STEP^® Programme - Meet the Team

Bina studied at City University of London where, in 2001, she graduated with a first-class honours degree in Optometry. Since registration she has worked in a number of roles in community practice, including pre-registration supervisor and mentor. Presently she works as a Clinical Tutor at City University of London, an Assessor for the College of Optometrists, and a Case Examiner for the General Optical Council.

Since 2016 Bina has been part of Johnson & Johnson Vision Faculty, where she is involved in delivering training and education to student, trainee, and newly qualified optometrists through STEP^®. She enjoys being part of such an experienced and expert team, that are all so passionate about the profession. STEP^® allows Bina to use her skills and love of teaching and training, as well as the knowledge from her other roles, to help develop the future of optometry.

Clair graduated from Cardiff University with a first-class honors degree and post qualification, has undertaken a variety of roles including practice management. She has supervised numerous pre-registration students and has worked in both multiple and independent practice.

Clair has been a faculty member since 2006 and loves the interactive, open, and honest discussions with peers. She never fails to take away something herself from each of the courses she helps to deliver. Her enthusiasm for developing pre-regs led her into College of Optometrists Assessor and Examiner roles and ultimately into the STEP^® faculty team. She truly believes that an Optometrist has a real opportunity to make a difference and is passionate about supporting the new generation of Optometrists to share this understanding and belief. STEP^® helps students to relate to the ‘human being’ behind the set of eyes and she loves helping students reach their full potential through the education that STEP^® provides.

Being a part of the STEP^® team has greatly enhanced my capabilities as an Optometrist, by further establishing the vital skills required to be an effective clinician for all patients. From starting out as an undergraduate student, into the whirlwind pre-registration year and then finally stepping out into the world of qualifying, STEP^® is there every step of the way to provide an essential support network that enhances your skills and knowledge year on year. The practical workshops and online tutorials on everything from contact lenses to communicating effectively with patients, is carried with you throughout your career. The support and resources provided by the team is completely unique and the programme also introduces us into the wider world that optometry has to offer. STEP^®, and progressing as a STEP^® Mentor, allows us to be part of something bigger within the optometry community, to enhance and support the future of our profession.

Lucy graduated from Cardiff University in 2017 and qualified as an Optometrist in 2018. Since then, she has practised in a busy multiple setting in Herefordshire. Alongside this she has gained Professional Certificates in Glaucoma and Medical Retina and is enjoying supervising a Pre-Registration Optometrist. Lucy is also a reference group member for Newly Qualified Optometrists with the College of Optometrists.

“I am so pleased to be working as Junior Faculty with the Johnson & Johnson Institute. The support that I received from STEP^® as a pre-reg was invaluable. From the extra resources to mock examinations with detailed feedback, I am grateful for the continuous guidance provided. I am looking forward to supporting pre-reg’s through STEP^® as this is the time where they make the challenging transition from being a student to a clinician.”

Alex graduated from Cardiff University in 2017 and went straight into a pre-reg position at a small group of independent opticians in Cheshire, North Wales, and Shropshire. Following qualification, he stayed at the same practice specialising in dry eye and specialist contact lens fitting. He is currently working towards his Professional Certificate in Glaucoma and his Independent Prescribing Diploma. He also sits on the council for the Association of Independent Optometrists. STEP^® helped me throughout my pre-reg as it developed my understanding of each topic enabling me to apply my knowledge to many variations of each topic instead of being told the answer to individual questions. The benefit of STEP^® is the wide variety of support available, through mentors, Junior Faculty and Senior Faculty with differing and varying knowledge and experience of the scheme for registration making it hard to find a question that can’t be answered! I love being on the faculty team as I know how valuable support and guidance is throughout the scheme so being able to provide that for others is fantastic.

Sajal graduated from Bradford University in 1998. She completed her pre-registration period in a multiple practice in which she still works part time. She has held roles as a pre-registration Supervisor and Tutor, LASIK Optometrist and has been an assessor for the College of Optometrists since 2013. She recently started working in an independent practice and enjoys working in more specialised clinics like Dry Eye and Myopia Management.

Sajal joined the faculty in 2018. She finds it very rewarding to be able to help and encourage students during the pre-registration process. Being involved in creating content and teaching for STEP^® is inspiring and she loves being part of a fantastic team of dedicated and passionate people.

Haneen started her journey with STEP^® in 2015 when she was a student at the University of Plymouth. It was at university, she decided to join STEP^®. Haneen graduated with a first-class honours degree in 2016. She then went on and completed the Scheme for Registration in 2017 with the support of STEP^®.

