Salus PCO Student Receives 2017 Norman E. Wallis Award

Jamie Pucci

Jamie (Roden) Pucci ’18 OD received the 2017 Norman E. Wallis Award for achieving the highest score on the National Board of Examiners in Optometry Part I Basic Science Examination.

The award was presented at Optometry’s Meeting 2017 in Washington, D.C. Interim Dean of Salus Pennsylvania College of Optometry (PCO), Dr. Melissa Trego, accepted the award on Pucci’s behalf as she is currently completing her externship in Japan. Ms. Pucci is a member of the University’s Accelerated Scholars program, which selects a small group of students to complete a multi-faceted, well-rounded Doctor of Optometry degree in three years, rather than the typical four, without cutting out any course material.

Ms. Pucci was thrilled to receive the award and dedicates her achievements to the extensive preparation her instructors provided.

“This award is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our professors at PCO,” Pucci said. “Not only did they make sure that my classmates and I knew enough to pass the Board exam, they also, and more importantly, made sure that we could apply this basic science knowledge to our developing clinical practice. I am incredibly grateful to have such thoughtful, wise and compassionate role models to learn from.”