do not.  That is precisely why you are hoping to go to medical/dental school.
• Avoid inflammatory or controversial topics :  You do not know the values, beliefs, and background of the committee member reading your essay.  For these reasons, you are advised to avoid making any strong statements regarding politics, religion, and other polarizing topics.  Be extremely cautious to avoid expressing any views that could be construed as derogatory to any group.  Additionally, your beliefs are not the only “correct” beliefs. 
• Do not lie :  Honesty and ethical behavior are the hallmarks of being a healthcare professional. Do not include details anywhere in your application or essay that you are not prepared to talk about or that are simply untrue.

Additional Recommendations

• Use simple formatting : Avoid the use of bullet-points, italics, and symbols.
• Read your statement aloud : As you draft your statement, reading what you have written aloud can help you determine whether your writing "flows" well and is an easy read for a reviewer.

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Basic Guide: OPTOMCAS Personal Statement Example

Table of Contents

A great OPTOMCAS personal statement is a time capsule of your experiences, perspectives, and what you want to offer. This guide provides an OPTOMCAS personal statement example to help you write a winning personal statement.

It also dissects how to write a tremendous OPTOMCAS personal statement that stands out from others. Read on!

What Is an OPTOMCAS Personal Statement?

An OPTOMCAS personal statement is a document you submit with your optometry school application. Your statement allows you to introduce yourself to the admissions committee .

It should highlight your academic and professional achievements and why you are interested in pursuing optometry as a career.

The best way to write this statement is to discuss how much you care about optics with great examples that show your passion.

How to Write a Captivating OPTOMCAS Personal Statement

The best way to create a captivating personal statement for OPTOMCAS is by focusing on your story. Also, ensure that your tone of voice is professional and polished. Other important points to note are:

• Be sure to capture the reader’s attention with an engaging introduction.
• Provide information about yourself that showcases your unique qualifications and experiences.
• Demonstrate your passion for optometry by sharing examples of how you’ve used this field to help others.
• Make it clear why you are interested in optometry school and what you hope to gain from the experience.
• Share how you became interested in optometry and why you want to pursue this career.
• Remember to highlight your academic achievements, volunteer work, and other relevant experience.
• Finally, close with a firm conclusion that leaves the reader eager to learn more about you.

OPTOMCAS Personal Statement Example

A personal statement like the one below is essential when applying to optometry school. It allows admissions staff to see your qualifications and get insight into who you are as an individual .

As an optometry student, you must possess excellent critical thinking and problem-solving skills. In my academic experience, I have honed these skills by working closely with professors and classmates on various projects.

For example, while completing my undergraduate degree in biology at the University of California, Los Angeles, I conducted research specializing in eye health. This opportunity allowed me to develop strong analytical abilities and understand how different scientific findings can impact clinical care.

Additionally, as a member of the Tau Beta Pi engineering honor society at UCLA, I worked on team projects that required creativity and precision. Through this involvement, I learned how to communicate ideas effectively within a group setting and work toward a common goal.

My background positions me well to thrive in the optometry program at your school. The rigorous coursework and hands-on experience will allow me to expand my knowledge base and become an effective clinician.

Furthermore, being part of a diverse classroom community will challenge me academically while providing opportunities for collaboration outside of class time.

Final Words

The OPTOMCAS personal statement example above aims to show a successful strategy for writing a captivating personal statement.

It details what to include in your statement and how to organize the information. Make the most of your opportunity to market yourself in your statements.

Abir Ghenaiet

Abir is a data analyst and researcher. Among her interests are artificial intelligence, machine learning, and natural language processing. As a humanitarian and educator, she actively supports women in tech and promotes diversity.

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How to write a wicked awesome personal statement

Today I want to reach out to those prospective students out there who are trying to tackle the ever-daunting personal statement.

For some of you, writing isn’t your strong suit, writing about yourself is uncomfortable, and fitting everything within 4,500 characters seems impossible. However, personal statements are extremely important. They are the “face” to your application. Without it, you’re only a list of achievements and scores.

Kristen Tobin, Director of Admissions at NECO, says, “The purpose of a personal statement is for a student to provide a more personalized overview of who they are as a person and as an applicant.  The personal statement is great opportunity for a student to talk about their journey and what has led them to the decision to pursue optometry.” This is your chance to show admissions who you really are before they call you in to interview!

In this blog I’ve compiled some strategies I found helpful, some advice from NECO Admissions, and web resources to help you write a killer personal statement.

Start early.

Writing is a process, and this is one of the most important things you’ll write, so you want to give yourself plenty of time. Begin your brainstorming at least a month in advance! Ms. Tobin advises, “As students sit down to write their personal statement, I encourage them to take some time to reflect on their own academic, professional and personal experiences and how those experiences led them to applying to optometry school and to NECO.” After cranking out your first draft, put it away for several days. Look at it again with fresh eyes, then revise and revise again. When you think you’ve finished, take it to a friend, mentor, or writing center for feedback. Repeat as necessary. You’ll go through several revisions before you have a final copy.

Avoid summarizing your resume.

Your personal statement is not your resume in word form. Admissions will already have a list of your achievements and extracurricular activities in addition to your GPA and OAT scores. What they really need to know is who you are as a person, what you value, and what kind of doctor you will be. Ms. Tobin explains, “At NECO we complete a very holistic approach of applications which includes reviewing grades, test scores, work, volunteer and extracurricular experience, and letters of recommendation. What the personal statement adds to the equation is insight into the student as a person and also as a potential student and optometrist.”

Tell a story.

Admissions staff will be reading through hundreds of applications; yours needs to stand out. Try structuring your personal statement in a way that follows a narrative. Begin with a hook, something that draws the reader in, such as a particular experience or personality trait that makes you unique. Then use that throughout the paper to keep a natural flow. While a thesis statement is not necessary for personal statements, I recommend having one to guide and structure the rest of your paper.

For example, I began my personal statement by describing the scene at one of my volunteer experiences. I then used aspects of that experience throughout the paper to illustrate why optometry is a good fit and what traits I felt qualified me to be admitted.

One of the purposes of the personal statement is for admissions to find out what kind of person you are. This is your chance to show your personality! Talk about why you chose optometry and what motivates you to succeed. It might feel more natural to talk about your family, the doctors you shadowed, or particular patient experiences, but remember to focus on  you . The admissions staff at NECO wants you to know “The best personal statements are reflective, thoughtful, honest and most importantly, well written!  We understand that not every student has a radically compelling story but we know that everyone does have something to share.  I find that optometry students are some of the most dedicated, hard-working and compassionate people I have ever met and often times the best essays exude these qualities.

Still feeling lost? Check out these articles written for students just like you:

• “Your application to [optometry] school is a testimony to your desire to ultimately be a doctor. The admissions committee will look at your essay to see that you’ve answered the obvious, but not so simple, question “Why?” You must be able to explain your motivation for attending [optometry] school.” The Student Doctor Network
• “Remember that you’re selling yourself as a great addition to the profession. This is where you talk about your strengths, passion for the field, and all your extra-curricular hard work you’ve done in preparing for optometry school.” oatcracker.com/blog
• “The goal of this essay is to have your reader put down your [personal statement] and say to themselves “wow, this applicant knows exactly why they want to become a [optometrist] and it’s legit.” NOT “oh wow this applicant is very qualified.” reddit.com/the-personal-statement

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OptomCAS Program Materials

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• Save as PDF

The Program Materials section includes additional information and requirements for the programs you selected in the Add Program tab. Each program's requirements may vary, so it's important you review this section in detail.

