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 Section:
§ 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, and ocular manifestations of systemic disease in a hospital-based 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 consultation requests.
§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 photography, pachymetry, B-scan ultrasound, gonioscopy, scleral depression, and fundus contact lens evaluation.
§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 also 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.
§Post-op Cataract Care: Residents rotate to Ophthalmic Consultants of Boston, a large, private, internationally renowned ophthalmology consortium in Boston. Residents observe surgery in the operating suite and are involved in the post-operative assessment of cataract patients.
§Opportunity to spend time in various medical and surgical subspecialty clinics including geriatrics, neurology, neurosurgery, vascular, and dermatology. 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, and facilitates an appreciation for the complete package of care required to manage complex issues.
§Clinical Teaching:
a. At the VA, the residents may share the responsibility of supervising optometry students in the second half of the year.
b. Residents participate in the education of nurse practitioners, physician assistants, medical residents, and other sub-specialists rotating through the eye clinic.
c. Paid clinical and didactic tutoring opportunities have been available through the New England College of Optometry
§Didactic Activities:
a. In-House Optometry Grand Rounds every Friday afternoon.
b. Quarterly literature review.
c. In-House Medical and Surgical Rounds
d. 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, 2011 and running through June 30, 2012. 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 $34, 944
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) application: www.optometryresident.org. The deadline for submission is 2/1/11.
§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.
Application and inquiries, PLEASE CONTACT:
Gerald Selvin, OD
Chief, Optometry Section
Application Coordinator
VA Boston Healthcare System
Optometry, Mail Code 112
150 South Huntington Avenue
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
Phone: 857-364-6041
FAX: 857-364-6648
gerald.selvin@va.gov