ICO Private Practice Clerkship

[cheno]

Hello, I've heard the ICO has a PP Clerkship during the summer of the first and 2nd year. Does anyone have information/flyer/pamphlet that they can share? How long is this program and do you actually get "real" experience being able to intern/observe in an optometry office? (If so, does the school help you find offices or are you supposed to be find one on your one? Would the "clerkship" be more like a one day shadowing event, or can you make it a longer internship (i.e. the length of the summer)? Would you have to stay close to ICO during the summer or can you do the program in your hometown?

Does the summer clerkship cost extra tuition fees and are there classes (classroom or online) lectures/supplemental materials that you are required to complete? Or is it more of an "unofficial", relatively flexible "class" where you can negotiate terms with the optometrist you observe?
thanks!

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[odiwonka]

Hi Cheno.

I'm a third year at ICO and had the opportunity to participate in the clerkship last summer.

I think that it's a valuable experience. It lasts the summer (you shadow ~10/13 weeks you are off for the summer) and is mostly self-led as the assignments for the clerkship are a journal and a blog entry. (You can glance at my journal here if you want to see what topics are covered: http://icoprivatepracticeclerkship.weebly.com/) In addition to gaining wise expertise from the optometrist you shadow, many resources are available to you that guide you to where you can find wise tips on owning a private practice. The required text for the summer includes several articles that are available in a PDF format for you as well as the textbook "Business Aspects of Optometry" http://www.amazon.com/Business-Aspects-Optometry-3e-APME/dp/1437715869.

You may find that you can get the same experience without participating in the clerkship if you get the book and start looking at websites like Review of Optometric Business and Optometric Management.

The clerkship is grades as Pass or Fail. There is no charge. There is a fairly extensive listing of optometrists which can be shadowed (but I may be biased as I'm from the Chicago land area) but you can also ask an O.D. near you to host clerkship students as well. Some of the O.D.s may also hire you to help around the office so you can make some cash and learn at the same time!

Feel free to PM me if you want to know anything else!

 

[tkuhug]

Wow thanks for taking the time to type that out odiwonka! I am applying to ICO this cycle and it's definitely great to hear more about the school. Can you set up your own clerkship, or is it a program where you have to apply based on grades and such?

 

[odiwonka]

You can set up your own with a doctor you know and I don't think it's based on grades, just interest