Haneen works for an Independent Opticians in Reading, where she sees a wide variety of patients and is involved in myopia control and colorimetry. She is also undertaking training to complete her independent prescribing (IP) qualification.

Haneen thoroughly enjoyed being part of STEP^® as it allowed her to develop clinically as well as the opportunity to network with a wide variety of individuals from varying aspects of optometry. As a faculty member, her favourite aspects include engaging with students and helping them to develop into professionals. Delivering virtual classes is one of Haneen’s favourite parts of being part of the faculty. STEP^® has given her the opportunity to work alongside other faculty members with a wide breadth of expertise and feels that this has helped her develop into the individual she is today.

Harry graduated from Anglia Ruskin University in 2015 and having completed his pre-registration period in 2016, he continued with Specsavers in Cambridge for 9 years where he became the Principal Optometrist for the practice.

Harry is an experienced community Optometrist having worked in multiple and independent optical practices. As an Independent Prescribing Optometrist, he currently works as a Specialist Optometrist at Addenbrookes Hospital in Cambridge where he spends time in a range of Ophthalmology subspecialties including Glaucoma, AMD and Low Vision. Alongside this he is a Senior Lecturer Practitioner at Anglia Ruskin University and owns his own optical consultancy and equipment business.

Harry embarked on STEP^® during his pre-registration period and became a STEP^® Mentor upon completing the programme, helping the next cohort of pre-registration students become more confident as they qualified. He is now a member of faculty who focusses predominantly on delivery of courses for the STEP^® Newly Qualified Optometrists programme.

Sarah studied at UMIST where, in 1993, she graduated with a degree in Ophthalmic Optics. Since registration she has held several roles in both multiple and independent practice and has supervised both pre-registration Optometrists and Dispensing Opticians. She completed a MSc at Cardiff University in 2014, along with Professional Certificates in both Glaucoma and Low Vision.

In 2001 she became a College of Optometrists Examiner, and she is now a Chief Examiner for the Final Assessment. Sarah has also been an Assessor within the Scheme for Registration since its inception in 2004 and was a Senior Assessor until recently.

Sarah joined the faculty in 2014 and is involved in delivering training and education to students and trainees throughout STEP^®. She enjoys being part of such an experienced faculty team and being involved in a range of interactive courses both face to face and virtually, which allows her to use the skills of teaching and development which she has loved since qualifying. She is highly enthusiastic about the current opportunities available to Optometrists entering the profession and believes STEP^® allows them to develop themselves and make a positive difference to their patients.

Neil has over 30 years of experience as a high street Optometrist having worked in a mixture of independent, small chain and multiple settings where his roles have included Mobile Optometrist, Senior Optometrist for an area group of practices as well as being a practice manager. Previously he has served as a CET approver for the GOC and has written numerous articles for the Optician magazine.

Neil is currently a practice director as well as a Senior Assessor and OSCE Examiner in the Scheme for Registration. In 2022 he became a Fellow of The College of Optometrists and is currently studying for a Professional Certificate in Medical Retina.

Neil joined the faculty in 2014. He loves the fact that STEP^® focuses on training competent Optometrists who are good at their job. Neil’s advice is that being a good all-round Optometrist is the best way to navigate through the pre-registration process easily and successfully. It also ensures an enjoyable and rewarding career afterwards.

His interests are in BV, dispensing and fitting contact lenses, especially multifocals. He particularly enjoys helping students on STEP^® get a better understanding on these topics.

Colin is program lead for independent prescribing at the University of Hertfordshire and supports the university Masters of Optometry programme. He also works at Sussex Eye Hospital in Brighton as part of the medical retina team in uveitis and PVD clinics, and in independent practice in Sussex. He is a senior assessor for the College of Optometrists, and an OSCE chief examiner.

Colin was awarded Diploma in Independent Prescribing Dip TP(IP) in 2011, and Fellowship of the College in 2013. Colin has supervised many pre-registration trainees and he has been a member of the education faculty at Johnson & Johnson Vision since 2011. As one of the STEP^® leads he helps to deliver training and support to both current pre-registration students and newly qualified optometrists. He enjoys helping pre-regs engage with STEP^® and encourages them to use the things they learn through STEP^® to help benefit their patients in practice.

Hasan graduated from Aston University in 2016 with a first-class honours degree and has since settled in an independent opticians while working back at the university as a clinical supervisor. He has recently become a pre-reg supervisor and sits on the board for his Local Optical Committee due to his interest in the future of optometry.