Your selected programs appear on the left side of this page; click each program's name to begin your review. Note that depending on your program's requirements, you'll see one or more of the tabs outlined below.

The Home tab contains the Program Details provided by each program at the start of the application cycle. It includes deadlines and other information specific to the program. Be sure to review this page carefully for any additional instructions, information, and/or requirements.

The Questions tab is only available for certain programs. Here, you can answer questions specific to each program. Questions may be multiple choice or open-ended text boxes. Some programs require an additional essay. Contact each program directly if you have questions.

Select your answers for each question and then click Save . If copying a response into a text box, check for possible formatting changes. We suggest using simple formatting, as tabs, italics, multiple spaces, etc., will not be saved. To delineate paragraphs, type a double return between each paragraph.

The following essay question is required by each program for the OptomCAS application:

Please describe what inspires your decision for becoming an optometrist, including your preparation for training in this profession, your aptitude and motivation, the basis for your interest in optometry, and your future career goals.

The essay has a 4,500 character limit.

The Documents tab is only available for certain programs. Uploaded documents will only be visible to that specific program. Documents that do not have a red asterisk are optional and do not need to be uploaded for you to submit your application.

Contact the program directly if you have any questions about their specific requirements.

If your program provides a PDF form to fill out and upload in this section, you must save and upload it as an image. Depending on your computer's operating system, there may be multiple ways to do this; a Google search can point you in the right direction.

Once your application is submitted, you cannot re-upload, update, or edit the documents in any way; however, you can upload new documents.

Prerequisites

The Prerequisites tab is only available for certain programs. In it, you can assign courses you took (or plan to take) to fulfill the program's required prerequisites. You must complete Transcript Entry and Transcript Review in order to complete this section. You should only add additional courses if necessary to reach the minimum credit requirement. Do not exceed the listed requirements by matching extra courses.

Note that assigning these courses does not necessarily mean you meet the program's prerequisite requirements ; the program wants you to self-identify these courses for their review. Contact each program directly if you have questions about these prerequisites.

Assign a Prerequisite

• Click Assign Course .
• Click the plus sign next to the course(s) that you believe fulfills the prerequisite. You can match multiple courses to one prerequisite, if applicable. If you do not have a prerequisite course to add, click I Am Not Matching Any Courses to this Prerequisite .
• Click Save and Exit .

Application process: Optometry (MSci) (4 years)

Some applicants find the interview for our four-year Optometry course daunting. We've tried to make the interview process as clear and transparent as possible through this step-by-step guide to what we are looking for in successful applicants.

How to apply

All applications for entry to undergraduate study in the UK must be directed through the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS).

UCAS application forms can be obtained from schools or directly from UCAS. This should be done nine to 12 months before intending to start the course (21 to 24 months in the case of gap year students).

Please refer to the UCAS website for further information on key dates and the application process.

How your application is considered

We will review your entire UCAS application to determine whether you have satisfied the criteria for interview selection.

For applicants based in the UK, Republic of Ireland and the Channel Islands, the interview will be held at The University of Manchester.

For applicants residing outside the UK (international and EU), this may involve a Skype/Zoom interview.

As a general rule, applicants who are given the opportunity to attend an interview will have:

• a good set of GCSE grades, with Grade 5 in Mathematics and English Language;
• predicted A-levels at a minimum of ABB (or equivalent qualifications). The Grade A must be in a science subject ;
• a well-written personal statement that confirms your interest in studying optometry;
• a supportive academic reference.

We receive approximately 1,100 applications each academic year and hold 7 interview dates per session from November to March. Skype/Zoom interviews will be arranged on an ad hoc basis.

All offers are based on a combination of predicted/achieved A-levels (or equivalent), personal statement, reference and interview assessment.

Candidates whose primary choice of course is Medicine or Dentistry

Applicants who have applied for Medicine or Dentistry as a first choice will still be considered for Optometry.

Subject to meeting the advertised requirements, you will be invited to submit a revised personal statement that confirms your interest in Optometry. If this is satisfactory, you will be invited for an interview in March/April.

About the personal statement

Your personal statement offers an opportunity for you to stand out from other applicants. A well-written statement that demonstrates enthusiasm and commitment to optometry will improve your chances of success.

You should include details of outside interests, work experience and any position of responsibility you have held.

Please note: we have a zero tolerance policy on plagiarised personal statements. Any statements that are flagged by the UCAS Similarity Detection Service will be automatically rejected.

About the interview

For the 2022-23 admissions cycle, interviews will be scheduled via Zoom and will be conducted one-to-one with an academic member of staff.

The interviews will be timetabled for 20 minutes and this will allow you to ask any questions you might have about the Optometry course.

We will ensure that you are given plenty of notice about the interview and, if necessary, we will be happy to reschedule if the date/time is inconvenient.

Please note that the interview is an essential part of the application process. Those who fail to attend, without prior explanation, will have their application withdrawn.

Students with non-standard or non A-level qualifications

We understand that not all applicants will have taken A-levels and we may still offer an opportunity for an interview to an applicant, even when a gap in their entry qualifications means their proficiency in one or more subjects has not been proven.

After the interview

While our aim is to inform applicants of our decision as soon as possible after the interview, there will be a number of cases when our decision will be delayed, and we will need to wait until ALL interviews have been completed before we are able to update UCAS Track.

In this scenario, we will inform applicants of a potential delay and the timeline of when we expect to be able to confirm our decision. All decisions are based on the assessment of your interviewer.

Reconsideration

The overwhelming majority of unsuccessful applicants are rejected because they do not satisfy our entry requirements, but requests for reconsideration of a decision can be made.

Requests should be made via email to the Admissions Manager ( [email protected] ) while also being supported (again via email) by the applicant's tutor/academic advisor.

Advice to applicants

Conditional firm (cf) and conditional insurance (ci) choices.

We have a non-academic requirement that all CF and CI applicants must fulfil. This is the completion and submission of a health questionnaire that is assessed by the University's Occupational Health Service (OHS).

The health questionnaire will be sent to you via email after you have selected Manchester as your firm or insurance choice.

Following assessment, OHS will issue your Certificate to Commence Studies and, at this point, we will confirm that you have satisfied this (non-academic) requirement.

You should choose your CF and CI choices with care. Ideally, the CF choice should be at the university where you really want to study.

However, you should be aware that if we are able to offer any leeway on the requirements for entry, this will be given to CF applicants only.

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What to include in a Personal Statement

Personal Statement Tips

Optometrist.

Have you ever wondered how the human eye works, its abilities and how it adapts to glasses and contact lenses? If so, becoming a doctor for eyes could be the thing for you!

Optometrists specialise in examining the eyes. They check for overall health, vision problems, and can spot serious health conditions.

An optometrist focuses on one of the essential senses humans have. It’s much more than fitting glasses and advising customers on contact lenses, it's about patient care, providing responsible and helpful treatment and the use of specialist eye equipment.

An optometrist is often confused with an ophthalmologist or an orthoptist . While an optometrist is a routine eye care professional, who is a specialist in eyes, orthoptists are eye specialists who generally have a more research-based optician career, whereas an ophthalmologist is an eye specialist doctor who will carry out medical procedures.

What is an optometrist?

