Skip to Content

VA Kernersville Health Care Center is part of the Salisbury VA Health Care System

Facility:  
Kernersville Health Care Clinic (HCC) (*assigned primary location)
Location 1:    1750 Kernersville Medical Parkway
Kernersville, NC 27284
336-515-5000
FAX 336-515-5308

WG (Bill) Hefner VAMC (secondary location that you may attend infrequently)        
Location 2:  1601 Brenner Ave
Salisbury, NC  28144
704-638-9000 x 4044
FAX 704-645-6020
Website:  www.salisbury.va.gov
www.salisbury.va.gov/locations/Kernersville.asp

Contact Person for Student /Ker externship director
Dr. Kristine Loo
Kristine.Loo2@va.gov

Full Time Optometric Attending Staff (KERNERSVILLE)

  • Diana Mah, OD, FAAO – Ocular Disease
  • Phil Roels, OD, FAAO – Ocular Disease/Low Vision
  • Susan Yee, OD, FAAO – Ocular Disease
  • Jarett Mazzarella, OD, FAAO – Ocular Disease
  • Kristine Loo, OD, MS – Ocular Disease
  • Heather DeMarco, OD – Ocular Disease/Low Vision

Other Staff:

  • Marg McGuire, Administrative Officer. Salisbury contact
  • Gary Mancil, OD, FAAO – Chief; Optometry Service

Type of Facility: Primary Care/Ocular Disease/Low Vision

Patient Care Emphasis
Relative Percentage of Student Encounters:
Routine Refractive Cases:   10%
Ocular Disease Cases:  70%
Binocular Vision Cases:  5% (mainly traumatic brain injury)
Low Vision Cases:   10% (not including TBI)
Contact Lens Cases:   5% (specialty CL’s fit in Salisbury with Residents)

Walk-in and urgent care patients are also seen.

Patient Population Demographics

  • Age Range/Average Age: 21-100 / 60
  • Percent Male/Female: 70/30
  • Racial Percentages:  55-Caucasian / 35-Black/7.5-Latino /2.5-Asian or Other

Ophthalmological Services

There are full-time ophthalmologists, as well as ophthalmology residents from Wake Forest

Description of Eye Clinic (located on the first floor)

16 lanes, several procedure and special testing rooms, space also for Blind Rehab Specialist (student can request to rotate with 1-2/rotation)

Clinic Hours: 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Students may see seven to ten patients/day.

Arrival Procedure for Student
Arrive at Kernersville HCC day 1 at 7:30 am for orientation.

Student Responsibilities
Compliance with all instructions and VA policies reviewed and directed by staff. Please arrive on time every day with a professional attitude. Students may wear scrubs. Students are expected to give a case presentation during the rotation and participate in weekly journal clubs and education meetings.

Equipment Students Required to Bring
All equipment provided – student may not use own instruments per VAMC policy

*Onsite internet access available for student:  yes

Meals:  none provided, cafeteria on first floor

Automobile necessary: Yes – public transportation not yet well integrated as this is a new facility.

  • Parking:   During orientation, will receive a parking sticker.
  • There is no fee for parking, just park in designated employee parking area
  • *Employee parking (sticker required) in rear of building
  • *Patient parking (non-permit) front of building

Housing Availability and Cost

Housing is not available at the Kernersville Clinic but most people do not have a problem obtaining housing in Kernersville, Winston-Salem, High Point or Greensboro.  We have some resources you may request if you wish. Approx. cost is $450-700. There are several housing possibilities within 1 to 5 miles.  No stipend available.

Directions to Clinic

Kernersville – From I-40 Business East, take exit 15 (NC 66/NC 150); Turn right onto NC 66S, then left onto Kernersville Medical Parkway.  Go about 1 mile to the VA

Miscellaneous Requirements

Digital fingerprints (must be obtained from another VA facility) prior to rotation.  Two state or federal government issued forms of ID required.  No photocopies of those documents allowed, only original or certified (birth certificate, passport, driver’s license, etc.).

Externship Affiliations for Salisbury VA Health Care System:

  • ICO, PCO, OSU, NOVA, SCO, UAB, MCHPS, Berkeley, Pikeville
  • Usually on resident and two or three students total at any given time.
VA Kernersville Policies