Hasan joined the faculty following on from experiencing STEP^® first-hand a trainee. Being part of the programme provided endless training and support to become a qualified optometrist but furthermore enhanced his skills as a newly qualified clinician too. This inspired him to want to provide the same support to others using a digital platform to reach out to everyone in the profession. Engaging and interacting with trainees is what Hasan enjoys the most and has been able to do this in his role as faculty. He has loved being able to connect with trainees as a mentor, creating interactive posts for social media as well as delivering virtual classes where he hopes to inspire trainees to be the best they can be. No matter what stage of the career, there is always opportunity to learn something new and STEP^® is able to help unlock this potential.

Kiran graduated from University of Manchester with a first-class honors degree in 2015 and has since worked in independent practice. She is also a clinical supervisor at Aston University and has recently taken the role of Treasurer for her Local Optical Committee.

Kiran joined the faculty due to her own personal experience of STEP^® as a student. She found the programme to be a huge support system during her training and was grateful for the accessible learning resources, teaching workshops and online virtual classes which built her confidence and expertise to succeed in her examinations and beyond. She now thoroughly enjoys being a part of an amazing faculty team to help develop the skills and knowledge for current students in the way she was helped herself. She especially enjoys creating accessible content alongside her colleagues for the STEP^® Instagram page, organising team related fundraising challenges for inspirational eye related charities and ultimately being part of a network of teaching resources for undergraduates, pre-registration trainees and newly qualified optometrists to feel fully supported from.

Louise graduated with a first-class honours degree from Bradford University and has since enjoyed working in a variety of practices in the UK and abroad. Louise developed a keen interest in education early in her career teaching undergraduates and delivering CET in her role as a Tutor Practitioner at Aston University. In 1997 she became a College of Optometrists Examiner, and she is now a Chief Examiner for Final Assessment and a Senior Assessor which she combines with work as a clinic supervisor and DOCET assessor.

The opportunity to join the faculty in 2010 was an exciting new venture. Louise has been an enthusiastic member of the team, helping to deliver and develop a wide variety of innovative education and courses. However, it is the development of STEP^® that she has found most enjoyable, focussing her energy on finding new ways of engaging with young professionals and indulging her passion for educating undergraduate and pre-registration students. Louise wants to share her experiences and knowledge, especially in the fields of anterior eye assessment and contact lens fitting, by engaging with those who can influence the future of the profession. Louise finds the enthusiasm for learning shown by many who participate in STEP^® inspirational.

Meerat graduated from Aston university in 2016, and completed her Professional Certificate in Medical Retina and Professional Certificate in Glaucoma in 2017 and 2018, respectively. Meerat is a full-time resident optometrist at a multiple practice, where she started her journey as a pre-registration optometrist. Her clinical responsibilities include supervising pre-registration optometrists and attending patient clinics.

STEP^® has played an integral part in Meerat’s evolution from university student to registered optometrist. STEP^® consistently offered support in clinical understanding through face to face and virtual elements in a clear, digestible manner.

Meerat joined Johnson and Johnson Vision as a STEP^® mentor with the intention to empower future generations of optometrists, the same way STEP^® had empowered her. Pursuing her interest in mentoring others has allowed her to network and connect with other passionate and inspiring professionals. She thoroughly enjoys her current roles as Lead STEP^® Mentor and Faculty, working alongside her colleagues, organising fundraising events, delivering courses at the Institute and most recently hosting sessions virtually!

Meerat’s relationship with STEP^® has built her appetite to positively influence the profession, exemplified by her becoming an assessor and facilitator for a number of qualifications and events respectively, delivered by her current employer as well as becoming vice chair for her Local Optical Committee.

Philippa graduated from Cardiff and has worked in practice for over 30 years. For many years she worked for a multiple, as a supervisor in practice and then Clinical Development Manager looking after pre-regs and developing and training optometrists in the Southwest.

She currently works in several roles as a College of Optometrists examiner and senior assessor, DOCET Training Adviser, runs training courses for doctors, and is a third-year clinic supervisor at UWE is on the GOC Fitness to Practise Committee.

Philippa has been a faculty member since 2013 and enjoys meeting and working with a wide range of practitioners to improve their clinical skills, her special interests are contact lenses and communication. She particularly enjoys working with pre-regs on STEP^®, helping to support them through their pre-reg year and building their confidence during their first years in practice.

As part of the faculty, she loves working with the highly experienced faculty team, being involved in the interactive courses, and so constantly learning new things. She is highly enthusiastic about the current opportunities available to optometrists entering the profession and through STEP^® being able to help them develop themselves and make a positive difference to their patients.