An optometrist will examine, assess and prescribe relevant visual aids for a patient’s eyes. Their work involves routine eye care, checking a patient’s vision, and spotting disorders and diseases.

Optometrists work in a number of areas. They may work as part of a wider eyecare chain, as part an independent opticians, or work visiting vulnerable individuals in their homes, such as the elderly, those with mobility problems or learning disabilities that affect their ability to attend services.

Responsibilities

An optometrist’s responsibilities depend on their level of experience, and the setting they work in. Usual responsibilities can include:

• Advising on aftercare for eyes.
• Offer support and advice in deciding on the best visual support devices,as well as what kind of lenses are best suited to their needs.
• Recognising any eye related medical conditions,especially if they have any vision related conditions.
• Supporting patients in fitting visual devices,assessing any prescription requirements and sharing these with the patient.
• Take detailed notes on a patient’s medical history,and signposting patients to the relevant doctor or healthcare practitioner for treatment.
• Taking routine eye examinations for patients,such as glaucoma,such as information on administering eye drops.
• Training up and supporting junior staff members.
• Working alongside sales teams within an opticians,such as patients choosing between contact lenses and glasses,such as promoting particular eyewear products for relevant patients.,such as teaching patients on the best way to fit contact lenses.

An optometrist salary varies depending on the setting you work in. If you work within the NHS, your pay will be dictated by the Agenda for Change pay scale . As a trainee optician, you’ll begin on £23,949 - £26,282. Once qualified, you’re likely to be on band 6, earning £33,706 - £40,588. Senior or specialist optometrist jobs in the NHS can reach bands 7 to 8b (£41,659 - £65,262). Optometrists working in chain or high street settings can usually expect to earn around the £30,000 mark [1] .. This can be higher or lower depending on location and level of seniority in practice.

Qualifications

You’ll need an optometry degree approved by the General Optical Council (GOC) in order to become an optometrist. To apply, you’ll need a minimum of 3 A levels at grades AAB, including two science subjects. This is considered ‘stage one’ of optometry training.

Following completion of your degree, you’ll need to complete ‘stage two’, which involves a year to 18 months spent observing a registered optometrist. You could carry this out within the NHS, or in a private practice. Once you have completed both stages of the qualification process, you’ll join the GOC opticians register to practice and apply for registered optometrist jobs.

Training and development

The training you’ll need to practice will be covered as part of your optometry degree and stage two placements. You’ll also learn a great deal on the job once you’re in practice.

As part of your registration with the GOC, you’ll need to undertake regular continuing professional development (CPD). This is in order to retain your status as a registrant. This can include shadowing other optometrists, attending conferences and webinars with the GOC, and taking on additional training to enhance your role. You could also apply for membership with The College of Optometrists and attend various opportunities for online learning.

Your skills as an optometrist combine a robust knowledge of the eye with providing a great patient experience. These include:

• An excellent knowledge of the eye, as well as relevant visual problems and disorders.
• An ability to keep up to date with the latest advancements in optometry.
• Good social skills, both for patient facing activities and your work as part of a wider team within an opticians or NHS practice.
• Good teamworking skills - you’ll need to work well with non clinical and clinical colleagues across a large team.
• Understanding of sales and/or marketing, especially if you are working with a private or high street practice.
• Strong ability in using technological optometrist equipment for examinations and diagnosis.
• Confidence in working with members of the public from various ages, abilities and backgrounds.
• Ability to liaise well with other clinical colleagues, signposting patients that require follow up treatment.

Work Experience

It’s a good idea to gain some work experience in an optometry setting prior to applying for an optometry degree. Places are often competitive, so this can help you stand out from other applicants, especially when it comes to writing your optometry personal statement. You can contact local NHS optometry departments to ask to shadow their practitioners, or you could reach out directly to high street opticians.

Once you’re studying, you could apply for sales roles or non clinical roles within high street opticians. This will give you a well rounded experience of the overall workings and opticians, especially if you’re given the chance to shadow registered optometrists.

Career Prospects

Your career prospects as an optometrist are generally good, with optometry sitting between both NHS and private healthcare.

You may choose to work your way up through the NHS bands, moving into specialist optometry and consultant optometrist positions within outpatient and inpatient care. Alternatively, you could focus your work on private practice, eventually running your own opticians or owning a franchised eyecare chain.

If you particularly enjoy the academic side of your work, you could also aim towards teaching in higher education on optometry degree courses. You could work your way towards becoming a senior or principal lecturer.

• [1] Cartographer Salaries in United Kingdom — Glassdoor.co.uk Retrieved 7 September 2022.

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• / Vladimir Soloviev, prophet of Russia's conversion

VLADIMIR SOLOVIEV prophet of Russia’s conversion

T HE conversion of Russia will not be the work of man, no matter how gifted he may be, but that of the Immaculate Heart of the Virgin Mary, the Mediatrix of all graces, because this is God’s wish, which he revealed to the world in 1917. The life and works of Vladimir Soloviev are a perfect illustration of this truth of Fatima. He whom our Father regards as « the greatest Russian genius of the 19th century », was in his own way a prophet of the “ conversion ” of his beloved Country, announcing the necessity of her returning to the bosom of the Roman Church. «  Rome or chaos  », such was his catchphrase, Rome whose anagram is not a matter of chance, but a providential sign, a definition: ROMA , AMOR . Led by this incomparable guide, we would like « to anticipate in our thoughts, our hearts and our prayers this consecration, this long-awaited conversion, which must mark the beginning of a time of sacred peace throughout the world, the beginning of the universal reign of the Most Blessed and Immaculate Heart of Mary, and through Her, of God’s Kingdom » (English CRC, December 1982, p. 23).

A PERSONAL CONVERSION

Through the example of his life, Soloviev recalls the indispensable means of this immense work: self-renunciation, personal and collective sacrifice, in Russian the podwig , the only way in which the Church, nations, saints and heroes can become the instruments of God’s designs. If he managed to surpass his master Dostoyevsky by his « truly universal Catholicism and far superior mystical vision », this was not without without a conversion of mind and heart on his part.

Our Father summarises the principal stages of his life as follows: « Born of an honourable Muscovite family, of part Kievian ancestry, Vladimir Soloviev began, in a world where only Germany counted, by being a victim of all the poisons of the West. He himself relates how he was a zealous materialist at the age of thirteen, had read Renan’s Life of Jesus at fifteen, and had become an evolutionist and therefore (!) an atheist and a nihilist at eighteen, in « It was Spinoza and then Schopenhauer who pulled him out of this bottomless void. Whereupon in 1872 a mysterious encounter with “  Wisdom  ” suddenly shook him out of the scientific naturalism in which he had been vegetating and made him aware, as he says, of invisible Beauty, the “  Sophia tou théou  ”, the daughter of God. He thus became the fervent witness of Wisdom’s indwelling in the world and of Her desire for total incarnation and universal queenship. His quest for wisdom, scientific, aesthetic and mystical, had commenced. He was nineteen years old. The quest would never end for this new style Russian pilgrim ; it would be of an unparalleled fruitfulness despite its touching brevity. He died of exhaustion in 1900, at the age ! » (English CRC, December 1982, p. 35)

