VA Los Angeles Ambulatory Care Clinic
Los Angeles, CA 90012
(213) 253-2677 x 4624 or 4635
FAX: (213) 253-5123
Clinical Teaching Faculty: Chang H. Kim, OD Chang.Kim@va.gov and Diana Wu, OD Diana.Wu@va.gov
Type of Practice: VA Community-Based Out-patient Clinic
The VA Los Angeles Ambulatory Care Center (LAACC) is a multi-disciplinary Community Based Out-Patient Clinic with the following services in its facility: Primary Care, Surgery (general, orthopedic, urology, podiatry), Eyecare (optometry & ophthalmology), Neurology, Ear-Nose-Throat, Dermatology, Audiology, Mental Health (psychiatry, psychology & social services), Dentistry, Pharmacy, Radiology and Laboratory.
Demographics
- Socio-Economic
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- Many of our patients are comprised of indigent and homeless veterans residing in VA-subsidized housing or shelters within downtown LA
- Other patients reside in surrounding cities contiguous to downtown LA
- Age
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- WWII veterans in their late 80s to 90s
- Korean War and Vietnam War veterans in their 60s to 70s
- OIF and OEF veterans ranging from 20s to 50s
Prerequisites for Student Interns
- Has a strong desire to learn, work with others and provide compassionate patient care.
- Highly recommended to have good didactic understanding of common systemic conditions and associated ocular manifestations; systemic & ocular medications with respect to their usage, contra-indications and adverse effect.
- Please see Externships Documentation and Immunization Requirements page for additional requirements.
Patient Services Provided
- To provide care to veterans in need of comprehensive eye examination as well as management of acute and chronic eye disorders.
- Coordinate eye and systemic care with providers in different healthcare discipline at LAACC, including primary care, dermatology, neurology, mental health and pharmacy.
- Routine Eye Examinations
- Glaucoma
- Macular Degeneration
- Diabetic Retinopathy
- Optic Nerve & Retinal Ischemic Events
- Ocular Infection & Trauma
- Ocular Surface Disorder
- Visual Deficiency associated with TBI
Educational Objectives
- We aim to provide excellent primary and secondary eye care to our veterans in a multidisciplinary clinic based environment. Your goal will be to develop the optometric skills to diagnose, treat, and manage patients with ocular disease or ophthalmic manifestations of systemic disease.
- Average daily student-patient encounter: 4 to 6 patients ranging from comprehensive eye examination, dilated fundus examination, glaucoma w/u or f/u, visual field, urgent care evaluation (trauma, red eyes, vitreo-retinal anomalies).
Student Responsibilities
- Professional conduct with patients, staff, and peers is expected.
- All students are expected to equitably support the efficiency of the Eye Care Team.
- The student will report any concerns to the clinical faculty or the affiliate institution in a timely manner.
- Punctuality is expected. Student clinic hours are from 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., although later hours should be anticipated depending on variations in the daily schedule and the nature of patient care.
- Bring normal diagnostic equipments need to provide comprehensive eye exam and limited vision therapy/perceptual evaluation (binocular indirect ophthalmoscope, direct ophthalmoscope, retinoscope, non-contact fundus lenses, trial frame & lenses, etc.)
- A white clinic coat (jacket length) is required.
- Student ID from affiliated optometric institution.
Faculty Responsibilities
- To provide an optimum learning environment for resident and 4th year optometry students with emphasis on management of ocular disease and associated systemic etiology.
Rooms and Equipment
- 5 Examination Rooms each equipped with:
- Desk top computer with access to CPRS (Computerized Patient Record System): VA version of EMR which gives access to care provided at ALL VA facilities
- Full examination lane (phoroptor, slit-lamp, keratometer, automatic projector)
- VF Room with 2 Humphrey 750i VFA
- Laser & Ultrasound Procedure Room
- Digital Fundus Camera
- Pachymeter
- Corneal topography, OCT and Orbscan — located at VA West Los Angeles and can be obtained through consult request
Clinic Hours:
- Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. with allowance for students and residents to attend Grand Round lectures at VA West Los Angeles on Wednesday PM (space and time permitted).
Housing Information
- NO VA-subsidized housing is available; however, there are many apartments available within downtown LA area and immediate surroundings — highly cost variable depending on location.
Location and Transportation
- Centralized downtown location
- Easy access via public transportation
- Metrolink Train — 10-minute walk from Union Station
- MTA Goldline Light Rail Station — across the street
- MTA Bus/Shuttle
- Close to major freeway system — 101, 110, 60, 10, 5
- Safe and secure location with high law enforcement visibility
- Across the street from LAPD Headquarter and City Hall
- Next door to Royball Federal Building