Robyn graduated from Bradford University with a first-class honors degree and since then has worked in multiple and independent practice, in management roles supervising pre-registration students and also running student clinics at Bradford University. She also works as an assessor for the College of Optometrists and writes CET for Johnson & Johnson Vision.

Robyn’s faculty journey started in 2013, facilitating courses at the Johnson & Johnson Institute, allowing her to share her passion for excellent communication, patient care and most of all collaboration with fellow clinicians on all aspects of our profession. STEP^® has been a fantastic edition to the offering that Johnson & Johnson Vision can provide to Optometrists - allowing trainees to learn and develop side by side through various face to face and virtual mediums supported by a bank of invaluable learning resources. Robyn immensely enjoys her role in the STEP^® team - especially as she feels she gains knowledge and insight for her own role as an Optometrist with each encounter.

Stephen is an Optometrist based in South Devon and undertakes a variety of roles. He is an Assessor and Final Assessment Examiner for the Scheme for Registration of the College of Optometrists. He is also Chief Examiner for the College and sits on the Quality Assurance panel for Final Assessment and Scheme for Registration Performance panel as well as the OSCE development group. A CET advisor for ABDO and the internal moderator for ABDO’s Contact Lens Visual Optics Theory Paper and also the External Examiner for both City University London’s Introduction to Optometry Foundation Degree and the Masters in Optometry at the University of Hertfordshire.

Stephen, who originally qualified as a Dispensing Optician, started his teaching role in 1986 when he was appointed as full-time lecturer at City and Islington College (CIC). He then studied at City University and qualified as an Optometrist in 1995 and returned to full time teaching at CIC then as Senior Lecturer in Visual Optics. Following a desire to relocate from London to the South West, he was appointed Clinical Development Manager. This role combined working in practice as a supervisor and in-house training. In 2009 Stephen decided to become self-employed to give himself the flexibility to continue working in practice while still examining and assessing for the professional bodies and other consultancy work, and back to teaching in higher education at the University of Plymouth’s Optometry programme.

He has had several publications in peer reviewed professional journals and has been an invited speaker at a number of CET events both in the UK and overseas.

Stephen has been a faculty member at for the Johnson & Johnson Institute since June 2010 and enjoys the learning environment, the diversity of the delegates and the range of experience within the faculty. His experience in all aspects of the student journey from undergraduate, pre-registration, newly qualified and beyond led him directly into the STEP^® faculty team. He believes being part of the STEP^® process really offers him the opportunity to help and develop those undertaking what can sometimes be a challenging process.

Theresa graduated from Manchester University in 2009 with a first-class honours degree and since qualifying has worked in a range of multiple settings as an Optometrist and supervisor of pre-registration Optometrists and student Dispensing Opticians. Alongside working in practice, she currently works as a DOCET assessor for CPD submissions and an assessor for the College of Optometrists. Previously she has sat on the GOC Fitness to Practise Hearing Panel and has written some articles for the Optician magazine.

Theresa joined the faculty team soon after qualification, initially as an online forum representative to help support pre-registration students, having been in the first cohort to sit the current OSCE format. From there, her role developed and she thoroughly enjoys working as part of an amazing faculty team to deliver educational content. Over the years she has particularly enjoyed helping to create content and build STEP^®, which has evolved in many ways to support many Optometrists through their training and in the early stages of qualified practice. For her, being involved in STEP^® and seeing students progress from undergraduate through to newly qualified is so rewarding and she loves being able to celebrate with those newly qualified optometrists who ‘graduate’ from STEP^® at the end of the programme.

Tina graduated from the University of Manchester in 2015 and carried out her pre-registration and newly qualified years in a busy multiple practice. She then moved to London to work in an independent practice, and further her knowledge by pursuing postgraduate qualifications. Currently, Tina works as a resident optometrist at Moorfields Eye Hospital, whilst also continuing community practice locum work.

Tina was initially affiliated with the STEP^® team as a student on the reference group. As she engaged through the whole STEP^® process, from carrying out different learning modules to attending several courses, she was able to provide student-based feedback to the STEP^® team. She found both the material and courses extremely useful during her pre-registration year, helping her gain confidence whilst examining patients in practice. After receiving a huge amount of support, herself via STEP^®, she developed an enthusiasm for guiding students to enhancing their skills and knowledge as new generation optometrists. This led her to become part of the STEP^® faculty team, carrying out the role of STEP^® mentor and ultimately onto a STEP^® lead mentor role. She particularly enjoys carrying out virtual classes for students, providing a support system to mentors, and being part of an inspirational, diverse team to bounce ideas off.