We will limit ourselves in this article to his prophetic insights on the Union of the Churches. In his Lessons on Theandry (1878) – he was then twenty-five ! – our philosopher applies himself to contemplating the Wisdom of God at work in history, perfectly incarnated in Jesus and His virginal Mother, as well as in the Church as she awaits her eschatological transfiguration. The most serious sin, throughout this history, has been that of schism. Who is responsible for this vast Vladimir Soloviev began by throwing all responsibility for it on the Catholic Church, so much so that he provided the inspiration for Dostoyevsky’s famous “ myth of the Grand Inquisitor ” in The Brothers Karamazov . But, at the beginning of the 1880’s, through studying the question more closely, he understood that the sin of schism was in fact that of the East. This was a stroke of genius on his part for which our Father commends him greatly:

« I must beg pardon of my master Msgr. Jean Rupp, of Solzhenitsyn, Volkoff and so many others, but it seems obvious to to me, as it did to Soloviev in the end, that the schism of Moscow in setting itself up as the third Rome was the beginning of all the ills suffered by these admirable Christian peoples of European Russia . And I must say so because this rupture still weighs heavily on the world of today and because it is precisely of this rupture that Our Lady of Fatima speaks when She foretells “  the conversion of Russia  ”. (English CRC, December 1982, p. 24)

Let us follow Soloviev in his commendable mystical conversion which has opened up a path of light for his people, allowing a spring of grace and mercy to gush forth.

AN EVANGELICAL DISCOURSE

In 1881, Soloviev published a long article, still very antipapist, entitled Spiritual power in Russia . There the pope was presented as Antichrist institutionalised ! Our theorist placed all his hope in the regenerative mission of Holy Russia and in the Tsar who was to be her « divine figure, religious guide and animating wisdom ». But were the Russian people still capable of accomplishing such One particular event was to shake Soloviev’s patriotic faith. On March 1, 1881, Alexander II was assassinated by revolutionaries. A few days later, Soloviev gave a Discourse in which he recommended that his successor, Alexander III, show mercy to the regicides. Certainly not as a matter of weakness or abdication before the Revolution, even less out of the spirit of non-violence that a certain Tolstoy was already preaching, but « as an example of Russian piety », that famous podwig « which lies at the heart of the Russian people’s evangelical soul, of which the tsar is the living icon ». Alas, Soloviev was not understood... This was a painful stage in his life, the first step he had taken beyond his master Dostoyevsky.

The following year, he published another article entitled “  Schism in the Russian people and society  ”. Delving deep into the past, he accused Metropolitan Nikon of having broken, at the time of Peter the Great, the communion, the Sobornost , so beloved of the Russian people, by excommunicating Raskol, the fierce guardian of traditional popular religion... Ever since then, the Orthodox hierarchy, enslaved to the imperial power, had proved powerless to govern and sanctify Orthodoxy. It was nothing now but a shrunken, secularized “ local Church ” which, if it were to be restored and revived, would need to open itself up to “ the universal Church ”.

In the spring of 1882, Soloviev was powerfully affected by an unusual dream. In his dream he met a high-ranking Catholic ecclesiastic and entreated him to give him his blessing. The priest refused, so Soloviev insisted, declaring, « The separation of the Churches is the most disastrous thing possible. » Finally, the ecclesiastic agreed to give him his blessing.

This premonitory dream was to awaken in Vladimir Soloviev a burning desire for reconciliation with Catholicism, and to stimulate him to write a series of articles to be published every month in his friend Aksakov’s slavophile newspaper Rouss and then to be collected together in a work with the resonant title: The Great Controversy and Christian Politics . One particular maxim constantly reappeared under the Russian writer’s pen:

«  FIRST AND FOREMOST WE MUST WORK TO RESTORE THE UNITY OF THE CHURCH, AND TO MAKE THE FIRE OF LOVE BURN IN THE HEART OF CHRIST’S SPOUSE . »

By an irony of fate, the term “ Controversy ”, which for Soloviev referred to the conflict between Rome and the East, was going to give place to a bitter controversy between himself and his Orthodox and slavophile friends.

A MARVELLOUS AND ADORABLE WISDOM

T HE world’s beauty appeared to Soloviev as a living figure, a real existence, changing and yet immortal. He saw her and held her as the queen of his spiritual universe under her venerable name of Sancta Sophia . At the end of his life, in 1898, he celebrated the Three Encounters he had had with this Beauty which for him was Wisdom.

“ Three times in his life he had been overwhelmed by the radiant visit of Wisdom who appeared to him in the form of an absolutely heavenly female being, dazzling him and enlightening him profoundly. Not without reason certain authors think that all his religious and even philosophical works derive from this illumination. ”

And let us immediately point out, in order to acclimatize the Western reader who is highly likely to be disconcerted by these accounts, that trustworthy interpreters of Soloviev have attributed a marian character to these visions. For them, the whole of the Philosopher’s work derives from the AVE MARIA GRATIA PLENA . “ It is a marvellous perspective ”, adds Msgr. Rupp. “ Wisdom is closely allied to the Immaculate who is its seat. ” ( Le message ecclésial de Soloviev , p. 340)...

What I am going to say next will perhaps surprise my reader. Nothing is more biblical than this vision, and I am astonished at the astonishment of theologians and their impatient criticisms. This Sophia was already well known, hymned and even boldly adored by the scribes of the Old Testament under this very name of Wisdom. Far from being “ pantheist ”, this idea, this vision touches the essence of created beings, and is clearly poles apart from the Platonic idea and far more profound than Aristotle’s substance; it lies at the very heart of being, there where nothing exists except relationship to God, the term of a will and a wisdom that are infinite, there where exists a pure reflection, a fragment of the image of God’s beauty.

George de Nantes , A mysticism for our time , French CRC no. 133, p. 7.

THE GREAT CONTROVERSY

In January 1883, he fired the opening shots with an open letter to Aksakov: « As I reflected on the means of curing this interior disease (of Christianity), I became convinced that the origin of all these evils lies in the general weakening of the earthly organisation of the visible Church, following her division into two disunited parts. » He demonstrated that, in order to establish herself on earth and to endure throughout history, the Christian religion had need of a higher authority, and he explained that it was therefore essential to restore « the union of all Christian and ecclesiastical forces under the standard and under the power of one central ecclesiastical authority ».

On February 19, Soloviev gave a talk in homage to his master Dostoyevsky. It was almost a panegyric of the Roman Church ! He declared his ardent hope for the reconciliation of the two Churches, for the two parts of the universal Church which should never have been separated and whose centre lay in... Rome . As a result of this speech, he saw himself banned from speaking in public. The newspapers made no mention of his speech. For the first time, and it would not be the last, Soloviev was the victim of the censure of Constantin Petrowitch Pobiedonostev, Russia’s Grand Inquisitor and the Tsar’s adviser on religious matters. Pobiedonostev championed a sacral conception of political power, akin to that of the French legitimists of the time, but he was fiercely Orthodox, and any opening towards the Catholic religion was pitilessly censured.

Soloviev responded to this censure with a smile. So his speech had been described as « infantile chattering » ? « If we are not converted », he said to his friends, « and become like little children again, we will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven. » He went on: « When I was a pretentious little boy [teaching German philosophy: Kant, Hegel, Fichte, Schopenhauer and Nietzsche], people listened with great respect to my “ truly infantile ” prattling. And now it is fitting that the only way I can attain the perfection of humility is by everyone ! »

At the same time, he wrote to Aksakov: « It is necessary to defend Catholicism against the false accusations being brought against it... Consequently, in advocating a reconciliation with Catholicism, I assume that Catholicism is not in principle erroneous, for one cannot be reconciled with error . » Now there we have a true ecumenism ! The life of Soloviev, writes our Father, « was ».

