1124 S. State Street
Big Rapids, Michigan
[email protected]
(231) 591-3700
Battle Creek VAMC
5500 Armstrong Road
Optometry Clinic
Battle Creek, MI 49016
Phone: 269-966-5600 x32455
Fax: 269-223-6502
Number of mco students per rotation:
Summer: 3
Fall: 3
Spring: 3
Type of Practice:
Veterans Administration Medical Center and Outpatient Clinic Multidisciplinary
ALL VA's nationwide are requiring the COVID-19 Vaccination. This mandate has been established by the national VHA Office of Academic Affiliations in conjunction with the CDC, as it has been added to the CDC guidelines web site: https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/adults/rec-vac/hcw.html
Battle Creek VAMC does not require a booster. The initial dose(s) are the only requirement. Exemptions will be accepted on a case by case basis.
Much like the Influenza vaccine, all Health Professions Trainees (HPT) training in
a VA facility must be fully vaccinated or have an exemption filed (medical or religious)
with the Office of the Designated Education Officer at the VA using the following
VA Form 10-263.
If an HPT is not vaccinated or filed an exemption, they cannot come to the VA.
ADDITIONAL HEALTH REQUIREMENTS BEFORE ROTATION:
The following must be verified through documented confirmation or through student attestation-
- Hepatitis B Vaccine
- Influenza Vaccine
- MMR Vaccine
- Varicella Vaccine
- TDAP Vaccine
- Negative TB test
To provide excellent primary care optometry in a hospital setting with a large population of diabetes, cataract, glaucoma and other pathologies
This program provides extensive experience in the interdisciplinary clinical care of patients with systemic health problems
To provide externs with low and blind rehabilitation experience
The optometry student intern will examine patients under the direct supervision of
the attending optometrist throughout the entire rotation. The patient history shall
be reviewed with the attending optometrist before the commencement of each examination.
The student intern will introduce themselves to the patient as an intern and name
the attending optometrist with whom they are working.
The student will complete history taking, entrance testing, and their own retinal
health examination and then present the findings and their proposed assessment/treatment
plan to the attending. The attending will re-examine the patient and review and/or
edit the progress note to reflect his/her findings. All orders including medications,
consults, spectacles and return visits must be ordered by the attending optometrist.
Please contact Dr. Gilbertson 8 weeks prior to the first day of the rotation to verify dates, times, directions,
parking, specific health test requirements, and any other instructions. You will be
put in contact with the local HR department and will need to complete paperwork and
a pre-rotation fingerprint and Personal Identification Verification (PIV) photo appointment
three to four weeks prior to rotation start. Student must bring two of the following
pieces of unexpired ID, with at least one being a photo ID: driver's license, US passport,
Social Security Card, Voter Identification card, Military ID or certified birth certificate
(note: if birth certificate does not have current name due to marriage, the marriage
license showing the change must also be presented).
If it is not geographically possible for the student to report to the Battle Creek
VA Medical Center for this appointment, HRMS will make arrangements for courtesy fingerprints
at a VA close to the student. This should be requested when contact is made with HRMS.
Report to the above address at 8:00 a.m. on the first day of the rotation for orientation
to policies, clinical protocol, administrative procedures, etc.
Contact Person:
Carla Gilbertson, O.D.
269-966-5600 x32455 -
E-mail: [email protected]
Clinical Teaching Faculty:
- Molly McGinty-Tauren, O.D.
- Erica Vanderpool, O.D.
- Laura Segraves, O.D.
- Brian Dornbos, O.D.
