Medical Student Electives

Description

4 Week Course:  Will be offered primarily for students contemplating application to ophthalmology residencies or wanting additional training / exposure.  In this clerkship, the student will be expected to prepare a short presentation during their rotation on a topic of interest; and will be assigned a faculty advisor for the rotation to approve and assist with this.  The student will get to spend time at both the Stony Brook and Northport VA offices and operating rooms.  They will also accompany the residents doing hospital consultations during this period of the course.

1) The first day of the elective will be at the Northport VA Eye Clinic, on the 2nd floor in the main outpatient building (Building 200, Clinic 2J). Here students will meet with Dr. Regina, have a brief introduction to the course, and get to spend time in a clinic exam room practicing slit lamp exam and direct ophthalmoscopy.  Thereafter they will begin shadowing residents and then participating in clinic as appropriate.

2) Special sessions with attending physicians will be assigned at Stony Brook (Tech Park, 33 Research Way, East Setauket) for exposure to neuro-ophthalmology as well as pediatric ophthalmology.  Students will receive their complete schedule prior to the start date.  Students will also attend all resident lectures each morning before clinic plus any special department lectures such as pathology rounds or grand rounds. 

3) Students will complete reading assignments and view online materials as listed below.  And, through attendance and participation in clinic, acquire the basic ophthalmic exam skills and knowledge to diagnose common conditions (see Goals and Objectives.)  The required text is listed at the bottom of this webpage as well and is available for loan from the VA Clinic and Medical Library. 

4) Each student will be evaluated on their clinical performance, attendance, feedback by the faculty mentor, their presentation, and test results (a written exam will be administered at the VA Eye Clinic on the last day of the course).  Students will receive grades of Fail, Pass, or Honors.  Each student must also turn in 360 evaluations of any residents they work closely with as well as a course evaluation, (see the link below.)  Grades will be assigned only upon completion of evaluations, the written exam, and return of the text book.

How to schedule the elective:

All requests will be honored on a first-come, first-serve basis.  Preference will be given to SUNY medical students.

1. Please send an email approximately 4 weeks prior to the desired elective date to the SUNY Stony Brook Ophthalmology medical student coordinator, Ms. Mary McNally at Mary.McNally@stonybrookmedicine.edu.
2. The elective block will be tentatively assigned to the applicant, and Dr. Meredith Regina at the Northport VA Ophthalmology Department will complete a schedule the week prior to the start of the elective.  Please contact Ms. Mary Menken at the VA to complete the requisite paperwork.