To the charge of “ papism ” levelled against him, Soloviev responded in March 1883 with an admirable profession of faith, already Catholic:

« It seems to to me that you concentrate only on “ papism ” whereas I focus first and foremost on the great, holy and eternal Rome, a fundamental and integral part of the universal Church. I believe in this Rome, I bow before it, I love it with all my heart, and with all the strength of my soul I desire its rehabilitation for the unity and integrality of the universal Church. And may I be accursed as a parricide should I ever utter one word of condemnation against the Holy Church of Rome . »

THE REALISATION OF THE DREAM

In May 1883, on the occasion of the coronation of the Emperor Alexander III, the Moscow press complained that too many concessions were being made to restore diplomatic relations with the Vatican broken in 1866, but Soloviev protested: such an agreement was necessary, were it only to improve relations with the Catholics of Poland. The Pope was represented at the ceremony by his special envoy Msgr. Vincenzo Vanutelli. Had not Alexander III written to Leo XIII shortly beforehand: « Never has unity between all Churches and all States been so necessary, in order to realise the wish expressed by Your Holiness of seeing the peoples abandoning the disastrous errors responsible for the social malaise and returning to the holy laws of the Gospel... »

A few days after the ceremony, Soloviev was crossing Moscow in a hired car. Suddenly, he recognized the route he had followed in his dream the previous year. Soon he came to a stop in front of a house from which a Catholic prelate was just leaving: it was Msgr. Vanutelli in person... There was the same hesitation of this latter to give his blessing to a schismatic, and the same entreaties of Soloviev, who finally !

In the summer of 1883, our author wrote two articles on The Catholic Question . According to Soloviev, it was for Russia to take the first step towards the Catholic Church. Imagine !

His articles were not of the sort to leave his readers indifferent. On the Orthodox side, there was an increasing irritation, while on the Catholic side, surprise soon gave way to enthusiasm. The news crossed the borders, spreading to Poland and even to Croatia, where Msgr. Strossmayer was finally seeing his desires realised. The jurisdiction of his diocese of Djakovo extended into Bosnia and Serbia, that is into Orthodox territory. Endowed with a superior intelligence and animated by great apostolic zeal, this Croatian bishop keenly felt the need for a true, intelligent and benevolent ecumenism. He wrote in 1883 to one of his friends, Father Martynov:

« In my opinion, the principal task of the Catholic Church and of the Holy See this century is to draw as closely as possible to the Slav nation, principally the Russian nation . By winning it over to the divine unity of the Catholic Church, we would at the same time win over everyone in the world who still possess a positive faith. »

IN THE RADIANCE OF THE IMMACULATE

In the summer of 1883, Soloviev wrote five long letters to a Russian Uniate priest on the subject of The Immaculate Conception of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary . At the same time he translated Petrarch’s “ Praise and prayer to the Most Blessed Virgin ”, wherein he contemplated Her “ clothed in the Sun, crowned with stars... Her glance radiating infinity ! ” It is highly significant that Soloviev was simultaneously attracted by the mystery of the Catholic Church and the mystery of the Immaculate Virgin. The dogma of the Immaculate Conception was the first Catholic dogma which he embraced, and his favourite painting was the Immaculate Conception by Murillo.

In The Foundations of the Spiritual Life (1884), he exalted the « All Holy and Immaculate » Virgin Mary. In Russia and the Church Universal (1889), he would praise Pope Pius IX for having quoted, in support of his dogmatic definition, the Old Testament texts referring to Wisdom, the “  Sophia  ” of his personal intuitions:

« If, by the substantial Wisdom of God, we were exclusively meant to understand the Person of Jesus Christ, how could we apply to the Blessed Virgin all those texts in the Wisdom books which speak of this Wisdom ? However, this application, which has existed from the very earliest times in the offices of both the Latin and Greek Churches, has today received doctrinal confirmation in the bull of Pius IX on the Immaculate Conception of the Most Blessed Virgin. » (quoted by Msgr. Rupp, Le message ecclésial de Soloviev, p. 338)

In September 1883, when the sixth chapter of The Great Controversy was published, a rumour spread through Moscow that Soloviev had “ passed over ” to Catholicism, but there was no truth in it. Moreover, curious though this may seem to us, he was not looking “ to pass over to Catholicism ”, but only to open Orthodoxy up to the universality of the Roman Church.

His seventh and final chapter aroused a lively debate, one that is ever topical. The question turned on the attitude of the Byzantine Greeks in conflict with the Crusaders of the West. Soloviev wrote: « On the day that Constantinople fell, seeing the Turkish armies poised to attack, the final spontaneously expressed cry of the Greeks was, “ Better Islamic slavery than any agreement with the Latins. ” I do not mention this as a reproach to the unfortunate Greeks. If, in this cry of implacable hatred, there was nothing Christian, then neither has there been anything especially Christian in all the formal and artificial attempts to reunite the Churches… »

Aksakov, his Orthodox pride deeply irritated by this remark, retorted: « What does he mean, nothing Christian ? May the Greeks be blessed a hundred times over for having preferred a foreign yoke and bodily torture to the abandonment of the purity of their faith in Christ and for having thus preserved us from the distortions of papism at the precise moment [ the beginning of the 13th century ! ] when it had reached the height of its deformity. May they win eternal glory for this ! »

Nonetheless, Soloviev continued his search for truth, surmounting every obstacle. His article “  Nine Questions to Father Ivantsov-Platonov  ” published in December 1883, created a deep stir even in the West. Here he put nine questions to his former master in Orthodoxy on those points of controversy which set the Church of the East against the Church of Rome. Here is the setting:

« How is it that the countries of the East are separated from the Roman Church ? Did the latter proclaim an heretical proposition ? One would be hard pushed to maintain this, for the addition of the Filioque to the Creed, which is put forward to justify the separation, does not have the character of a heresy. Furthermore, it is absurd to say that the Roman Church is in a state of schism with regard to the Eastern Churches. Thus, the latter’s separation from the former has no basis. Let us acknowledge this and, putting aside all human viewpoints, let us work towards Unity or rather let us work so that Unity, which already has a virtual existence, may become a reality. »

THE THREAD OF AN ANCIENT TRADITION

During 1884, the Russian philosopher studied Catholic dogmatics. He read the works of Perrone, the theologian of Gregory XVI and Pius IX, as well as the texts of the Councils. He was particularly interested in Popes Gregory VII and Innocent III, whom he read in the original text.

At the same time he had a great enthusiasm for the Croatian priest George Krijanich who « had come from Zagreb to Moscow in the 17th century to spread the ideal of the Holy Kingdom of God, Roman Catholic and panslavic, gathering together under the sceptre of the tsars and the crook of the Pope all the Slav peoples who would thereby be freed and protected from the twofold burden pressing them on both sides like a vice, the Germanic powers and the Turks. Thus the Croats would work to free themselves from Austrian control and at the same time they would assist the Serbs, their Orthodox brothers, to shake off Moslem domination.

