A year in the life: Southern California College of Optometry student experience in the Indian Health Service.
BACKGROUND
The Indian Health Service offers an excellent opportunity for health professions students to enhance their professional growth and knowledge. The Southern California College of Optometry began its relationship with the Indian Health Service in 1974. Today, SCCO has Memoranda of Understanding for clinical education of its students with nine of the 12 IHS area offices across the country.


RESULTS
In 1994-95, 37.6 percent of SCCO's graduating class received a portion of their senior year clinical training in externships with the Indian Health Service. A total of 15,834 patient encounters were logged by the students while they were at the IHS sites. Fifty different types of procedures were reported by the students, reflecting an extensive clinical experience. The types of patients seen and the complexity of the patient mix, varied across the different student externships.


CONCLUSIONS
The Indian Health Service is truly a great resource for the education of our future doctors of optometry.
Southern California College of Optometry, Fullerton, CA 92633, USA.
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D002140:California; D005128:Eye Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D009907:Optometry / Q000193:education*; D012576:Schools, Health Occupations; D014481:United States; D016549:United States Indian Health Service / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000078329:Workforce