George & Matilda Eyecare (G&M) optometrist Ms Reshma Seth is well-acquainted with differences in regional vs metro optometry, but for her a regional career comes out trumps every time. Perhaps this is why she has remained in the Mid-North Coast town of Forster, NSW, since arriving there 19 years ago.
Seth started her career in Sydney after graduating from the UNSW optometry school but wanted to escape the fast-paced nature of her work in search of an opportunity offering a greater sense of community and fresh clinical challenges.
After moving regionally in 2004, today she works as an optometrist at George & Matilda Eyecare for Rolfe Optometrists, Forster, part of the nine-practice strong Rolfe Optometry Group that joined G&M in August 2022.
“I didn’t want somewhere too isolated as I have friends and family in metro areas. Some of the other key attributes I looked for when relocating included having well-equipped rooms, a good team with knowledgeable dispensers and a shared view of delivering quality eyecare,” she says.
“Working in metro optometry was busy and diverse. When I worked in Sydney, the cross-section of patients and concerns was quite different to what I have experienced since moving. Regional optometry provides a sense of community, both inside and outside of work. I’ve had three generations of a family as patients and usually get to see a lot of familiar faces.”
She continues: “The demographic is quite different and so I deal with a different set of concerns and prescriptions. Although I have enjoyed working in both types of practice, I really do like the sense of community in regional practices.”
Since joining 12 months ago from a different practice in Forster, Seth has enjoyed working at George & Matilda for Rolfe Optometrists in Forster and interacting with the community from a “beautiful” location.
It also helps that the rooms are well-equipped, with a widefield digital camera, OCT, and dry eye assessment and management technology such as an intense pulsed light (IPL) machine.
“Dry eye disease is prevalent in my patient demographic and I am looking forward to increasing my knowledge base in this area,” Seth, who also became therapeutically endorsed in 2016, says.
“Forster is a perfect location for me; it is stunning geographically without being too isolated from more metro areas. I get to live in an area surrounded by wonderful beaches, lakes and national parks. It’s away from the hustle and bustle of cities whilst being close enough to friends and family in Newcastle and Sydney.”
After working regionally for many years, Seth has appreciated what G&M has been able to offer for her career. Importantly, the support team has ensured a smooth transition into the G&M network, allowing staff to focus on their daily roles and responsibilities.
“I have a wonderful team of dispensers and optometrists and it’s great to have colleagues with whom I can confer and collaborate with for specific patient needs,” she says.
“The leadership team is approachable and accessible, any help needed is just a phone call away. George & Matilda have an ethos of putting patients first and being deeply embedded in the community. These are my core values in my work, so it is important to me that this is an inherent part of the company’s values.”
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