« To realise this grand design, capable at one blow of powerfully advancing the Kingdom of God on earth, Krijanich came to Moscow and preached on the subject of Russia’s reconciliation with Rome . This should not be difficult, he said, because the Russians had only fallen into schism through ignorance and not through heresy or malice. He himself was already preaching that everyone should recognise their own individual faults, be they unconscious or involuntary, and the need for expiation. God’s blessings would follow as a result, immense and eternal blessings. Sergius Mikhailovich Soloviev, our great man’s father, a historian and the author of a monumental history of Russia, admired Krijanich as “ the first of the Slavophiles ” and also, in his eyes, “ the most paradoxical ”, so alien did Catholicism then appear to the Russian consciousness. » (English CRC, December 1982, p. 32)

Soloviev intended to prove the contrary. And it was just at this time that he entered into friendly relations with the Croatian Bishop Strossmayer, thereby resuming the thread of an ancient tradition, one which was apparently marginal but which in reality was pregnant with a splendid future. Early in December 1885, Soloviev for the first time received a letter from the Croatian bishop. He replied to him on December 8, “  the blessed Day of the Immaculate Conception of the Most Blessed Virgin  ”:

« On the reunion of the Churches », he wrote, « depends the fate of Russia, the Slavs and the whole world. We Russian Orthodox, and indeed the whole of the East, are incapable of achieving anything before we have expiated the ecclesiastical sin of schism and rendered papal authority its due . » And he ended with these words: « My heart burns with joy at the thought that I have a guide like you. May God long preserve your precious leadership for the good of the Church and the Slav people. » In his pastoral letter of January 1886, the bishop of Djakovo quoted large extracts from this letter.

Encouraged by such support, in 1886 Soloviev undertook a study on Dogmatic development and the question of the reunion of the Churches , which provoked the fury of Orthodoxy. However, at a conference given at the ecclesiastical Academy of Saint Petersburg, Soloviev attempted to justify himself: « I can assure you that I will never pass over to Latinism. » He thereby sought to register his attachment to the Eastern rite. No question for him of adopting the Latin rite ! After that, he set out on a journey to Europe.

FIRST STAY IN ZAGREB (1886)

At the beginning of July, he was the guest of the honourable Canon Racki, President of the Yugoslav Academy of Zagreb, founded by Msgr. Strossmayer, and a personal friend of the latter. Every morning the Orthodox Soloviev assisted at the Catholic Mass with great enthusiasm. He made the sign of the cross in the Catholic manner, but prayed in the Greek manner, crossing his arms on his chest. He willingly admitted to his host – and this was not due to any desire to please on his part – that Croatian Catholics, like the Ukrainians, were more religious than his Orthodox compatriots !

Following an article published in the Croatian journal Katolicki List , Soloviev for the first time encountered opposition from a Catholic priest.

During his stay in Zagreb, he also published a letter in the Russian newspaper Novoie Vremia , wherein he refuted the widespread opinion in Russia that the Croats were the instruments of the Austro-Hungarian government’s attempt to Latinize the Eastern Slavs.

In August, he joined Msgr. Strossmayer in the Styrian Alps, and spent ten marvellous days with him. These two minds were truly made to get along. The mutual admiration they felt for one another reinforced their spiritual friendship. But Soloviev continued to receive Holy Communion at the hands of the Orthodox priest of the Serb parish of Zagreb... Rising above the inevitable criticisms, he then wrote a letter to Msgr. Strossmayer, summarising their initial conversations:

«  The reunion of the Churches would be advantageous to both sides . Rome would gain a devout people enthusiastic for the religious idea, she would gain a faithful and powerful defender. Russia for her part, she who through the will of God holds in her hands the destinies of the East, would not only rid herself of the involuntary sin of schism but, what is more, she would thereby become free to fulfil her great universal mission of uniting around herself all the Slav nations and of founding a new and truly Christian civilisation, a civilisation uniting the characteristics of the one truth and of religious liberty in the supreme principle of charity, encompassing everything in its unity and distributing to everyone the plenitude of the one unique good. »

Such was his transcription of the well known Catholic principle: «  In necessariis unitas, in dubiis libertas, in omnibus caritas : unity in essentials, liberty in matters of doubt, and in all things charity . Such must be the Charter of Catholic ecumenism under the crook of the one Shepherd. From the start of this crisis, such has been the invitation we have made to our bishops and to our brothers. Today, it is also the will of the Holy Father », wrote our Father in his editorial for September 1978, dedicated to John Paul I, another Saint Pius X without knowing it (English CRC no. 102, p. 6).

When he informed his friends of Soloviev’s letter, Msgr. Strossmayer presented its author as « a candid and truly holy soul ».

Msgr. Strossmayer and Soloviev had agreed to meet again in Rome for the jubilee pilgrimage of 1888. The Croatian bishop decided to pave the way in Rome by writing to Leo XIII’s Secretary of State, Cardinal Rampolla. He presented his Russian friend as «  toto corde et animo catholicus  ». The Pope at first took a personal interest in the affair: « Here is a sheep », he said, « who will soon be clearing the gate of the sheepfold. » But curiously, there was to be no follow-up. It seems that Leo XIII failed to appreciate Soloviev’s genius... However, things were different in France, where an unassuming and ardent rural parish priest latched on to everything that his apostolic zeal could extract from the lightning advances made by the Russian thinker ( see inset , p. 19).

Soloviev returned to Russia at the beginning of October 1886, rather discouraged by the criticisms directed against him on all sides: there were the Orthodox, some of whom had accused him of bringing Orthodoxy into disrepute abroad... and certain Catholics, like Fr. Guettée in France, a modernist priest with little to commend him, whom he had met in Paris in 1876 and who had recently published an article of rare violence against him !

THE “ RETURN OF THE DISSIDENTS ”

June 18, 1887: a young Capuchin, Leopold Mandic, from Herzeg Novi in Bosnia, under the jurisdiction of Msgr. Strossmayer, and studying at the friary in Padua, heard the voice of God inviting him to pray for and promote the return of the Orthodox to the bosom of the one Church of Christ. «  The goal of my life , he would later say, must be the return of the Eastern dissidents to Catholic unity; I must therefore employ all my energies, as far as my littleness allows, to co-operate in such a task through the sacrifice of my life . » Fifty years later, he would still remember this grace: «  June 18, for the record: 1887-1937. Today, I offered the Holy Sacrifice for the Eastern dissidents, for their return to Catholic unity . » Thus the Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate united, in this one same “ ecumenical ” work, the ardent heart of a young Capuchin destined for the altars, the apostolic wisdom of a bishop and the brilliant intuitions of a great thinker.

In January 1887, from the Monastery of Saint Sergius where he had celebrated Christmas, Soloviev wrote an article in which he provided philosophic justification for the three Catholic dogmas which the Orthodox reject, namely the Filioque, the Immaculate Conception and papal infallibility . Here is a « basis for working towards the reunion of the Churches », he explained. A few months later, he published in Zagreb (on account of the censure directed against him in Russia) his book The History and Future of Theocracy .

There he retraced the vast movement of history towards the establishment of the Kingdom of God. Universal Theocracy, the successor of Jewish Theocracy, cannot be conceived, he explained, without an integrally Christian politics, and he concluded with a splendid anthem to Christ Pantocrator receiving from His Father all power on earth and in Heaven and acting through His emissaries, the Apostles and their successors. Soloviev always believed in the privileged vocation of Russia within the Catholic community of Christian nations, even if he stigmatized what he called “ the sin of Russia ”, which was to oppress and hate all those it dominated, in particular Polish Catholics, Greek Uniates, Ruthenians and Jews !

