by Nathan Anderson

Malia McDowell, class of 2026, was awarded the $10,000 VSP Premier Edge™ Student Business Challenge Scholarship at the Solution Conference in Nashville, TN. In collaboration with the Association of Practice Management Educators (APME) and Student Optometric Leadership Network (SOLN), VSP Premier Edge awards this scholarship to optometry students interested in owning a private practice. 

“Winning the scholarship was a once-in-a-lifetime experience,” McDowell said. “It was astounding to think multi-million-dollar private practice owners believed in my business plan. This experience and award gave me the confidence to remain ambitious for the future and make my business plan a reality.” 

McDowell received this scholarship along with UC Berkeley School of Optometry student Tasya Liem after submitting separate business plans outlining their personal and professional plans for private practice ownership. 

Originally from Clarksville, TN, McDowell became interested in optometry after experiencing how vision treatments can positively affect patients' lives. However, her pursuit of owning a private practice began after witnessing disparities in services provided to underserved patients while working as a technician in a corporate optometric practice. 

“Through my exposure in employment and college, access to healthcare and equal care inspires me to become a private practice owner,” she said. “My lifetime goal is to ensure that no patient is turned away from receiving optometric services.” 

Her business plan, Eyes 4 All, is designed to open a practice in rural Margaret City, AL, where residents are reported to have limited access to optometric healthcare. McDowell will use her practice to provide specialized services to this underserved population, decreasing their need to travel long distances for vision care. 

As the president of the UAB School of Optometry's (UABSO) Private Practice Club, McDowell believes that students interested in owning a private practice can benefit from the information offered by the organization. 

 “Our mission is to motivate students to become interested in private practice,” McDowell said. “When discussing opening a private practice, it can seem costly and nearly impossible to pursue, especially as a recent graduate. However, UABSO’s Private Practice Club focuses on bringing successful alumni to speak with members on topics such as how to open a practice with student loans, when to open a practice and how to manage a business.

“UABSO’s Private Practice Club was the reason I attained the VSP Premier Edge Student Business Challenge Scholarship,” she said. “I created a realistic, achievable business plan I can implement in the future because of the knowledge I received.”