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Hi all! I was wondering if someone can please tell me the difference or uniqueness of the ICO program? thank you.
ICO curriculum
- Thread starter FoxyDear
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- Nov 23, 2002
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I think the strongest part of ICO is the clinical education. I was surprised to come up against students from other schools on externship and realize that they had no idea what the retinal disease was that I saw every other day in the school's clinics.
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eyegirl.... i was wondering... when do you start getting clinical experience? I know in Berkeley they start day 1 (on each other) and then it is after 2nd yr (the summer after spring semester) that they start working on actual patients...
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Real clinical experience (with actual patients) doesn't start until the end of 2nd year. However, there are vision screenings held in the community where you can practice any techniques that you have learned such as cover test or color vision. I didn't feel like I was put at any disadvantage at all waiting until the end of 2nd year to start seeing my own patients (with attending supervision of course). I felt prepared the first time I was in a room with a patient.
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Consider these factors when applying to school:
-Clinic size, location, and patient visits. The more disease you see, the more experience you get. (There is a lot of eye disease being taken care of at the Illinois Eye Institute).
-ICO has segments on practice management in their curriculum (electives) which I am looking forward to. Students will be well prepared for the academics, but not many students have had business experience. Definitely helps if your intention is to go into private practice.
-Large alumni network. It's an old school and each class size is about 150-160. You'll have a lot of professional colleagues within your own class when you graduate.
-The residential complex may be convenient if you don't know the area or want the convenience of being across the street with your classmates for at least the first year.
Really consider where you'll feel comfortable and confident after you graduate. I'm looking at the big picture now that I'm here.
Cons: almost 30k in tuition per year.
-Clinic size, location, and patient visits. The more disease you see, the more experience you get. (There is a lot of eye disease being taken care of at the Illinois Eye Institute).
-ICO has segments on practice management in their curriculum (electives) which I am looking forward to. Students will be well prepared for the academics, but not many students have had business experience. Definitely helps if your intention is to go into private practice.
-Large alumni network. It's an old school and each class size is about 150-160. You'll have a lot of professional colleagues within your own class when you graduate.
-The residential complex may be convenient if you don't know the area or want the convenience of being across the street with your classmates for at least the first year.
Really consider where you'll feel comfortable and confident after you graduate. I'm looking at the big picture now that I'm here.
Cons: almost 30k in tuition per year.
