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“To the ones staring at the sun,
Afraid of what you'll find if you took a look inside.
Not just deaf and dumb, staring at the sun,
I'm not the only one who'd rather go blind.”
- U2, Staring at the Sun, POP, 1997

I am thrilled to share an extraordinary journey with you!

After nearly 22 years of private practice as an optometrist, I have rather unexpectedly found myself on quite a thrilling path back to school. Perhaps not so unusual you might say ... not too uncommon to take a couple courses at the local college, or pursue an online business degree to help manage our complex practices. Plenty of opportunities for those lifetime learners and entrepreneurs!

… Or, you can sell your house, cars, material possessions, leave your successful and busy practice, friends, family, and of course the family dog … move to an island, enter medical school (as a 1st year student with classmates half your age), study, study, and study (again), and hopefully mix in a little beach and sun—and let’s not forget the dreadlocks and beard (unless you’re a girl).

Nearly a year after seeing this seemingly insane vision in my mind, and after MUCH heartache, tears, family & friends wondering if I’ve finally cracked, my wife who never imagined such a twist of fate, strange looks from my patients (the ones I must tell for fear of being in trouble when I return), re-learning all of my undergraduate sciences (yes, organic chemistry again), and then the MCAT exam, the opportunity is now real!

The school is St. George’s University School of Medicine, and the island is Grenada!

I must say I do not feel I am “leaving” optometry and have found this to be a very natural progression for me. I do not recall making a “decision” as such. Of course, the mechanics and strategy are the hard part! Most importantly, money and material possessions must not be of importance. (However, that's a topic for another day.)

I am extremely excited to learn more about medicine and surgery, with of course my ultimate goal being ophthalmology. As a lifelong learner with some experience behind me, this time around, I am approaching the next several years not as “work” but as an “opportunity to experience”—not only medicine and surgery, but the people, places, and adventures to come!

…Here's to your circle!

-John