Externship Program

The professional program’s fourth year of optometric education requires the successful completion of four clinical rotations including one internship within the University Eye Center (UEC). Each rotation lasts for one quarter of the academic year (12 weeks). During these rotations, students experience a rigorous clinical experience in the following settings: Ocular Disease–Hospital VA, Family Practice–Primary Care/Contact Lenses, or Specialty Care (e.g. Ocular Disease Co-Management, Vision Therapy, Advanced Cornea–Contact Lenses, Low Vision, etc.)

During the internship rotation, Senior Seminar courses are held to reinforce clinical problem solving and integration. The coordination and educational experience of the Clinical Externship program is managed by the Director of Clinical Externships, The Externship Program Administrator, The Chair of the Department of Clinical Education, and site supervisors and adjunct-faculty at each external location. This includes the establishment and ongoing real-time assessment of the external sites, the support of the externship site supervisor and professional staff, the guidance of students through the clinical externship assignment process, the supervision and assessment of the student/extern’s performance, reviewing adjunct faculty credentials and making recommendations to the Dean of Academic Affairs regarding the assignment of adjunct faculty status.

Given that SUNY Optometry fourth year students have completed didactic training, they are expected to be able to fully apply didactic knowledge to their clinical care in real-time, taking full responsibility for self-directed review and acquisition of new knowledge.

The Director of Externships works closely in conjunction with the Fourth-Year Instructor of Record (IOR–who also manages the 4th year internship program) to provide externs with a well-rounded fourth-year experience.