There are many reasons to love Chicago — its food, its neighborhoods, but mostly we love it here because of the people you’ll meet. Few optometry schools in the nation will provide you with such a diverse array of patients. We are on the South Side for one fundamental reason: our commitment to the Bronzeville community and our surrounding neighborhoods.
Discover a day in the life.
Chicago is a big city, and no two students will experience it in quite the same way. All the same, in four years you will make it your own. Here are just a few views of what a day in the life at ICO might look like.
'Twas the night before exams
Acing the boards and lessons learned from softball.
Bri Buckley, OD '20
Six lessons learned during my first five weeks
How to take breaks and how to study.
Rachel Shackelford, OD '23
Developing Clinical Skills: 1 or 2
Lessons learned from a beginner refractionist.
Alek Karthikeyan, OD '23
A glimpse into externship selections
Choosing the right externships for you.
Kashifa Ansari, OD '23
Want to see some more?
Student Housing
Students either choose to live in the RC or to live in their own rented apartment. Either way, most students choose to stay near ICO.
We're excited to have you join us!
It takes a lot of hard work and commitment to become an optometrist. It also takes a strong support network. We want to make sure that you do well not only in school, but also that you live well throughout your four years here.
Find your group.
Volunteer, network, travel, or serve the local community. There are so many opportunities to get involved at ICO.
Recreation & Fitness
From lifting in the gym to one-on-one trainings with fit coaches, there are many opportunities to take care yourself physically.
Health & Safety
You can only succeed in optometry school if you also take care of your health and remain safe. We work hard to build a safe and healthy environment so that you feel supported throughout your time at ICO.
_JPG.jpg)
_JPG.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
