Our Practice's History
THE HISTORY OF OUR 76-YEAR OLD PRACTICE
THE FORMATIVE YEARS
The first glimmer of Dr. Fujimoto's call to optometry came at age 13, when she was awed by how the clarity of vision imparted by her first pair of glasses made her grades soar. She learned first-hand what it is like to be relieved of a handicap. Her optometric aspirations were shortlived and dashed by a school counselor who informed her that it was a men-only profession.
A self-described nerd-geek, she graduated with honors from Mid-Pacific Institute, a non-denominational Christian boarding school in Honolulu. She went on to earn a BA degree in Psychology (Honors Program) and Fine Arts from Indiana University, Bloomington and pursued graduate studies at the University of Hawaii, Manoa, where she taught a third year Educational Psychology class, EP311, and worked as a researcher.
Just when she thought that she was grooved into her life's path, she experienced an insistent, "out of the blue" call to optometry, accompanied by an unbidden spiritual conversion. Without any religious affiliation and very much "in the world" at the time, she was an unlikely person for this to happen to and very much to her surprise, she willingly and fully surrendered the reins of her life to God's Will.
With crystal clarity and to her deepest core, she came to know that she would best serve people by helping them see well and appreciate their most precious sense, SIGHT. Doors opened and opportunities presented themselves, so amazingly and swiftly that she is quick to give ALL glory and credit to God, as she realizes and fully acknowledges: "Of myself I am nothing, the Father doeth the works."
THE PLAN BEGINS TO UNFOLD:
"Your work is to discover your work and then with all your heart to give yourself to it."
To get into optometry school she spent two years immersed in a pre-med curriculum. When the going got rough, this became her mantra: "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."
As long as she worked hard and prayed, the graces flowed. She attended Southern California College of Optometry on a full ride academic (WICHE) scholarship and graduated with a BS degree, Magna Cum Laude, and was a "Top 10%" graduate, earning a Doctor of Optometry degree with distinction. As a student, she served as a teaching assistant guest lectured in Psychobiology was a member of the BSK honorary society and made lifelong friends. Since then, she has guest lectured on the subjects of practice management and contact lenses at her alma mater.
Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back. Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one elementary truth that ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one's favor all manner of unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance, which no man could have dreamed would have come his way. Whatever you can do, or dream you can do, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it. Begin it now." ~Goethe
Upon licensure, vowing she would only work in a professional (vs. commercial) office, Dr. Fujimoto patiently waited for the right opportunity. Via a circuitous series of coincidental events, the Alumni Director of her college told her about meeting a doctor over the weekend that doctor had just been honored for 50 years in optometry and was described as a "fine, older gentleman, who, at age 75, just might be looking for an associate doctor."
That doctor was Dr. Wm. Murray Schofield, Cerritos' first optometrist. Unbeknownst to the Alumni Director, Dr. Schofield had vowed to only take on an associate doctor who shared his faith-based professional values and ideals who had "the courage to be different from the rest and and was willing to make the necessary sacrifices to practice optometry the way it was meant to be practiced."
He had already interviewed and/or "apprenticed" 51 associate doctors, hoping to find his eventual successor but to no avail.
In preparing her resume, Dr. Fujimoto was forthright in expressing her heart's desire: "Consider me IF AND ONLY IF this is an ethical, professional practice and there is a real possibility that this position will lead to partnership/ownership."
After her first and only interview, she was offered the position of Associate Doctor. Before she accepted it, she stopped at the local library to see if Cerritos was a community that she would want to live in. Like her parents and grandparents, she wanted be an active, contributing member of the community that she worked and lived in. Upon learning that Cerritos was a vibrant, model community --and within driving distance to Cal Poly University where her professor husband taught, she accepted the position. Within a month, they moved to Cerritos and plunged right into the life of the community.
The Torch Is Passed:
Three months later, Dr. Schofield determined that he had indeed found his match. So she could buy his practice, Dr. Schofield offered her a deal that could not be refused. Although she had neither assets, nor collateral, he offered to personally finance the purchase of his practice. She is forever indebted to Dr. Schofield as her mentor, role model, benefactor and friend.
He worked on a part-time basis for almost two years before retiring at age 77. The transition was seamless and in the years that followed, they cultivated a sweet and abiding friendship.
Dr. Schofield passed on at age 89 and his name remains on the signage to honor and commemorate this fine gentleman. His spirit lives on in his patients' and Dr. Fujimoto's hearts his living legacy is this practice, its team, and its five generations of patients.
