Questions about ICO

[Zurich5]

Does anyone know how their campus is? Isn't it on the south side of the city, and how does their externship program work?

Thanks

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[Grand Teton]

ICO has a nice campus, which mainly consists of one large building where everything is held. It is on the South Side of Chicago, which in my opinion isn't very attractive itself, but overall I think ICO is a very nice place..

 

[OD2BMike]

ICO's externship program is one of the best. They have over 100 external sites that students can choose from, and the number seems to keep growing. Most are in the U.S., but they have a handful of sites abroad. Most 4th year students do 3 quarters of external rotation and 1 quarters at the IEI. The variety of external clinical learning really varies. You can do anything from pediatrics to advanced care(disease) during your externs. Any area that you don't get on external rotations is covered at the school clinic. I graduated from ICO in May 2002 and I am now doing a residency at a VA hospital that takes ICO students. This site is great. I can give you more info if you need it. Also check out the ICO webpage; I think they have a list of their current rotation sites.

 

[Zurich5]

How hard is it to place (match?) into a residency in refractive surgery and anterior segment disease

 

[OD2BMike]

There are lots of variables. It really depends where you apply and how many applicants there are that year. Generally speaking, most graduates that are interested in residency can match into a program. It's just a matter of picking one that your likely to match into. Some program directors look mostly at GPAs and board scores, others look at other factors. Check out www.optometryresident.org to check out what is available. Hope this helps.

 

[rpames]

A question:

How does ICO evaluate your GPA? If you repeat a class, do they only use the repeated grade or do they average both together?

Thanks

 

[rpames]

I just called ICO and the lady said the higher grade is used for the GPA but of course both grades will be avalible to look at.

 

[Eyegirl2007]

Poor Kristen, she must be such a busy lady. I called her today also...

 

[rpames]

My parents came to vist me this weekend and brought my mail. One of the letters was from ICO. It was a request for a secondary application before they decide if they want to interview me. I was just wondering if everyone they interview has to fill one out or just some.

 

[Eyegirl2007]

Rpames,
Actually, I got a secondary application request at the same time as an interview invite--but it was in email form....are you saying that you got the same thing but in snail mail or that you are supposed to fill out a secondary application BEFORe they will offer you an interview. Just curious... at any rate congratulations on getting the secondary!

Eyegirl

 

[Eyegirl2007]

I may have gotten both at the same time because I was a super early applicant...

 

[rpames]

No invite yet. On the bottom of the form it says they will review my application again and I can expect to hear from them in DECEMBER!!! Don't they know I will have gone crazy by then? I have not taken the MCAT yet so that may be a factor, but I'm pretty sure you said you have not yet either. Also at the time my academic letter was not there yet (they have it now). I also noticed that I still need to take Calculus and Micro. I'm in them both this semester but I don't know if that is somthing they knew. Perhaps my GPA is not high enough to get the invite right off the bat.

Do you know what percent of secondaries get invites, or for that matter what percent get secondaries?

 

[Eyegirl2007]

rpames,
Wow, I'm sorry about the waiting game. That's the most difficult part for me about this entire process. I am not good at it.

I can honestly tell you I have no idea what ICO is doing in regards to your app. I experienced something very different. My situation is:

Applied: beginning of august, as soon as I could

Transcripts had already been sent two weeks prior.

Acacdemic recommendation arrived second week of august

Secondary/interview invite: (in one email) 3rd week in august, completed secondary online next day.

Interview: 2nd week in September. (A great time!)

OD recc arrived last week

So, my file is complete, except for OAT scores

Now: Will hear something by October 15th, may be a hold because my OAT scores are not in yet which may then hold my final decision back to Decemberish. (That WILL drive me absolutely nuts if that's what happens.)

I'm currently taking micro (getting an A so far!), will take calc this winter ( I don't think this is a factor in whether or not I got the invite).

I have pretty good numbers and I have had a lot of optometry experience in a lot of different settings, also I have shadowed at ICO in their clinics and I got to know the admissions people decently well before application season started.


OAT date is Oct 19th, 2002 for me. STill haven't gotten that registration card--has anyone else??

I am confused about your case. Is it that you were given an initial review, whereby they gave you a secondary, and now they are asking you to hand in the secondary? And then, are they going to review your application again and then decide whether or not to offer you an interview based on the secondary and another review?

The secondary is pretty simple...just the one essay and some miscellaneous employment history etc... If I were you, I'd try to make a really strong impact with the personal statement. Let me know if you need any tips. My personal statement was definetly what they concentrated on in the interview. If you are deficient in optometry experience, it might be helpful to shadow in the ICO clinics.

I actually had a dream about being accepted to ICO last night. Then I woke up and I was . Hopefully my acceptance is forthcoming. Feel free to PM me if you have any qusetions you don't want to share with the group.

Eyegirl

 

[rpames]

eyegirl-
Thanks for your quick input. This is the skinny:

Sent primary late August
Sent OD req two days later
Sent transcripts early september
Sent academic req two weeks ago
Received secondary request Thursday

I believe the primary review is them just looking at the numbers and your name. If you meet the number limits they send you a secondary w/o and invite but when you have above average numbers they send you a secondary with an invite.

As far as OD exposure...well I would be willing to bet I have more exposure to it than some OD's. My dad is an ICO alumni, I think class of 72. That was the first year OD's had to go for 4 years instead of 3. I have worked for him since 97 doing pre-test, frame adjustments, cutting lenses, contact lens education, you name it, I've done it! I hope that is going to help me.

I have not received my OAT card either. The form said we will get them two weeks before the test.

 

[cpw]

Originally posted by rpames
instead of 3. I have worked for him since 97 doing pre-test, frame adjustments, cutting lenses, contact lens education, you name it, I've done it! I hope that is going to help me.

It will DEFINITELY help you!!! Having exposure to "real world" optometry and knowing how to do all those thing will really help. (as will listing that you're the child of an OD)

Good luck on the OAT guys!!

 

[rpames]

I know the exposure to a practice for so long will help, but do you think my dad being a OD will really make a difference?

 

[r_salis]

Absolutely! It means you grew up being exposed to the profession. And the fact that he's an ICO alumni is definitely (unofficially--I don't think a school would ever admit to it) a benefit!