Like a true prophet, he was vigorous in preaching repentance to his people . In order that they might be faithful to their vocation within the great Slav family, Soloviev asked them to give up their inordinate ambitions, to return to a truer and more Christian conception of their destiny, and to accomplish this within the only international organization which could direct its course, Catholicism, that is to say Roman universalism.

«  One of my theses is that the cause of the Reunion of the Churches in Russia demands a podwig (sacrifice) even heavier to bear than that which, already demanding great self-denial, was needed to ensure Russia’s receptivity to Western culture, an event truly disagreeable to the national sentiment of our ancestors .

«  Well ! this sacrifice consists in drawing closer to Rome and it must be attained at all costs. In this lies the remedy for the Russian sin . »

It goes without saying that Soloviev earned himself new enemies with his book. It cost him great personal suffering, but he could not fail the Truth, which he contemplated with ever greater clarity... What greatness of soul this universal genius possessed !

SAINT VLADIMIR AND THE CHRISTIAN STATE

1888 marked the ninth centenary of the baptism of Saint Vladimir, the first prince of Kiev, whose kingdom after his conversion became « the model of Christian States, with evangelical morals », writes our Father (English CRC, December 1982, p. 23). Soloviev used the occasion to give a conference in Moscow, where he reaffirmed that Russia’s destiny was to turn towards Rome, as King Vladimir had ! However, having hardened itself in its schism, the Muscovite hierarchy was no longer animated by the spirit of St. Vladimir. Hence the fury of the Orthodox hierarchs !

At the same time, Msgr. Strossmayer had gone to Rome for the Jubilee. In vain did he wait for Soloviev there. The latter, fearing perhaps that he had made a definitive break with the Orthodox world which he dreamed on the contrary of winning for the Union, had given up the idea of making this journey. It must also be said that Vatican diplomacy hardly inspired more confidence in him. Leo XIII was revealing himself less and less slavophile, reserving his favours for the Germany of old Bismarck and the young William II ! Msgr. Strossmayer lamented this in a letter to Fr. Martynov: «  The Pope is acting against the Slavs. The Roman prelates are like people insane and think only of temporal power !  »

What a difference between Leo XIII and his successor, St. Pius X, who was, in the words of Msgr. Rupp and our Father, the greatest slavophile pope of our times !

Early in May 1888, Soloviev was on a visit to Paris. To explain his thinking to the French public, he gave a conference on the Russian Idea , « the true national idea eternally fixed in the design of God », who longs to spread His light over the whole world. However, Soloviev remained lucid about his own Church: « If the unity of the universal Church founded by Christ only exists among us in a latent state, it is because the official institution represented by our ecclesiastical government and our theological school is not a living part of the universal Church. »

In passing, he described the destruction of the Greek-Uniate Church by the Orthodox as a «  veritable national sin weighing on Russia and paralysing her moral strength  ». That is still the case today...

In July, Kiev celebrated the feast of the baptism of St. Vladimir. From Zagreb Msgr. Strossmayer sent a telegram in which he exalted Russia’s future role in the manner of his friend Soloviev. Scandal ! His remarks were universally reported by the press. Cardinal Rampolla informed the Croatian bishop that Leo XIII was seriously displeased ! The bishop of Djakovo also earned himself the bitter reproaches of Emperor Francis Joseph of Austria, which is more understandable given the rivalry existing between the two Empires.

In the summer of 1887, Soloviev published in the Universe , the newspaper of Louis Veuillot, three articles on St. Vladimir and the Christian State which caused a great stir. Then he journeyed to Croatia where he remained for one whole month with Msgr. Strossmayer. This meeting was rather sad, for the two friends were increasingly aware that their attempt to reunite the Churches would not succeed, at least in their lifetime.

It was in Djakovo that Soloviev finished the immense prologue to his magisterial book, Russia and the Church Universal , in which one can already glimpse signs of the discouragement that would overwhelm the thinker in the latter part of his life. We know from Fatima that the work of the conversion of Russia, something humanly impossible, has been entrusted to the Immaculate Heart of Mary who has a particular love for this Nation such as to inspire jealousy in others. But this only makes it all the more extraordinary that our prophet should have traced out the course of this conversion, like a true Precursor !

« RUSSIA AND THE CHURCH UNIVERSAL »

Soloviev does not hesitate to delve deep, extremely deep, into the past. To realise its designs in the world, divine Wisdom wished to become incarnate, and the Verb to take flesh like our own. As that was not enough, He also wished to unite to Himself a social and historical body, one that could reach the universality of mankind and communicate to all men His own divine Life. In this magnificent perspective, Soloviev compares the formation of that Body through which God wishes to be united with humanity to that effected in the womb of the Virgin Mary at the time of the Incarnation, and to that which operates every day in the Eucharistic mystery... What was needed for this work was a solid foundation, a Rock:

« This bedrock has been found », he writes, « it is Rome. It is only on the Rock [of Peter and his successors] that the Church is founded. This is not an opinion, it is an imposing historical reality . »

It is also an evangelical truth: «  You are Peter, and on this Rock I will build my Church . » Here Soloviev addresses the Protestants who seek to outbid each other in their attacks against the Primacy of Peter by quoting Jesus’ own words to His Apostle when he was obstructing the Master’s path: «  Get behind me, Satan !  » Soloviev’s response once again shows the clarity of his intelligence and his perfect knowledge of Catholic dogma:

«  There is only one way of harmonising these texts which the inspired Evangelist did not juxtapose without reason. Simon Peter, as supreme pastor and doctor of the universal Church , assisted by God and speaking for all, is, in this capacity, the unshakeable foundation of the House of God and the holder of the keys of the heavenly Kingdom. The same Simon Peter, as a private person, speaking and acting through his own natural forces and an understanding that is purely human , can say and do things that are unworthy, scandalous and even satanic. But personal defects and sins are passing, whereas the social function of the ecclesiastical monarch is permanent. “ Satan ” and the scandal have disappeared, but Peter has remained.  »

Soloviev’s doctrine agrees with that of Vatican Council I and with that of our Father who, at the same time as he makes us venerate Peter’s magisterium, magnificently illustrated by Blessed Pius IX, St. Pius X and John Paul I, accuses John XXIII, Paul VI and John Paul II of being instruments of “ Satan ” for the ruin of the Church.

However, Christ wished that it should be around Peter that the unity of faith and charity should be formed: «  Since the unity of the faith does not presently exist in the totality of believers, seeing that not all of them are unanimous in matters of religion, it must lie in the legal authority of a single head, an authority assured by divine assistance and the trust of all the faithful . This is the ROCK on which Christ founded His Church and against which the gates of hell will never prevail.  »

Why did this ROCK settle in Rome, and not in Jerusalem, Constantinople or Moscow ? Here we have a further brilliant response from Soloviev: historically Rome represented the order, civilization and terrestrial Empire that would best allow the Church to become the universal spiritual Empire desired by Christ. In a mystical view of the history of Salvation – we would say divine “ orthodromy ” – Soloviev shows how God, wishing to extend salvation to the whole world,  decided one day that His Kingdom should leave Israel for Rome, so that the capital of the pagan Empire should become “ the conjoint instrument ” of His designs:

« The universal monarchy was to stay put; the centre of unity was not to move. But central power itself, its character, its source and its sanction were to be renewed... Instead of an Empire of Might, there was to be a Church of Love. » One thinks of Constantine’s conversion and his imposition throughout the Roman Empire of laws favouring Christianity, and of Theodosius declaring the Christian religion the religion of State. What decisive support for the Gospel ! The remarkable Roman civilization, already the heir of Greece, was put at the service of the Cross of Christ !