After graduating with a first class degree in 2015, Gemma began working in an independent practice outside Paisley which she eventually took over in 2019. She soon signed up for the diploma in independent prescribing, and gained her qualification in January 2020. As a result of this, her practice is well known in Renfrewshire for providing first-class clinical eye care. Within Johnson & Johnson, Gemma has worked as a junior faculty member since 2017, and later became a fully fledged faculty member in 2021 and STEP^® lead in 2022, mainly working with newly-qualified optometrists to help increase their skillset. She has a particular passion for teaching skills in OCT and dry eye management, and has facilitated many CET events and peer discussions to help other optometrists gain confidence in these areas. Having been through the STEP^® journey herself in its early years, she finds it incredibly rewarding to now be delivering the course and seeing the wonderful support and education offered to the delegates.

Josie studied at the University of Manchester and qualified as an Optometrist in 2018. She spends her week working in a small group of independent practices in London, in addition to a role as a Visiting Clinical Tutor at City University.

Josie valued the contribution of STEP^® throughout her Optometry education, from an undergraduate to a newly qualified Optometrist. The online learning modules complimented her independent study during the pre-registration year, helping to organise her thoughts and aid her revision. Josie always looked forward to attending courses at the Johnson & Johnson Institute. She found the Newly Qualified Course a wonderful opportunity to meet with peers at a similar stage and to begin planning the next steps in her career.

Josie thoroughly enjoys her responsibilities as part of the STEP^® faculty team and the courses continue to be a highlight. She finds great reward in helping pre-registration Optometrists on their journey to qualification and working with the team to develop new content and learning materials.

Jetal qualified from Anglia Ruskin University in 2018. She carried out her pre-registration year with Specsavers and is currently still working for the multiple based in Central London.

Having recently qualified as an optometrist, Jetal can say that having a strong support system is key to a successful pre-registration year. There is a vast contrast between working life and university life, and being able to speak to someone who has not only been through that recently but understands the change is of great benefit to a pre-registration student. Her aim as a STEP^® mentor is to help encourage the new optometrists in the way she was encouraged, and to be someone who they can come to with problems or when in need of reassurance. The programme is designed to help shape you as an optometrist and help improve upon key skills that are used in day to day life. She has really enjoyed taking part in the programme, and the webinars that were offered have enhanced her knowledge immensely.

Annabel graduated from Cardiff University in 2018 with a first-class degree and has since worked primarily in hospital optometry where she especially enjoys the Glaucoma, Specialist Contact Lenses and Paediatric clinics. Annabel also works as a Locum Optometrist in an independent practice and has recently begun supervising the third-year optometry students in their primary care clinics at Aston University.

Annabel started her journey with Johnson & Johnson when she joined STEP^® as an undergraduate. She found the support invaluable throughout her pre-registration and into her Newly Qualified years. It really helped her to tie together her knowledge gained in university and put it into practice and was instrumental in making her a better clinician. Annabel was keen to give back and support pre-registration Optometrists as a STEP^® Mentor, and now as part of the junior faculty team.

Ajay graduated from Aston University in 2016 and went on to complete his pre-registration period in the hospital eye service within the West Midlands. He is currently a Specialist Optometrist in the hospital with a specialist interest in Cataracts, Glaucoma and complex Contact Lenses. He also works within a private laser and IOL centre alongside working in community glaucoma management clinics.

Ajay joined STEP^® as a pre-registration student where he utilised all the invaluable resources that were available. Working through the programme from his undergraduate years to being Newly Qualified helped with his development to become a well-rounded Optometrist. He was then provided the opportunity to guide other pre-registration students by becoming a STEP^® Mentor.

Ajay has always had a passion for learning and developing with the continually changing profession. He loves teaching as it allows him to transfer his own knowledge and skillset to others and help the new and upcoming Optometrists.

Neha studied at Aston University and completed her Pre Reg in a multiple high street practice, where she is still based post Pre-Reg. She remembers initially finding Pre Reg daunting as the examination process is completely different to previous years of education. Alongside this, being in a very different environment, alone in practice, as opposed to being surrounded by students in the same boat. STEP^® and the faculty team really helped her through her journey, along with the online learning modules and webinars. STEP^® further helped her understand the competencies and how to tackle them. Neha also found the visits to the Johnson & Johnson Institute really beneficial, as they were interactive and helped with the practical elements of Pre Reg, which further added to her confidence and knowledge. With gaining so much from STEP^® throughout her Pre Reg, Neha wanted to be a Mentor to be able to help and support the upcoming cohort throughout their journey.

