Residency in Primary Eye Care/Ocular disease
Site Location: VA Boston Healthcare System
Program Supervisors:
Jamaica Plain (Boston): Tak Chau, OD
West Roxbury: Lisa Fanciullo, OD
Brockton: Kevin Toolin, OD
Worcester: James Aylward, OD
Positions: Nine (9)
RESIDENTS WILL BE PRIMARILY BASED AT ONE CAMPUS AS OUTLINED BELOW:
3 at Jamaica Plain (Boston)
2 at West Roxbury
3 at Brockton
1 at Brockton/Worcester
This program is jointly sponsored by the Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) and
The New England College of Optometry.
The Mission of the Optometry Service:
Provide the highest level of compassionate quality primary and secondary eye care services in a hospital-based environment to veterans in a timely manner.
Educate post-graduate optometry residents and optometric student interns as well as other members of the medical staff and associated health care trainees.
Create a program of such excellence as to merit continued accreditation by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) and the Council on Optometric Education (ACOE).
Goals /Objectives:
Train optometrists in advanced competency in primary and secondary eye care services.
Develop the residents’ diagnostic and patient management skills in the care of patients with visual problems, ocular disease, ocular manifestations of systemic disease, and low vision needs in a hospital setting.
Develop the residents’ ability to function as a primary care member of the health team through participation in an interdisciplinary health delivery system.
Promote critical thinking and facility with clinical research methods and tools by requiring the residents to present case reports, formal lectures, and a poster at a regional or national optometric conference, and to prepare a publication quality manuscript.
Prepare interested candidates for a career in clinical teaching.
Resident Activities:
Provision of primary optometric care to both outpatients and inpatients.
Provide support to the emergency room and respond to emergent in-house consults.
Provide after-hours coverage to the hospital for all eye care needs presenting after normal business hours.
Advanced Skills: Residents are trained in automated perimetry, OCT and HRT interpretation, fluorescein angiography interpretation, slit lamp and fundus (video and still) photography, pachymetry, B-scan ultrasound, gonioscopy, scleral depression, and fundus contact lens evaluation.
Low Vision/Vision Rehabilitation: Residents work with the Vision Impairment Service Team (VIST) and with the Center for Innovative Vision Rehabilitation to deliver rehabilitative care at a high level.
Pre- and Post-Op Care: The ophthalmology section and the optometry section work jointly and cooperatively caring for pre- and post-operative cases. The optometry residents have the opportunity to observe surgery in the surgical suite.
Laser Refractive Surgery: Our residents may participate in the pre-op evaluation and post-operative care of laser refractive surgery patients at a private laser refractive surgery center.
Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary Glaucoma Service: Residents rotate to this facility where they are involved in the care of a wide-variety of glaucoma patients.
Retina: Residents rotate through the VA Boston Retina Service where they work side-by-side with retina fellows and ophthalmology residents. They are also afforded the opportunity to work with a retinal specialist at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston where they are exposed to in-office procedures including laser photocoagulation, pneumatic retinopexy, cryoretinopexy, and intravitreal injections.
Cornea: Residents rotate through VA Boston Cornea Service where they are guided by cornea specialists. Additionally, they rotate through the Boston Foundation for Sight where they gain exposure to advanced ocular surface disease and acquire an appreciation for the utility of the large diameter scleral contact lens.
Elective rotations through various medical and surgical subspecialty areas: geriatrics, neurology, cardiology, dermatology help to develop an understanding of the type of care delivered by each of these disciplines. A close working relationship with primary care physicians, sub-specialists, and other health care providers produces an environment fostering growth of knowledge in the area of systemic diseases and associated ocular manifestations.
Clinical Teaching:
a. At the VA, the residents share the responsibility of supervising a fourth-year student in the second half of the year as well as work with third-year students.
b. Residents participate in the education of nurse practitioners, physician assistants, medical residents, and other sub specialists rotating through the eye clinic.
Didactic Activities:
a. In-house Grand Rounds every Friday afternoon.
b. Quarterly literature review.
c. NECO-sponsored educational sessions
Academic Challenges:
a. case reports
b. formal lectures
c. a poster presentation at a regional or national meeting
d. a publication quality manuscript.
Time commitment:
This residency is one calendar year in length, commencing on July 1, 2008 and running through June 30, 2009. Clinic hours are M-F 8:00AM to 5:00 PM, excepting emergencies. Each resident is on-call every 9th week.
SALARY:
The current salary is $32,097
Professional liability insurance:
Liability insurance is not needed while working for the VA in your capacity as a United States government employee, therefore the VA does not provide liability insurance. While at NECO affiliated clinics, coverage is provided under the College's umbrella policy.
Health Insurance:
Health insurance benefits are offered through the VA.
Leave:
Annual leave (vacation): 13 days
Sick leave: 13 days
Administrative leave: Official business, such as taking a state licensing exam or attending an educational meeting, can be requested as administrative leave (not charged against vacation time) and is usually granted if not excessive or in conflict with our ability to provide patient care.
Application Requirements:
Applicants must have earned an OD degree from an accredited school or college of optometry by the time of entry into residency.
Applicants must have taken and passed the TMOD and Basic and Clinical Science examinations of the National Board of Examiners in Optometry.
All resident candidates must complete the ORMS (Optometry Residency Matching Services): www.optometryresident.org. The deadline for submission is 2/1/08. Candidates must submit the following to our application coordinator (See below.):
a. a cover letter
b. curriculum vitae
c. hard copy of NBEO scores
d. official copy of optometry school transcript
e. 3 letters of recommendation.
Criteria for Completion of the Residency:
The resident is required to deliver patient care services at a level satisfactory to those responsible for the supervision of the residency program.
The resident is expected to perform in a professional manner in the delivery of patient care services and to observe those proprieties of conduct and courtesies that are consistent with the rules and regulations governing the Department of Veterans Affairs and the College.
The resident is required to keep a log of all patient care encounters, specifying if referral for subspecialty care was needed.
The resident is required to participate in the didactic activities enumerated above and to complete all required academic work in a satisfactory manner.
Periodic evaluations will take place to ensure that appropriate progress is being made and that all deficiencies are addressed in a timely manner.
This information or any other questions should be sent to:
Lisa Budrow, C.O.A.
Application Coordinator
Brockton VA Medical Center
Eye Clinic, Mail Code 112
940 Belmont Street
Brockton, MA 02301
774-826-2202