Soloviev had some wonderful expressions to describe this, as for example the following: «  Jesus unthroned Caesar... By unthroning the false and impious absolutism of the pagan Caesars, Jesus confirmed and immortalised the universal monarchy of Rome and gave it its true theocratic foundation . »

« Let us not think », comments our Father, « that our theosophist loses his way in a contemplation of evangelical love and freedom. Fully aware of the frailty and shortcomings of humanity, he declares that it is essential, for its effective salvation, that supreme divine power be joined to the firmest social structure, to the virile principle , and not as formerly to the female principle of a virginal flesh for the Incarnation. This firm principle is the imperial monarchical institution which is Rome and Caesar. Converted, elevated and unabolished, the Power of Rome continues in the Pope for the service of the universal community.

« It is only this divino-human pontifical paternity that is capable of forming the basis of the universal fraternity of the peoples, not only through its spiritual influence but also through its authority and its supranational organization. In this monarchy, sacred but popular, the Pope, the Universal Emperor, clearly remains the servant of the servants of God and is, for that very reason, the sovereign Head of the Nations. Opposed to any kind of papolatry, antagonistic to all the encroachments of papism, and quite capable of denouncing such a Pope as Satan, Soloviev raised an imperishable monument to the glory of Rome and pointed out – him, a member of the Orthodox Church – the path of the world’s salvation, which lay in one place only, in the universal Christian order of a restored Roman Catholic Church ... » (French CRC no. 131, July 1978, p. 6)

In his lifetime, Soloviev ran up against a wall of hostility and incomprehension: « I am not so naive », he said, « to seek to convince minds whose private interests are greater than their desire for religious truth. In presenting the general evidence for the permanent primacy of Peter as the basis of the universal Church, I have simply wanted to assist those who are opposed to this truth, not because of their interests and passions, but merely because of their unwitting errors and hereditary prejudices. »

The final period of his life might seem to some like a decline and a renunciation of his prophetic insights, but our Father writes: « Soloviev was too great a mind to be discouraged or to modify his ideas in accordance with the fluctuations of his worldly success. What is certainly true is that his bitter experiences gave him a better knowledge of the Evil that was at work in the world, throwing up formidable obstacles to God’s designs and going so far as to erect a kind of caricature of them. This he denounced as the power of the Antichrist, the Prince of this world, announced in the Scriptures. » (French CRC no. 132, August 1978, p. 12)

At the beginning of the 1890’s, relations between Soloviev and the Orthodox Church deteriorated. «  Given the papaphobia reigning among us , he wrote to a friend, sometimes revealing its underhand character and at other times its stupidity, and always in any event unchristian, I considered and I continue to consider that it is necessary to draw people’s attention to the Rock of the Church laid by Christ Himself and to its positive significance . »

As he persisted in his criticisms, even going so far as to compare the Greco-Russian Church with « the Synagogue », the Orthodox hierarchy, in the person of Pobiedonostev, the Holy Synod’s prosecutor, employed the ultimate weapon at its disposal: it deprived him of the sacraments. One day in 1894, being seriously ill, Soloviev asked to receive the sacraments. His Orthodox confessor refused to give him absolution unless he renounced his Catholic views. Soloviev refused to yield, preferring to forego confession and Holy Communion.

AN AUTHENTIC CONVERSION

The moment had come. On February 18, 1896, he went to see Fr. Nicholas Alexeyevich Tolstoy, a Catholic priest of the Eastern rite exercising his ministry in Moscow. This priest, a former officer, owed him his vocation, his formation (Soloviev having been his teacher) and his conversion to Catholicism. That February 18 was the feast day of Pope St. Leo so dear to Soloviev. Before Mass, he read on his knees the Tridentine symbol of the faith containing the Filioque and a formula declaring that the Church of Rome must be regarded as the head of all the particular Churches. Then he received the Body of Christ at the hands of the Catholic priest.

On the following day, Fr. Tolstoy was denounced and arrested. He managed to escape and to reach Rome first, then France. It was only in 1910 that he would give an account in the Universe of the authentic conversion of Soloviev, and in 1917 that the two witnesses present at the scene would confirm the celebrated Russian’s profession of the Catholic faith. Nevertheless, this conversion was disputed not only by the Orthodox but also by Catholics imbued with a false ecumenism like Msgr. d’Herbigny of sinister memory. But in this matter the facts are indubitable. His entry into the Catholic Church did not, however, in Soloviev’s mind, exclude him from what he called « the true and authentic Eastern or Greco-Russian Church ». Never did he embrace the Latin rite. After the exile of Fr. Tolstoy, as there were no longer any Catholic priests in Moscow apart from those belonging to the Latin rite, Soloviev decided to refrain from receiving the sacraments...

In 1897, a census of the whole of Russia was carried out in which a question was asked about religion. «  I am both Catholic and Orthodox; let the police work that out !  » Soloviev answered.

« Self-important people from Rome and Moscow declared themselves scandalized », writes our Father. « The hour had not yet come for the podwig , for self-renunciation and reconciliation in truth and justice ( pravda ), and for the restoration of the wholly divine unity of communion in love ( sobornost ). Msgr. Rupp thinks that we achieved it with Vatican II. Alas, no ! I hope for and expect it to come with Vatican III... but only after the trial, after conversion and expiation... and after Our Lady’s humble requests have been met. » (English CRC, December 1982, p. 36)

UNDER THE SIGN OF MARY

«  This glow from Heaven emanates from Mary, And vain remains the attraction of the serpent’s venom.  »

On July 17, 1900, sensing death approaching, Soloviev sent for a priest. He was most insistent about this: « Will it be morning soon ? When will the priest come ? » The next day, he made his confession and received Holy Communion at the hands of an Orthodox priest. He died peacefully a few days later, on July 31, «  in the communion of Russian Orthodoxy to which he had ever been faithful, without however disowning the Catholicism of his heart, assured by the example of the Fathers of Russian Christianity, Saints Cyril and Methodius, Saint Vladimir, and so many strastoterptsi , innocents who had suffered the passion , and startsi , slavophiles and romanophiles at the same time, without schism or constraint, in the love of Holy Church and Holy Russia, the Kingdom of God to come !  »

But all this is too beautiful for us not to revisit it, so our Father has decided that we will study in more depth the work of this great Russian thinker, in three parts to appear in subsequent editions of Resurrection , Deo volente:

The vocation of Russia in the designs of God and the concert of the Christian nations: up to and including Putin ?

The Immaculate Virgin Mary , throne of Wisdom, essential beauty of the created world, our ultimate recourse !

The Antichrist unmasked by Soloviev . This was the last service the “ inspired prophet ” rendered to his beloved Russia: that of putting her on her guard against the seductions of the Antichrist. In Rome, at the same time, St. Pius X was also announcing his advent in his encyclical E supremi Apostolatus of October 4, 1903: « The Antichrist is present among us. The Evil shaking the world should not affright us, it will only last a short while. What must fall will fall, and the Church will be reborn from the trial, assisted by her Saviour and ready for extraordinary developments. »

Brother Thomas of Our Lady of Perpetual Help He is risen ! n° 8, August 2001, pp. 13-22

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