Externship and SIWES

At the end of the OPT 598 (Externship and SIWES), the students should be able to: 1. demonstrate more confidence in taking case history and attending to patients; 2. improve on how to use retinoscopy for objective refraction; 3. improve on how to perform subjective refraction; 4. explain cup to disk ratio grading with ophthalmoscopy; 5. conduct diagnosis of external eye conditions especially different types of red eye and treatment options; 6. arrive at and write spectacle prescription for patients; 7. order prescription lenses for patients; 8. glaze and mount lenses into ophthalmic frames; 9. check for good finishing of spectacles before dispensing; 10. recognise a wide range of clinical cases which they might not be privileged to come across in the school clinic; 11. identify optometric diagnostic equipment and procedures outside university facility; 12. develop more confidence in clinical practice and mentoring skill; 13. exposed to the business management aspects of optometric practice; 14. demonstrate experience in optical laboratory and dispensing from centres outside the university; 15. display experience in the handling of optometric instrument from centres outside the university; 16. display experience in patients’ management/handling from clinical centres outside the university optometric clinic under supervision; 17. demonstrate experience in workplace principles and ethics from centres outside the university optometric clinic; and 18. produce a written report of the activities that took place during the 6-months clinical (industrial) experience.

OPT 598 (Externship and SIWES): The course is for six months (i.e, 500 Level 2nd Semester and Long vacation) covering industrial and clinical attachment and rotation for ophthalmic care, optical laboratory and dispensing experience in solo/group practice, as well as in optometric instrumentation and patient care provided in hospital, or multi-disciplinary health care settings (external to the University) by students under strict supervision of approved supervisors/preceptors. The aim of the course is for student to acquire industrial (clinical) experience under the Industrial Training Fund (ITF) scheme. Complete 24 weeks of 500 Level 2nd semester and immediate long vacation posting under the Students’ Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES) utilizing the 6-month Logbook from ITF. Finally, students on returning to the institution will present a seminar on major duties performed and skills acquired during the training. Grades are allotted according to ITF and individual institution guidelines. Students must submit a report on their ITF experience. The report will form part of the assessment/grade for the course. 600 Level