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02 February 2020

MEET THE OPTOMETRIST OF THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY 2020



Dr. Osuagwu Uchechukwu Levi is a Nigerian born optometrist by training and hail from Amakohia in Ihitte Uboma LGA of Imo State in Eastern Nigeria.

Dr. Levi is married to Osuagwu Uchechukwu Jacinta and they are blessed with three children.

Dr. Levi completed his primary education at 67 Infantry Battalion Primary School, Aba, Abia State, and his secondary education at Army Day Secondary School Bori-Camp Port Harcourt, River State.

Dr. Levi completed his undergraduate Doctor of Optometry degree from 1993-2000 and has practiced in various private and public hospitals in Nigeria and overseas.

In 2006, he left for Saudi Arabia to gain foreign work experience and later got into academia when clinical practice alone could no longer provide him what he looked for in a career.

Dr. Levi has supervised many undergraduates and postgraduate students and was a lead research person for the Corneal Research Chair at King Saud University, Riyadh, (KSU), where he developed several collaborative projects involving practicing Optometrist, Cardiologist, and public health research persons.

At KSU, Levi was also part of the first committee that developed the new OD program curriculum and was heavily involved in the first accreditation process. Levi continues to pursue excellence in research. He obtained his M.sc at Aston University, Birmingham in 2014, where he graduated with a distinction and later completed his Ph.D. in Optometry and Vision sciences from the Institute of Biomedical Innovation, Queensland; the University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia.

Dr. Levi's current interest as a Research Fellow at Western Sydney University is focused on diabetes and integrated care under Prof. David Simmons. 

He has coordinated various projects in Diabetes including International Projects in New Zealand and Tonga. The team at Western Sydney University is looking for ways to detect, prevent and manage different types of diabetes through peer support programs and an integrated model of care.

Dr. Levi has held several leadership positions including re-instituting the election process as the Transition Committee Chairman of the Nigerian Optometric Students’ Association, ABSU, First Vice President, East for the National Association of Optometric Students’ (NOSA); Member of the IHBI Postgraduate Research Student Committee


INTERVIEWER:_ Dr. Levi, please tell us more about your Student Life: How did you develop your interest in Optometry?
DR. LEVI:_ I had initially set my career to studying medicine but later got into Optometry after one year in Botany.  My interest in Optometry grew as I progressed into the third year. I began to see opportunities to excel particularly in academia as there were no enough lecturers at that time. Since I was passionate about caring for people, the optometry profession felt like a safe place to leave a lasting footprint.

INTERVIEWER:_  Which Optometry school did you attend?
DR. LEVI:_ I attended Abia State University, Uturu

INTERVIEWER:_  When did you graduate?
DR. LEVI:_I graduated in the year 2000

INTERVIEWER:_  What attracted you to that optometry school?
DR. LEVI:_ The institution was the only accredited school of Optometry in the East at that time.

INTERVIEWER:_  What does the program entail/process (how many years, clinical, student life)?
DR. LEVI:_ Optometry degree in Nigeria is actually an eight(8) years program consisting of six(6) years of full-time study, one year of supervised clinical training (internship) at a private or public hospital and another year of National Youth Service Corps Program (NYSC, voluntary) 

INTERVIEWER:_ Describe your best moment in optometry school.
DR. LEVI:_ I had several good moments but the one that stands out was my appointment as the Transition Committee Chairman of NOSA at a time when the student body was experiencing a leadership crisis. The trust bestowed on me by the school leadership and the support from the Optometry students was a humbling experience for me. We went on to institute a democratically elected leadership one year after.

INTERVIEWER:_ Where do you see improvement in the school system in optometry?
DR. LEVI:_ The Optometry school in Nigeria has come along way from B.Sc to the O.D program which gave us a full formulary license, something many countries are unable to have. There is a need to continuously re-evaluate the O.D training program to align with the new technological globe. Optometry training needs to be uniform across training institutions.
INTERVIEWER:_ How was finding a job/Internship after optometry school? Did you feel prepared?
DR. LEVI:_  While finding a place for an internship was difficult at first, job after the internship was available as private clinics. I felt very prepared prior to my internship program because I was fortunate to serve as the Assistant Clinician President at the ABSU clinic, which helped me to instill extra confidence in me. Also, our early exposure to out-patient clinic consultation from the 4th year and the supervised internship program was very helpful at preparing us for unsupervised practice.

  

INTERVIEWER:_Tell us about your Achievement(s) in the Health care sector and in the Optometry profession
DR. LEVI:_I have over 14 years of clinical practice experience, and spent the most part of my career in research and academia.
I have worked in various collaborative research projects across diverse fields published more than 45 peer review articles despite just completing my Ph.D. in 2017.
I have co-supervised many undergraduate and postgraduate students, and assisted in developing optometry program curriculum at King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
I have presented at various local and international conferences and served as a Contact Lens educator for Johnson & Johnson in Saudi Arabia.

AWARDS
ü Deputy Vice-Chancellors Award for Excellence in Research (December 2019)
ü Lions Community Award Boondall, QLD (September 2019)
ü Ingham Diabetes Research Grant (promoting self-care for diabetes management and prevention) by Ingham Institute NSW, Australia (July 2018).
ü Higher Degree Research Grant (Tuition Waiver/stipend), by Faculty of Health and School of Optometry and Vision Sciences, QUT, Australia (February 2014 – July 2017).
ü International Travel Grant by Association for Research and Vision in Ophthalmology (September, 2016)

INTERVIEWER:_  Do you have any plans/Ideas for the Optometry Profession here in Nigeria?
DR. LEVI:_ Optometry keeps changing and the scope of practice still expanding. One way of keeping up to date with practice is being involved in research and good use of the evidence-based practice.
I have plans to engage Nigerian Optometry graduates and practicing Optometrists in research as a way to increase knowledge and engage with the wider society of researchers.

Currently, we have initiated the coming together of foreign-trained Optometry and Public Health Researchers from Nigeria, who have an interest in promoting Research in Nigeria and Africa.

This group will provide the needed opportunity for training and development in research for HCPs in Nigeria. The group will seek funds, grants, and design international research projects to fill identified gaps in various health-related fields
.
I have recently initiated a collaborative research group of Optometry and Public Health practitioners from across the globe, all of whom are from Nigeria. 

The aim is to bring quality research from Africa, and together we can encourage new graduates to take up research projects and training. 

I find that study opens up peoples mind, makes them think critically and see the potentials ahead of the optometry practice. I encourage the institutions to support quality research and students to thin beyond just practicing as a way to succeed.

INTERVIEWER:_  What is your advice to young optometrists in and outside Nigeria?
DR. LEVI:_ I find that international experience is useful at the early stage of practice, but when seeking such opportunities, make inquiries, have an exit plan, and continue developing yourself so that when the right opportunity comes, you will be better placed to grab it. Information is power, so find a senior optometrist who can serve as a mentor even while you are practicing.

I hope that young and practicing optometrists will draw inspiration and motivation from your life story to see beyond clinical practice as a way to foster Optometry growth in Nigeria and personal development.

You can get in touch with Dr. Levi below
LinkedIn Profile: 
https://www.linkedin.com/in/uchechukwu-levi-osuagwu-b368421a/

Diabetes Research Works
https://www.westernsyndney.edu.au/domtru/projects/prevention/wollondilly_diabetes_programme

https://www.westernsydney.edu.au/_data/assets/pdf_file/0011/1556390/Diabetes_Monograph.pdf


E-mail: 


Dr. Levi's Research Profile: 



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