Kathryn graduated from Glasgow Caledonian University in July of 2019 with first class honours. She qualified as an optometrist in April 2021 due a slightly lengthier pre-registration year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As a Pre-Reg and since qualifying, Kathryn was working in a multiple practice but has recently moved into independent practice. Wanting to build her clinical skills further, Kathryn has completed the theory part of the Independent Prescribing qualification and is looking to complete the full qualification in the near future. She has also been undertaking a post graduate module in Myopia Control in order to upskill for day-to-day practice.

Kathryn has taken part in STEP^® from the beginning as an undergraduate through to the Newly Qualified Programme. She found that the interactive virtual classes were a great supplement to the taught material at university and found it invaluable during her pre-registration year, especially with all the ongoing changes due to the pandemic.

Kathryn became a STEP^® Mentor in July 2022 and has been enjoying helping current pre-registration students with their preparations for their visits via the WhatsApp group as well as helping the faculty run the virtual classes.

Ann completed her degree at Manchester University with first-class honours. After moving between various multiples due to the restrictions and interruptions during the COVID-19 pandemic, Ann managed to complete her Pre-Registration period with a multiple where she continues to work as a full-time resident Optometrist. Within this role, she has completed her MECs and pre/post cataract accreditation.

Ann started her role as a STEP® Mentor in July 2023 because STEP® helped her to see the variety of roles available to an Optometrist. Within the role, Ann would like to provide the same continued and ongoing support to upcoming pre-registration Optometrists that she gained, which helped her successfully complete her Pre-Registration placement.

Diana graduated from Glasgow Caledonian University in 2019. Followed by a challenging pre-registration period during the COVID-19 pandemic, Diana qualified as an Optometrist in March 2021. Since then, Diana has worked in a busy multiple in the city centre of Edinburgh and is now currently based in a smaller local practice.

Diana is due to begin studying for her Independent Prescribing qualification in March 2023 and wants to become a Pre-Reg Supervisor.

Diana became a STEP^® Mentor in July 2022 and feels this has created several new opportunities, enabling her to gain strengths, which she can use throughout her career.

‘‘The guidance and encouragement during the whole STEP^® Journey from Undergraduate to Newly Qualified has benefited me greatly in advancing from student to clinician’.

Hafsah graduated from City University in 2019 and was a part of the pre-registration cohort who had their examinations delayed due to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. She believes this experience really pushed her to want to develop her own knowledge base further and focus on professional advancement. She utilised the support from STEP^® greatly during this time and felt the STEP^® WhatsApp group chat and online resources kept her motivated despite the adversities surrounding her pre-registration period.

Hafsah is currently working within community practice and is involved in Myopia Management and Post Operative Cataract care. She has completed MECS, a Post Operative accreditation in Cataract care and a Professional Certificate in Glaucoma. She is currently completing her Professional Certificate in Medical Retina and will be looking to undertake the Independent Prescribing course in the future.

Being a STEP^® Mentor brings a lot of joy to Hafsah as she loves teaching and sharing her knowledge. She found her experiences at the Johnson and Johnson Institute supporting the Pre-Reg Skills day and Mock OSCE course particularly fruitful, giving her a greater insight on different paths one can take beyond the test room.

Rafiqule graduated from Cardiff University in 2019. He currently works as a community Optometrist and clinic supervisor at Cardiff University. He also volunteers as a team leader and supervisor providing eye examinations abroad. He has a Professional Certificate in Medical Retina, has completed his studies for the professional certificate in Low Vision and is working towards his Independent Prescribing qualification.

Rafiqule became a STEP^® Mentor in July 2022. He is excited about how his teaching style is evolving to better set up students for their future careers. He would like to focus on nurturing skills rather than just giving information “I want to equip them to make differences in patients’ lives for a lifetime.”  

Brooke graduated from City, University of London in 2019 with first class honours and qualified as an Optometrist in 2021. Since completing her pre-registration at Boots Opticians, she has worked in both hospital optometry and high street independent practice and feels the variety of optometric skills this has given her has enhanced her clinical capabilities. Since qualifying, she has also gained Professional Certificates in Medical Retina and Glaucoma, is MECS accredited, and will soon embark on becoming an Independent Prescriber.

Brooke has been part of STEP^® since her undergraduate studies, where she consistently found the resources provided invaluable support in succeeding throughout her degree, and felt lucky to have this extra support, especially when it came to beginning pre-registration training. She feels the OSCE preparation was particularly beneficial and credits the course with giving her the confidence to pass her final exam at the first attempt.

