How Waterloo leads in health-care delivery
- University of Waterloo Relations
- 7 days ago
- 2 min read
From optometry and pharmacy to public health and therapeutics, Waterloo alumni are powering Canada’s health care sector
January 16, 2026
By University Relations
Did you know your optometrist is likely a University of Waterloo graduate? Or that Waterloo’s School of Pharmacy offers Canada’s only pharmacy co-op program? Waterloo doesn’t just teach — our programs transform our students into allied health professionals who diagnose, treat, rehabilitate and support patients, improving lives across Canada and beyond.
Optometry and Vision Science
The School of Optometry and Vision Science provides the only English-language optometric training in Canada leading to an accredited Doctor of Optometry degree with practical clinical rotations in primary and specialty care. Since 1967, the School of Optometry has trained close to 4,000 optometrists who provide essential eye care in communities across the country.
Among its many impactful alumni is Dr. Shaina Nensi (OD ’16), a key member of the Ontario Health Insurance Plan negotiating team who advocated to expand patient access to affordable eye care. She currently serves as president of the Ontario Association of Optometrists while operating a clinic in North York and in Kasabonika Lake, a remote First Nation community, delivering vital eye care to Indigenous families. Beyond Canada, Nensi is a Global Impact Fellow with Unite for Sight, partnering with local eye clinics in Ghana to teach patients about eye health and screen for ocular pathologies.
Did you know your optometrist is likely a University of Waterloo graduate? Or that Waterloo’s School of Pharmacy offers Canada’s only pharmacy co-op program? Waterloo doesn’t just teach — our programs transform our students into allied health professionals who diagnose, treat, rehabilitate and support patients, improving lives across Canada and beyond.
Optometry and Vision Science
The School of Optometry and Vision Science provides the only English-language optometric training in Canada leading to an accredited Doctor of Optometry degree with practical clinical rotations in primary and specialty care. Since 1967, the School of Optometry has trained close to 4,000 optometrists who provide essential eye care in communities across the country.
