ACOE_Self-Study

training independently and provide proof of CPR certification upon completion prior to the end of the summer term. Students must demonstrate an understanding of the basic principles and philosophy of optometric practice management Standard 2.9.10) by completing a 2.5 credit course entitled Optometric Practice in a Changing Health Care Environment . 2.10 There are written and signed affiliation agreements between the program and its externship sites that define, at a minimum, the responsibilities of each party related to the educational program for optometry students. A memorandum of understanding (MOU) that addresses respective responsibilities of all parties is signed by the College and each externship site. These are housed in the Department of Clinical Education office and are available for review. 2.10.1 The program has established and adheres to criteria for the selection of externship sites. These criteria address at a minimum: • Space and equipment • Qualifications of supervising faculty • Clinical privileges of supervising faculty where applicable • Clinical practice guidelines employed at the site Selection criteria for externship sites, which include space and equipment, qualifications of supervising faculty, clinical privileges of supervising faculty where applicable and clinical practice guidelines employed at the site, can be found in Appendix II-13a . When sites are visited, the reviewer completes the External Site Visit Checklist form ( Appendix 11-13b ). Individuals who supervise students at the site are granted adjunct faculty status by the vice president for academic affairs per established policy and may be reviewed for advancement and promotion. Externship sites are monitored using a number of mechanisms. Students are required to log each patient encounter, including demographic, diagnostic and treatment information, using the Meditrek web-based system ( Appendix II-13c ). These provide the basis for summary data for each site that are regularly reviewed by the director of externship programs. At the conclusion of a rotation, students complete (using Meditrek) a detailed evaluation of the site and the adjunct faculty at the site ( Appendix II-13d ) that is reviewed by the director of externship programs. As an additional level of oversight, site visits are conducted by the director of externships (see Standard 2.10.2.1 below). Decisions to modify, retain or discontinue externship sites are made on an ongoing basis by the director of externship programs in consultation with the chair of clinical education taking into account student clinical experiences and feedback and any changes in site conditions or personnel. The director compares student experiences and site-specific data both within and across sites for consistency and quality. Sites rarely need to be discontinued, pointing to the overall effectiveness of the site selection and review process. 2.10.2 The program must monitor externship sites to ensure they are providing clinical experiences that meet the program’s mission, goals, and objectives.

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