RESIDENCY IN PRIMARY EYE CARE/GERIATRIC OPTOMETRY
EDITH NOURSE ROGERS MEMORIAL VETERANS HOSPITAL
Program Supervisor: Donee Wong, O.D.
Associate Program Supervisors: Dr. Anna DeNardo, O.D.
Dr. Justin Cole, O.D.
Site Location: Edith Nourse Rogers Memorial Veterans Hospital, Bedford, MA
Number of positions: Two
This residency is sponsored by the Department of Veterans Affairs and is affiliated with the New England College of Optometry.
Mission:
To provide unique advanced training as a primary eye care/geriatric optometry provider to our veteran population, in a multidisciplinary health care setting, through interaction with experienced optometric and medical providers. Considerable emphasis will be placed on geriatric optometry, especially in providing care to inpatients. Comprehensive training will be provided to the residents who will develop into a highly skilled clinician, able to diagnosis, treat, and manage ocular disease and ocular manifestations of systemic disease, markedly surpassing the level of a one-year post graduate optometrist.
Residency Goals:
- To develop and expand the residents' capacity to recognize, diagnose, treat and manage ocular disease and ocular manifestations of systemic disease.
- To develop the residents' capability to function as an integral primary care provider in a multidisciplinary health care setting.
- To provide sufficient teaching experience to permit the resident to enhance their clinical training experience.
- To encourage and supervise the residents in the completion of a clinical case report, clinical review or research project of publishable quality.
Resident Activities:
The residents will provide primary eye care/geriatric optometry services to both inpatient and outpatient veterans. This includes care of in-house nursing home patients, in-house acute and chronic psychiatric patients, in-house substance abuse patients, in-house dementia (including Alzheimer’s) patients, residential care home patients, contract nursing home patients, emergency room and urgent care patients, as well as ambulatory care patients.
The optometry residents will have the opportunity to be involved in, but not limited to, the following activities: Medical and Geriatric Medical Grand Rounds
- Medical and Geriatric Medical Grand Rounds
- Ward Screenigs and Examinations
- Geriatric TEAM meetings
- Geriatric Evaluation and Management (GEM) patient care
- GRECC Outpatient Clinic patient care
- Dementia Special Care Unit patient care
- GRECC Family Support Team meetings
- The optometry residents will also be encouraged to initiate original research in cooperation with the Geriatric Service and GRECC.
- The residents are responsible for administering, coordinating, and running the weekly Optometry Rounds.
- The residents are required to attend the two Residency Conferences sponsored by the New England College of Optometry. They are also required to do a presentation at the final Residency Conference and to submit a paper of publishable quality.
- Participation in the Principles and Practice of Optometry or Contact Lens Labs at the New England College of Optometry
- Coordinating weekly Optometry Rounds
- At least one presentation at the Geriatric Grand Rounds
- Clinical Grand Rounds at the New England College of Optometry
- Optometry Journal Club
Length of Residency:
This is a one year residency program that begins July 1 each year and ends June 30. The standard tour of duty for each resident is from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM Monday through Friday. Residents will not be required to be on-call during non-clinic hours.
Benefits:
- Stipend: The current annual salary is $32,097, paid by the Department of Veterans Affairs
- Vacation Days: 3 days of annual leave will be accrued over the 12 months at a rate of 4 hours every two weeks
- Sick Days: 13 days of sick leave will be accrued over the 12 months at a rate of four hours every two weeks
- Professional Days: Can request time off to attend professional meetings or to take the national board or the state licensing exam
- Health Insurance: Health insurance is available through the VA
- Life Insurance: Life insurance is available through the VA
- Malpractice Insurance: VA will provide the necessary liability coverage
Completion of the Residency Program:
To successfully complete the residency program, each resident must satisfy all of the following criteria:
- All the goals and the objectives of the program must be met and completed
- Must fulfill all the clinical and administrative responsibilities within the clinic as outlined in the orientation package
- Demonstrate sound clinical skills in all areas of optometry: observation, diagnosis, treatment, and management. The performance of each resident will be evaluated periodically
- Attend all conferences and/ or educational meetings affiliated with the program and/or when requested by the supervisor
- Maintain a log of all patient encounters
- Maintain a log of all scholarly activities
Application Requirements:
- Applicants must have earned an O.D. degree from an accreditated school or college of optometry prior to entering the program.
- Applicants must have taken and passed the TMOD and Basic and Clinical Science portions of the National Board of Examiners in Optometry (NBEO) and furnish official copies of the results.
- All residents must complete the Optometric Residency Matching Service (ORMS) at http://www.orms.org/.
- A personal interview is strongly recommended.
- Three letters of recommendation are required. These should be from faculty members or preceptors the applicant has worked with in a clinical setting.
- Official transcripts from the school or college of optometry are required.
- Deadline is February 1st of each year.
For further information, please contact:
Donee Wong, O.D.
Chief, Optometry Section
Edith Nourse Rogers Memorial Veterans Hospital
200 Springs Road
Bedford, MA 01730
Office: 781-687-2538
Fax: 781-687-2753