It also has programmes for overseas Optometry students who wish to broaden their experience by studying optometry or the vision sciences in another country as part of their home country course. The Melbourne Optometry Clinic also provides out-reach services in a public hospital and three community health centres. The Clinic is willing to accept final year students of the optometry schools in Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom as externs. The period of externship can vary from a minimum of 2 weeks to a maximum of 8 weeks. The externship must be in the period February to the end of May or July to the end of October.
Externs see patients under supervision in the primary care, children's and contact lens clinics.
They attend clinical tutorials and review clinics and can if they wish attend lectures. They will spend time in the main low vision clinic and may also be scheduled to one of the hospital or community health clinics. No fee is charged but externs must meet all their own travel and living away from home costs. Applications for an externship must be in writing and addressed to the Co-ordinator of the Clinical School, Mr Mitchell D Anjou. The application must include a short letter clearly indicating the preferred dates for the externship, a curriculum vitae, a transcript of academic record and a letter of introduction and recommendation from the Head of the applicant's school of optometry.