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Optometry
From Philadelphia to Chester County, the Pennsylvania College of Optometry (PCO) at Drexel University consistently creates opportunities for Doctor of Optometry students to expand their clinical education beyond The Eye Institute (TEI) – the program’s main clinical facility - while making a meaningful difference in the communities they serve.
This summer, TEI expanded its reach to West Chester and surrounding communities through its continued partnership with the Community Volunteers in Medicine (CVIM). Over five all-day events in July and August, PCO faculty, staff, and optometric interns provided comprehensive eye care and vision services to members of the Chester County community, helping patients address vision needs that may otherwise have gone untreated.
For PCO students, the events provided valuable hands-on experiences caring for patients in a community-based setting and the opportunity to apply their didactic and clinical education to real-world patient care.
“I am always impressed with our students and their ability to adapt to new environments and provide outstanding care,” said Brandy Scombordi-Raghu, OD ‘98, Resident ‘99, director of Optometric Clinical Outreach at TEI and PCO assistant professor. “These events allowed them to improve their skills in a fast-paced clinic and provide care to a sector of the population that is desperately in need of it.”
CVIM is a community-based healthcare organization that provides medical services to uninsured individuals and families in Chester County who may otherwise have limited access to these services. Through its partnership with CVIM, PCO students and staff worked alongside experienced optometrists while caring for patients with a range of visual and ocular health needs. These outreach events allow students to strengthen their clinical skills, develop their communication skills, and gain a deeper understanding of the barriers that can affect access to eye care services in the larger community.
For many patients served through CVIM, the impact went far beyond a routine eye exam. “A lot of people have never had an eye exam ever, so it really makes a huge impact,” said Rachel Bierly, director of Clinic Operations at CVIM.
This past summer, PCO’s team examined 133 patients and prescribed glasses to almost all of those who received an exam. Together, these efforts addressed CVIM’s eye care waitlist, helping patients who had been waiting for vision services receive the care they needed. The number of patients waiting ranged from approximately 100 to 400 throughout the year, highlighting the ongoing necessity for accessible eye care in the community.
For PCO students, community-based events help them learn how to put their education into practice while also learning how to adapt to the varying needs and circumstances of differing patient populations. As TEI and PCO continue their work with CVIM, the partnership reflects a shared commitment to both clinical education and the community at large.