Other Clinical Mentors:
- Current resident
Support Staff:
None
Operating Hours: Monday - Friday, 8:00am-5:00pm
Hours of direct patient care for extern per day: 8 (40 per week)
Number of patients seen by extern per day: 9 - 10
- Goal: The optometry student extern will become proficient in the assessment, treatment and management of primary ocular disease and manifestations of systemic disease
- Goal: The optometry student extern will gain expertise in the fundamental areas of exam documentation
- Objective: The student will be able to differentiate reason for examination from chief
complaint
- Outcome:
- Assessment:
- Outcome:
- Objective: The student will become efficient at taking histories
- Outcome:
- Assessment:
- Outcome:
- Objective: The student will learn to differentiate between objective findings and
assessments
- Outcome:
- Assessment:
- Outcome:
- Objective: The student will learn to make appropriate assessments
- Outcome:
- Assessment:
- Outcome:
- Objective: The student will learn to formulate manage plans
- Outcome:
- Assessment:
- Outcome:
- Objective: The student will be able to differentiate reason for examination from chief
complaint
- Goal: The optometry student extern will become proficient in procedures fundamental to ocular disease assessment and management
- Objective: The student will become proficient in the assessment of neurologic defects
- Outcome: The student will be able to identify afferent pupillary defects
- Assessment:
- Outcome: The student will be able to appropriately use the parks three step to identify neurologic
defects
- Assessment:
- Outcome: The student will be able to assess the cranial nerves
- Assessment:
- Outcome: The student will be able to identify afferent pupillary defects
- Objective: The student will become proficient at anterior segment assessment techniques
- Outcome: The student will be able to accurately perform gonioscopy and assess angles
- Assessment:
- Outcome: The student will become proficient at pachymetry
- Assessment:
- Outcome: The student will become familiar with corneal foreign body removal
- Assessment:
- Outcome: The student will observe the residents performance of minor adnexal surgical procedures
(examples: papilloma removal, cyst drainage or chalazion injection)
- Assessment:
- Outcome: The student will be able to accurately perform gonioscopy and assess angles
- Objective: The student will become proficient in the assessment of neurologic defects
- Goal: The optometry student extern will participate in and understand optometrys role in
a multi- disciplinary medical facility
- Objective: The student will learn to communicate with other disciplines in the medical
center
- Outcome: the student will order consults to ophthalmology in Ann Arbor
- Assessment:
- Outcome: the student will identify the patients primary care provider as an additional signer
when pertinent ocular signs warrant systemic workup and or management
- Assessment:
- Outcome: the student will order consults to ophthalmology in Ann Arbor
- Objective: The student will work with patients in the low vision/blind rehabilitation
program
- Outcome: the student will learn to correlate findings between disease pathology and functional
visual impairment
- Assessment:
- Outcome: the student will become proficient in a low vision examination and comfortable prescribing
devices
- Assessment:
- Outcome: the student will learn to take a patients goals and prescribe a realistic low vision
treatment plan.
- Assessment:
- Outcome: the student will learn to correlate findings between disease pathology and functional
visual impairment
- Objective: The student will learn to communicate with other disciplines in the medical
center
- Goal: The optometry student extern will learn to effectively communicate with patients
and peers both verbally and in writing
- Objective: The student will practice verbal communication
- Outcome: The student will orally present all cases to the attending optometrist
- Assessment:
- Outcome: The student will attend a lecture given to patients concerning their diabetes and
how it affects the eyes
- Assessment:
- Outcome: The student will orally present all cases to the attending optometrist
- Objective: The student will write and present one or more case presentations
- Outcome: The student will attend and present at least one grand rounds program
- Assessment:
- Outcome: The student will attend and present at least one grand rounds program
- Objective: The student will practice verbal communication
PC - Primary Care, CL - Contact Lens, VT - VT Evaluation, LV - LV evaluation, PD -
Pediatric, OD - Ocular Disease, F/U - F/U to monitor Tx plan, PRE - Pre-op, POST -
Post-op, SC - Total Number Screened, SU - Surgeries observed
The Battle Creek VA is able to provide paritally furnished housing for student externs.
A house-on-campus has been dedicated to as many as 5 students per term at a cost of
just under $200 month. This includes private bedrooms with common baths, kitchen and
living areas. Parking and laundry are available on site at no additional cost. All
utilities are included, but cable and internet are NOT. Off campus housing in the
Battle Creek or Kalamazoo areas approximately $450 - $500/month
Battle Creek: pop. 50,000
- Psychology
- Neurology
- Rehabilitative Medicine
- General Practice Medicine
- Dentistry
- Imaging (x-ray and CT)
- Psychiatry
- Geriatric Medicine
- Nuclear Medicine
- Internal Medicine
- Clinical Pharmacy
- Laboratory
- Digital fundus camera with FAF
- Digital anterior segment camera
- Cirrus OCTs with OCTA
- Anterior Segment OCT
- NCT
- FDT Matrix
- Corneal topographer
- Humphrey VF Analyzers
- Autorefractor
- A/B Ultrasound
- Pachymetry
- Hand-held slit lamp & autorefractor
- Icare Tonometry
- Time is set aside one day each month for clinic/case discussion or formal lecture (Grand Rounds)
- Reference library available for student use
- Internet access available
- The clinic offers an accredited one year residency in ocular disease
If you have any questions, please contact (231) 591-2187 Dr. Sara Bush, Director of Externships- [email protected] .