Vijay Kumar Yelagondula^1,2*, Anjali Tripathi^1,2, Souvik Bhunia^1,2 and Aviansh Pathangey²

¹Brien Holden Institute of Optometry and Vision Sciences, L V Prasad Eye Institute, Hyderabad, India ²Academy for Eye Care Education, L V Prasad Eye Institute, Hyderabad, India

*Corresponding Author: Vijay Kumar Yelagondula, Brien Holden Institute of Optometry and Vision Sciences, L V Prasad Eye Institute, Hyderabad, India.

Received: February 05, 2025; Published: February 10, 2025

Abstract

Introduction: Clinical internships are crucial in optometry education, offering hands-on experience to build clinical competence and patient examination skills. This study aims to assess optometry students' expectations of their internship programs using a self-administered questionnaire.

Methods: A validated self-administered questionnaire was sent via email to a representative sample of 20% of optometry schools and colleges in India. The final questionnaire, covering various aspects of internship expectations from third-year optometry students, included 33 items. To maximize participation, a reminder email was sent two weeks after the initial email. Data were analyzed using SPSS software with descriptive statistics.

Results: A total of 40 optometry schools and colleges responded to the survey (66.7% response rate). The 442 participants had a mean ± SD age of 20 ± 3.5 years, with the majority being female (324, 73.3%). A total of 380 students (86%) expressed willingness to attend an admission examination for the optometry clinical internship. The majority of the students (301, 68%) preferred internships at tertiary hospitals or institutes. Nearly all students (434, 98.2%) wanted to participate in simulation training before clinical rotations. A majority (228, 51.6%) were interested in examining all types of ocular pathology, while 52% (230) expressed interest in myopia management. Most students (396, 89.6%) preferred working in rural areas and also expressed interest in having leisure time and receiving a stipend during the internship.

Conclusion: Findings suggest that students have high expectations from their internships, not only about clinical practice but also in areas such as infrastructure and administrative support. The study provides valuable insights for institutions and educators aiming to strengthen optometry education in India.

Keywords: Internship; Expectations and Optometry Training

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Citation

Citation: Vijay Kumar Yelagondula., et al. “Expectations of Third-Year Optometry Students Regarding Clinical Internships in Optometry".Acta Scientific Ophthalmology 8.2 (2025): 07-17.

Copyright

Copyright: © 2025 Vijay Kumar Yelagondula., et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.