What is the externship process at ICO?
Externships are a large part of the fourth year clinical education at ICO. There are externships all across the United States as well as outside of the country. Currently, ICO students spend two of their four possible quarter rotations away from ICO. One of those rotations must be spent at a Veterans Administration Hospital. ICO students are required to spend one quarter rotation at the Illinois Eye Institute and the final quarter rotation may be spent at the Illinois Eye Institute or away from ICO. A key component to the externship program is to provide the student with a varied and diverse experience in all of optometry’s specialized areas such as primary care, contact lenses, pediatrics/binocular vision, advanced care, and low vision rehabilitation. Many of the externship sites involve multidisciplinary care which is instrumental in developing well-rounded clinicians. The selection process for the externship involves the student making site selections based on their preferences and
