Dr. Sandra Chiu's Bold Career Pivot
Sandra and I worked together for years at a busy Toronto clinic with 3 lanes running non-stop. On the rare slow afternoons, we'd wander into each other's exam rooms and talk about everything from paleo diet, pie baking, to dog training. She was always that colleague who had a thoughtful perspective on anything.
Sandra is the definition of a big-city person—frequent social gatherings, and diverse interests and hobbies. So when she told me she was moving to a small town to buy a practice, I was shocked.
This is her story of a bold career pivot.
Silent Burnout
Like many of us, she didn't realize she was burnt out until she suddenly had the space to notice it.
"I think in the back of my mind I knew that I was burnt out," Sandra shared. "But I was just too busy to not have the bandwidth to do something about it."
When the COVID pandemic forced her to slow down, she started asking the tough questions: Is this still the career I want? Do I feel fulfilled? What do I want my work and life to look like?
The Leap
The search was wide open—scrolling through LinkedIn for jobs in sciences that had nothing to do with optometry.
On further reflection, she realized there are aspects of optometry she really loves such as connecting with patients. Her main driver of burnout was the high volume of patients and a lack of autonomy.
So when an opportunity came to buy a private practice in Port Elgin, Sandra made her bold career pivot.
The learning curve was steep—going from a non-dispensing practice to running a full-scope optometry clinic. But she thrived on the growth and the challenge.
"I loved being able to call the shots on things I always had strong opinions about, like controlling my schedule" she explained.
"Nothing Is That Urgent."
Sandra and I recalled those days working together past 8 PM (including weekends!). It felt normal.
Now, Sandra sees patients at a slower pace, and she protects her weekends fiercely.
"At first, (in my rural town) I saw no one being open on weekends as an opportunity," she said. "Now I see it as an off time. Nothing is that urgent."
Protecting your boundaries is key to designing a sustainable career. "When I take some time away from the office, I always come back more excited with fresh ideas."
The Ownership Reality
Of course, it's not all rosy. Sandra deals with decision fatigue—being the final answer for every question from staff.
Her solution? Teaching her team to think independently and make "safe mistakes."
"I want them to exhaust all other resources before coming to me," she said. She even lets staff make mistakes if the business can handle it, allowing them to learn.
For the stuff she hates—finance, accounting, bookkeeping—she outsources to a practice management company.
Rediscovering the Love
Here's what struck me most:
Sandra pondered leaving optometry entirely. But it wasn't optometry she wanted to leave—it was the setting.
"What I always liked about optometry the most was the personal connections with patients," she said. "Optometry wasn't the problem. It was just the high volume."
Now, she finds meaning not just in patient care, but in serving her community in Port Elgin.
I asked what would surprise her younger self most about where she is now:
“My younger self would be the most surprised about where I live!” she laughed. “Everything else would make sense.”
The Takeaway
Sandra's story is an important reminder to listen to your inner voice. It's about recognizing that "I'm burnt out" and "I love this profession" can both be true. Changing the context of your work just might be the answer.
It's also about having the courage to ask: "Is this still what I want?" And then being brave enough to take action.
Her formula for work happiness? Autonomy + balance + growth.
As she put it: “I feel excited again—full of ideas, new challenges, and the freedom to work the way I want.”
🎙️ Check out the full podcast episode on 20/Happy Pod
👩⚕️ Sandra's Office:
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