She feels truly fortunate to now be a STEP^® Mentor herself and be able to extend the support she received to her cohort of Steppers and help them to become ambitious and confident Optometrists. Visits to the Johnson & Johnson Institute are a particular highlight of the programme. Thanks to STEP^® Brooke has developed her passion for teaching and mentoring and loves being part of the team.

Shabnam graduated from City, University of London with a first-class honours degree in 2019 and qualified as an Optometrist in a busy community opticians in Kent where she continues to work part-time. She is currently a Research Optometrist at Oxford Eye Hospital.

At university, Shabnam was as a student ambassador for the British Contact Lens Association which prompted her interest in contact lenses. She initially joined STEP^® as an undergraduate to access its excellent contact lens resources and online learning modules but continued the STEP^® journey throughout her pre-registration and newly qualified year to supplement her learning. STEP^® provided a unique opportunity to interact with optometry peers across the UK during the constraints of the COVID-19 pandemic and has been essential to her professional development.

Shabnam was inspired by the prominent faculty members and is pleased to now work as a STEP^® Mentor to help future pre-registration optometrists maximise their potential on the Scheme for Registration and beyond.

Aseel graduated with a first-class honours degree from City, University of London in 2020 and successfully completed her Pre-Registration training at St James's University Hospital in Leeds. Following qualification as an Optometrist in 2021, she continued to work at the hospital as a Resident Optometrist completing the Professional Certificate in Medical Retina in 2022 and the Professional Certificate in Glaucoma in 2023. Currently, she is pursuing studies in Independent Prescribing.

Her current role as Specialist Optometrist in core and extended optometric roles at Moorfields Eye Hospital encompasses a diverse range of responsibilities including participation in refraction, low vision, complex contact lenses, urgent care, and injection clinics. The multifaceted nature of her position allows her to continuously develop her skills and explore new opportunities within the field of optometry.

Her involvement with STEP® commenced during her undergraduate studies and has since evolved throughout her professional progression, culminating in her current role of STEP® Mentor which she started in July 2023. “Participating in STEP® has been truly transformative, equipping me not only with the knowledge and skills necessary to succeed during the Pre-Registration period and OSCEs, but also providing me with a broader understanding of the optometry profession. It has played a significant role in shaping me both personally and professionally”.

Brittany graduated from City University of London in 2020 and qualified as an Optometrist in 2021, having undertaken her Pre-Registration period in an independent practice in Somerset. Since qualifying she has completed her ACES accreditation and SpaMedica Cataract Post-Op accreditation. In September 2023 Brittany started a new role as a clinical supervisor at University of West of England in Bristol.

Brittany started as a STEP® Mentor in July 2023 and reflects how “STEP® provided the guidance and support I needed to complete my pre-reg”, especially as working in an independent practice there were no structured training programmes available.Outside of Optometry, Brittany enjoys running, travelling, and baking.

Gillian graduated with a first-class honours degree from Glasgow Caledonian University in 2019. Having started her pre-registration placement in an independent practice in central Scotland, she had to move to a multiple practice to finish and subsequently qualified in 2021 following a more challenging than usual, unexpectedly lengthy pre-registration period due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Six months later Gillian moved to an independent practice in England, where she is currently working as a resident Optometrist.

Gillian enjoys learning and being able to improve her clinical knowledge, having completed Myopia Management courses to provide Myopia Management in her current clinics.

Gillian has been involved in the complete STEP® journey from undergraduate to Newly Qualified, before becoming a STEP® Mentor in July 2023. She feels that at all stages, STEP® has helped provide her with the resources and confidence to ensure all patients are receiving the best quality of eye care possible. Gillian wanted to become a STEP® Mentor to give new Pre-Registration students the same help and support that STEP® provided for her, which helped shape her into the Optometrist that she is becoming today.

Harriet graduated from City University London in 2020 with a first-class honours degree and became a fully qualified Optometrist in February 2022, working currently in a busy multiple practice. Since qualifying, Harriet has gained WOPEC MECS and glaucoma accreditations and is currently completing the Professional Certificate in Medical Retina. She will shortly be starting her Independent Prescribing course at Glasgow Caledonian University.

Harriet initially joined STEP® to interact with her peers during COVID-19 and found the OSCE preparation course very beneficial. Having had experience training Pre-Registration Optometrists in dispensing during her time as a Dispensing Optician, Harriet is now looking forward to being able to support the new generation of graduates with their pre-registration placement as a STEP® Mentor. She particularly enjoys helping to facilitate discussion workshops and thinks interactive sessions are an important part of learning and progressing.

