DR. RASHIDA CLARKE

Please tell us about yourself and a little bit about your background?

I grew up in Rochester, NY with my mother and three sisters, and spent summer vacations in Toronto, ON with my father. I had a great family dynamic and enjoyed having older sisters that helped me navigate the complexities of life. I am single mother to 15-year-old girl who is an absolute angel. I ultimately graduated from optometry school in 2017 and am very excited to be back working in my hometown.

What made you decide to join the team at Cornerstone Eye Associates?

Cornerstone has a fantastic reputation in Rochester for not only delivery outstanding care but doing so with impeccable bedside manner. It can be difficult to find physicians who are both talented AND kind. When I first began practicing in Rochester, I would ask more experienced colleagues for recommendations on where to refer patients for particular conditions. Cornerstone was almost always the number one recommendation. I remember meeting Michelle and Nicole about 6 months after graduation. Their attitudes were ones of excitement and passion. They told me if I ever wanted to branch out from retail optometry to give them a call, fast forward 5 years and I did just that. I had a desire to practice a fuller scope of optometry than is possible in a retail setting and I thought there was no better company to do it with than Cornerstone.

What is your specialty, or area of expertise?

I’m a primary care optometrist. I like to do a little bit of everything. I do like the challenge and reward of fitting specialty contacts. Typically, patients in these types of lenses do not get good vision through other means of correction. It can be very satisfying to see the improved vision after what a fairly time-consuming fit can be. I also enjoy educating patients on dry eye. You would be amazed how simple nutrition or lifestyle changes can impact the quality of your vision.

What are some of the challenges you have face in your career and how have you overcome them?

I think the biggest challenge of my career was just getting here. At the end of my freshman year of college I found out I was pregnant, and it completely changed my trajectory. To say I overcame that alone would simply be a lie. I had a village behind me, and I owe so much of my success to them.

Did you always want to be an optometrist?

Honestly, no. I originally wanted to be an obstetrician. Having to finish my last 3 years of college while working fulltime and raising a young child forced a new perspective on me. I could continue to pursue my original goal but felt like I would sacrifice so much time with my daughter. I was working in lab manufacturing glasses during my undergraduate education which is how I was introduced into the optical industry. Becoming an optometrist allowed me to still have a career in health care with a slightly smaller sacrifice in terms of time commitment.

Where did you get your education from?

I attended Nazareth Hall/Nazareth Academy, a small private catholic school from K-12, I then went on to complete a year at New York University before moving home to complete my bachelor’s degree at St. John Fisher (go Cardinals!). I received a truly fantastic optometric education from Nova Southeastern University College of Optometry in Fort Lauderdale, FL.

What is one piece of advice you have been given that you have never forgotten?

The one piece of advice I’ve never forgotten is to remember that life is a journey. The path to success or a goal isn’t going to be linear. You embrace the curves as part of the path and learn from the unexpected turns.

Try and describe yourself in 3 words only.

Quirky, funny, empathetic

What are some of your strengths?

I am definitely a team player. It’s one thing to succeed on your own but sometimes a greater satisfaction comes from succeeding as a team. That may mean jumping in to help or picking up the slack when another team member is overwhelmed or unable to. I would also say my bedside manner is another strength. Patients find me kind and easy to talk to.

What do you enjoy most about what you do? What do you find the hardest about it?

I enjoy building relationships with people. My patients share all kinds of stories, some are inspiring, some are funny, and some are heartbreaking. I remember working in a low-income clinic during my final year of school. There was a middle-aged gentleman who had been diagnosed with Retinitis Pigmentosa many years prior. What no one ever explained to him was that his vision would continue to get progressively worse throughout life and there is no cure. I had to have that difficult conversation with him and I will never forget the tearful

“The one piece of advice I’ve never forgotten is to remember that life is a journey. The path to success or a goal isn’t going to be linear.”

Where do you see yourself in the next 3-5 years?

I hope to see myself as an integral part of the Cornerstone Family in 3-5 years. I would love to create some sort of niche here that ties into my interests and also promotes practice growth.

What are you most excited about at Cornerstone Eye Associates right now?

I’m most excited about working for a company where everyone truly seems to enjoy showing up every day. Culture can really make or break a company. I have been blown away by the work culture at Cornerstone.

What are some tips for building great relationships with your clients? Patients like knowing that their needs are being taken seriously. I make it a point to try and address as many patient concerns as possible, no matter how small. I also try to learn at least one thing about their life, it allows me to connect with them better.

What is one piece of advice you would give a young woman looking to become an optometrist today? I would tell her to find a financially responsible way to become an optometrist so that she can enjoy the rewards of her career earlier on. As with most professional degrees, optometry school can be expensive. Attending an inexpensive undergraduate school and living frugally throughout optometry school will allow you to begin practicing with a lower debt burden.

Where will we see Dr. Rashida Clarke next?

Right here at Cornerstone Eye Associates! I’m looking forward to settling into my new position at Cornerstone, honing my craft, and creating my forever home.