Interning at Malmstrom

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Jaeda Tookes
  • 341st Missile Wing Public Affairs
MALMSTROM AIR FORCE BASE, Mont. --  Malmstrom Air Force Base hosts an internship program open to students of Pacific University College of Optometry and the Illinois College of Optometry.

"Our third year of optometry school, we get a chance to pick out our clinical locations," said Jeffrey Thompson, a senior at Pacific University College of Optometry and 341st Medical Operation Squadron intern.

Less than half of all Air Force bases offer internship programs for college students, and only the top students are able to intern with the Air Force.

"It has been a real success," said Capt. Joshua Hager, 341st MDOS optometrist. "The interns gain a lot of experience and are able to work on their efficiency with fitting contact lenses, occasional red eye and routine eye exams."

There are four rotations in the optometry clinicals interns can participate in including primary care, ocular disease and two specialty clinics, lasting two months each.

Interns are also able to use the Optos, which is a retinal imaging device to look at the retina without diluting the eye. Malmstrom is the only clinic in Montana that has the imagining device.

According to Thompson, intern spots are competitive, and usually have multiple students who want the same clinical location.

"If there are multiple students who want the same location, we have to pick a number to decide," said Thompson.

According to the clinic, every three months an intern conducts clinical rotations. The interns are able to do just about anything a doctor can do.

Interns work normal duty hours, under the supervision of Hager, Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

"When I first got here, they asked if I wanted to continue the (intern) program, and I am glad I did," said Hager.