Harry graduated from Anglia Ruskin University in 2020 with a first-class honours degree and completed his pre-registration year with a multiple in County Durham. Since qualifying he has continued working in the North-East both as a resident and locum Optometrist. He is regularly engaged in enhanced optical services and is currently carrying out a Professional Certificate in Medical Retina. In 2021 Harry became an Associate Council Member to the GOC to develop his interests in the governance and future of optometry.

When the opportunity to join STEP® as a Mentor arose Harry was keen to get involved to support future pre-reg optometrists having benefitted so much himself. He found STEP® was ‘very useful in providing reassurance around what I was learning during pre-reg and offering an additional support structure’. Having started the role in July 2023, Harry feels that being a STEP® Mentor is a great way to help by giving informal and tailored support to others having been in their shoes not too long ago.

Kieran graduated in 2020 with a first-class honours degree from the University of Bradford and has been working in an independent practice in Scotland since 2022. Before becoming an Optometrist, Kieran qualified as a Dispensing Optician in 2016 and he has supervised many students on the Ophthalmic Dispensing course and has been responsible for training staff members in the practices he has worked in. Currently, Kieran is studying for the Independent Prescribing course and is due to start studying Myopia Management soon.

Kieran found the online resources provided by STEP® invaluable through the undergraduate degree, putting the in-depth contact lens resources to good use throughout the clinical placement. During his Pre-Reg, Kieran continued with STEP® and found the online interactive workshops useful in preparing for each stage of the process and establishing a routine that he can now use as part of his regular sight testing. As a newly qualified Optometrist, Kieran took the opportunity to visit the Johnson & Johnson Institute, which provided the opportunity to discuss common challenges, especially with fitting multifocal contact lenses. Since then, he started his role as STEP® Mentor in July 2023.

Nilofer graduated from City, University of London in 2020 with a first-class honours degree and has since enjoyed working as a Specialist Hospital Optometrist and in various community practices. She is MECS accredited and is currently working towards her Independent Prescribing qualification.

Immersing herself into STEP® as a STEP® Mentor brings great joy to Nilofer as she absolutely loves teaching and passing on wisdom. She feels fortunate to be able to extend the support she received during her own journey to becoming a fully qualified Optometrist. STEP® Faculty members and mentors have been a source of inspiration for Nilofer, and she is pleased to now join as a STEP® Mentor herself from July 2023 to support the upcoming cohort of Pre-Registration Optometrists.

Zakir studied Optometry at Aston University, Birmingham. After graduating in 2019, he successfully completed the Scheme for Registration at Specsavers, Newport in 2021. He has since attained WECS accreditation and carries out post-cataract assessments and wet AMD referral refinements in accordance with local protocols. In July 2023, he completed the Professional Certificate in Medical Retina, and looks to study even further.

Zakir became a STEP^® Mentor in 2023 following his own completion of STEP^®. He says;

“I have a huge passion for helping others. I intend to give back to the profession what was given to me as a student and will use STEP® to facilitate this. I thoroughly enjoy working in environments where teaching and learning takes place and will use my skills to help as best as I can”..

Summaya graduated from The University of Bradford in 2020 with a first-class honours degree in Optometry and completed her pre-registration period within 10 months at the Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University Hospitals NHS Trust. After qualifying, Summaya took on a Specialist Optometrist role at Royal Bolton Hospital where she was involved in Glaucoma, Paediatrics, Keratoconus, Cataract, Low Vision and Refraction clinics. Alongside this, Summaya took on a part-time residency post for a busy high street practice.

Since November 2022, Summaya has been self-employed as a Locum Optometrist and is also an AOP councillor representing the Newly Qualified and Early-Career Optometrist cohort.

Summaya utilised STEP® as an undergraduate and continued benefitting from the resources during her training period, especially in terms of keeping on track with the pre-registration period timeline. Having started as a STEP® Mentor in July 2023, Summaya is currently enjoying the flexibility of her work and is keen to help the future faces of the Optometry profession.

Lucy began her career in optics as a Dispensing Optician, graduating from Anglia Polytechnic University in 2000. She mostly worked in an independent practice and enjoyed the variety of work that gave her. Deciding she wanted a new challenge, she enrolled on an Optometry degree at Anglia Ruskin University and graduated in 2020 with first-class honours. Since completing the Pre-Registration Scheme for Registration, Lucy has continued to work in independent practices where she has developed skills in the training and coaching of colleagues and myopia management.

Lucy started the role of STEP® Mentor in July 2023. After benefitting from STEP® as an undergraduate and during her pre-reg year, Lucy was keen to become a STEP® Mentor to offer support to future Optometrists, while continuing to challenge herself and expand her knowledge.