THE LEGACY:
OUR MISSION:
To heartily welcome our patients, regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, national origin, religion, or special needs, and provide eyecare in only one way: to give the best in personalized, compassionate and professional eye care to each and every patient, while delighting in our time together.
Following Dr. Schofield's lead that by serving our patients, we serve God, Dr. Fujimoto thinks of her work as more a ministry than an occupation. Answering to a Higher Authority, she strives to do her best to serve our patients with lovingkindness, patience, gentleness, generosity, gratitude, and humility.
Aware of her human imperfections and limitations and that she is a work in progress, daily, she seeks and learns new ways to serve better, out of love for God and neighbor.
She lives a simple, unostentatious life and her work is her unceasing prayer. Most of her financial resources are directed toward providing our patients with the best of care. She intentionally provides doctors and staff, alike, with enough time to provide unhurried, quality care to our patients, while providing premium services and goods without charging exorbitant fees.
Her goals are simple: provide Lexus-quality care at (affordable) Camry fees and create a work scenario that allows her team to always go home feeling fulfilled and proud of the work they've done.
Raised to "Go the Extra Mile!" and "Share the Aloha," Dr. Fujimoto constantly challenges herself to do more for her patients.
Case in point: without being charged extra fees, our patients are provided with the premium services of retinal photography and GDx screening, a cutting-edge method of detecting glaucoma at its earliest (for some, up to eight years ahead of the first symptom!). Our doctors go the extra mile by generously sharing their expertise in preventative eyecare, nutrition and computer eyestrain.
These efforts are regarded as part and parcel of providing the most comprehensive yearly examination possible, thereby keeping the best of care affordable for all their patients, not just the financially well-off.
An Ardent Supporter Of VSP:
She avidly supports Vision Service Plan (VSP), a nation-wide insurance plan that serves 42 million members. In her early years, VSP provided her with many of her first patients.
Mid-career, she was asked to serve on VSP's regional professional (peer-review) committee, which she did out of gratitude to VSP. Two years later, the proverbial glass and bamboo ceiling was broken when she was asked to serve as the first woman and minority director of VSP's Board of Directors, making bi-monthly trips across the country for policy-making meetings, as well as serving on the VSP Quality Assurance Committee at the national level. She served VSP, its doctors and patient members, by choice, again without compensation and as her way of saying thanks. She stepped down from the board when her father fell ill and needed her assistance, which in time lead her to another chapter of her life.
These days, over 90% of her patients are VSP members. She continues to serve VSP at the highest level possible by giving her personal best to its patients, participating in VSP-represented health fairs, and by sharing the recent good news of VSP's individual plan availability, especially during these recessionary times when such a coverage can keep quality care affordable and accessible for uninsured patients.
Since mid-2007, she has been actively promoting VSP's premium vision care and eyewear insurance (VSP Consumer Choice Plan) for individuals who do not work for big companies that provide vision coverage. She would like ALL of our patients to have access to its premium eyecare coverage including annual eye exams, prescription eyewear, personalized care and more at affordable rates from one of the most trusted names in eyecare is VSP.
Click here to sign up for VSP membership: vsp.careington.com
THE CULTIVATION OF PROFESSIONAL DOCTORS & LOOKING TO THE FUTURE:
Just as our founder Dr. Schofield took Dr. Fujimoto under his wings, shared his patients with her and taught her how to create, build and maintain a thriving professional practice, she is committed to "paying it forward" to our associate doctors.
Our practice has been abundantly blessed with fine, willing individuals who have learned the professional way of practicing optometry, that is, putting people and health above maximum sales and profit. Some have moved on due to life circumstances others, to practices of their own. They are not forgotten and we remain indebted to them for their good work.
Because our associate doctors and staff are competitively compensated as those in commercial practices, we can be inundated with applicants when an opportunity arises.
Who would you work for, given the same compensation? A professional office that allows one-hour exams to do quality work or a commercial one that demands you to rush, rush, rush because patients are to be herded in and out like cattle?
Yes, our patients can be assured that our practice is, with help from Above, able to attract and retain the best of the best doctors and staff members.
In all your affairs, rely entirely on the Providence of God through which alone all your plans succeed.... Strive very gently to cooperate with it. Then, believe that if you trust well in God, success will come to you. ~St. F. de Sales