Primary Care/Contact Lenses

Walter Reed National Military 
       Medical Center (WRNMMCB)
             (was National Naval Medical)

8901 Wisconsin Avenue
Bethesda, MD 20889-5600
Phone: (301) 295-care or 1-(800)526-7101
Fax: (310) 295-6497

Type of Practice: Military Medical Center

Mission:

Requirement for UNITED STATES CITIZENSHIP:  WRNMMCB cannot accept any observers, trainees,or facilitators who are not United States citizens by birth or naturalization.  (*NEW 11/1/11- site is not available to dual citizens.)

Forms required at least 30 days prior to the start of the rotation:

1. Standard Form 85P (Declaration for Federal Employment) Continuation of 85P, Explanation of Completing 85P
2. Optional Forms 306- (Questionnaire for Public Trust Positions)
3. Completed Fingerprint Card (local police/fingerprinting center)   
4. Complete and submit WRNMMCB base acess form at least 2 weeks prior to arrival.  Base Access Form

Other helpful links to paperwork include:  What to Bring to Distribution, Base map, Security Procedures for Check-ins, New Extern Handbook,Check in Procedures

Number of MCO Students per rotation: 1


Orientation Instructions:
You should contact Dr. Girdher 6 weeks prior to the beginning of your rotation to verify dates, times, directions, parking, and any other instructions.  Report to the above address at 8:00 a.m. the first day of the rotation for orientation to policies, clinical protocol, administrative procedures, etc.  Completion of hepatitis B series is required (unless waiver is signed) and annual TB testing must be completed. BE CERTAIN TO TAKE YOUR CURRENT CPR CRD, TB TEST RESTULTS CARD, AND HEP B (OR WAIVER FORM) TO EACH OF YOUR ROTATION SITES.

*11/1/11  NEW:  Students are no longer allowed to drive onto the base, and it is recommended that housing be arranged that is bus and/or metro accessible.

If you have any questions, please contact our office at (231) 591-2202 (Elizabeth Spedoske, Assistant Dean’s Office) or (231) 591-2180 (Dr. Bruce Morgan, Director of Externships).

Faculty:

Contact Person:

Geeta Girdher, OD, Director of Externship Program
(301) 295-1339 or email at Geeta.Girdher@med.navy.milClinical Teaching Faculty:

Other Clinical Mentors:

Support Staff: 3 opticians, 2 RNs and 8 surgical technicians

Schedule:

Operating Hours: 4 - 10 hour work day (7 a.m. - 5:30 pm.)  (*New 11/01/11)

Number of patients seen by extern per day: 8-10

Educational objectives:

• Our primary goal is readiness
• Provide comprehensive primary and consultative services to all active duty members
• Provide specialty eye care services such as:
  • In-depth low vision evaluations for patients with ophthalmic impairments
  • Specialty contact lens services for active duty patients who have a medically indicated requirement
  • Operationally required contact lenses for active duty patients assigned to special operational units.

Scope of the Externship:

*Average Number of Patient Examinations
Rotation 1 = 358

Rotation 2 = 455

Rotation 3 = 404

*Average Number of Patient Examinations
Rotation 1 = 563

*Average Number of Patient Examinations
Rotation 1 = 301

*Average Number of Patient Examinations
Rotation 1 = 413

*Average Number of Patient Examinations
Rotation 1 = 469
Rotation 2 = 369
Rotation 3 = 551

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 - Screening/ total numbers, SU - Surgeries observed

Housing:

        Call contact person, Dr. Jill Saxon or Dr. Anthony Potts, for coordination of housing ($400 to $600 per month)

Community:

• Excellent public transportation serving Virginia, Washington DC and Maryland.

Miscellaneous:

• Patient population consists of active duty and retired members from all branches of Uniformed Services (Armed Forces and Public Health Service) and their dependents. Health care is provided to members of the executive branch of the federal government including the President of the United States, Cabinet members, and members of Congress.
• Interns required to conform to the dress code prescribed by MCO. Clinic jackets and name-tags are required.
• Orientation includes a review of military cultural customs, courtesies and ranks. Review of Optometry Student Handbook required.
• One day per week with Ophthalmology department. Specialties include refractive and cataract surgery, minor surgery procedures, retina, pediatrics, cornea, oculoplastics and glaucoma.
• Participation in Diabetic Screening clinic and physical examinations such as flight physicals and cycloplegia clinics.
• One day per week in optometry specialty clinics to include Contact Lens and Low Vision Clinics.
• Instruction by professional photographer available for interested interns
• No student equipment needed.
• Internet Access available in medical library and eye clinic.
• Weekly case reports or reports on journal articles required.
• NNMC eye clinic also affiliated with PCO, SCO, SCCO, SUNY
• Multi-disciplinary Health Services:

        Auxiliary Equipment: