Students in the fourth professional year are scheduled by clinic rotations rather than quarters. Each rotation is approximately twelve (12) weeks in duration. Clinical seminars are held on the Fullerton campus for one full week at the termination of three of the clinical rotations. Hours shown below are total contact hours.

Number	Course Title	Hours			Units
		Lecture	Lab	Clinic
CLINICAL EDUCATION
BVS8050	Senior Research	0.5	1	0	1
CLE8090	Clinical Seminars	60	0	0	6
CLE8490	Optometric Clinical Service IX	0	0	384	9.5
CLE8491	Outreach Clinical Service I	0	0	480	12
CLE8492	Outreach Clinical Service II	0	0	480	12
CLE8493	Outreach Clinical Services III	0	0	480	12
	TOTAL CONTACT	60.5	1	1,824	52.5

FOURTH PROFESSIONAL YEAR IN OPTOMETRY

The fourth professional year is designed to promote continued development of the student's emerging clinical problem-solving abilities. The focus is on higher order cognitive thought processing (analysis, evaluation), rather than basic levels of knowledge and comprehension. The instruction material is designed to advance the student's content knowledge (beyond the first three years) through challenging patient care problems that highlight or emphasize differential diagnosis, management decisions, referral decisions and follow-up, as well as address newer techniques and procedures for diagnosis and management.

FOURTH PROFESSIONAL YEAR COURSE DESCRIPTIONS

BVS8050 Senior Research

• One credit hour. One-half lecture hour per week and independent study.

The research project proposed in Research Proposal (BVS7250) is completed and a formal research report is written and submitted by the end of the third Outreach clinical rotation. Selected projects are presented at the Student Research Symposium, held during Commencement Week.

CLE8090 Clinical Seminars

• Seven and one-half credit hours. Seventy-five seminar hours.

This seminar series is presented as a four-day program between scheduled Outreach rotations. The seminars highlight patient care topics including, but not limited to primary care, contact lenses, vision therapy, low vision rehabilitation, ocular therapeutics, and practice management. Basic science and clinical science concepts are integrated within the context of these topics. The format of the seminar program includes lectures, workshops, laboratories, grand rounds, demonstrations and small group discussions.

CLE8490 Optometric Clinical Service IX (ECC)

• Nine and one-half credit hours. Thirty-two clinic hours per week for 12 weeks.

Student interns continue outpatient care assignments in the Primary Eye Care Optometry, Optical, Cornea and Contact Lens, Pediatric Optometry, Vision Therapy, Low Vision Rehabilitation, and Chronic Care, Special Testing and Ophthalmology Consultation Services at the Eye Care Center. Emphasis is placed on differential diagnosis of eye conditions, case analysis, treatment, patient management, and efficient problem-solving skills. Quality assurance by record review and direct patient care experience is emphasized. Diagnostic and therapeutic pharmaceutical agents are utilized in all clinical services under the direct supervision of licensed optometric faculty and/or board-certified ophthalmologists. Students also participate in school screening programs and rotate through specialty clinical practices.

CLE8491 Outreach Clinical Service I
CLE8492 Outreach Clinical Service II
CLE8493 Outreach Clinical Service III

• Seven and one-half credit hours each. Forty clinic hours per week for three twelve-week rotations.

The Outreach Clinical Programs provide students with comprehensive clinical education in the diagnosis, management and treatment of conditions of the visual system. Patient groups served are diverse in age, race, culture, socioeconomic level and health delivery systems. Patient care is provided in various settings including optometric and co-management centers; Department of Veterans Affairs centers; HMOs; military; public health and USPH Indian Health clinics; medical ambulatory clinics; community health centers; and general and specialty hospitals. Under direct supervision of licensed optometric faculty, students provide full-scope optometric care in specialty clinics. Interdisciplinary team training in vision rehabilitation and primary care educate students for the role of optometrists as vital members of the health care team. Advanced clinical instrumentation, and diagnostic and therapeutic pharmaceutical agents are utilized, in all clinical care settings, under the direct supervision of licensed optometric faculty and/or board-certified ophthalmologists.