INTRODUCTION:

The Eye Care Service is a busy primary eye care practice housed in a state of the art Eye Care Center within an urban multidisciplinary health center. Its providers serve several thousand Dorchester residents each year. The Dorchester House's long standing affiliation with the New England College of Optometry has helped assure that the providers, residents, students and staff are well trained in all aspects of primary care delivery. This state of the art training is combined with an extraordinarily diverse patient base. A commitment to clinical and educational excellence is a top priority. Patients receive the highest, most comprehensive eye care available, as evidenced by both a steady influx of new patients and regular return of previous patients. Eye Care providers are regularly involved in continuing education, article publication and consultation with colleagues in search of better techniques and practical knowledge. Monthly in-service eye seminars and specialty clinics emphasize relevant clinical issues and train providers in oral case presentations.

 

MISSION:

The residency's mission is to provide comprehensive training for one graduate optometrist in the delivery of comprehensive primary eye care services in a multi-disciplinary setting to the general population of Boston's Dorchester neighborhood. There is emphasis on increased access to care and community health initiatives that target underserved and at-risk populations.

 

PROGRAM GOALS AND OBJECTIVES:

GOAL 1: To provide the resident with a wide variety of primary eye care experiences and exposure to a varied patient population resulting in a high level of excellence in the delivery of the broad diversity of eye care services.

• Objective 1A - The program curriculum will provide for direct clinical care to a wide variety of patients located within the Greater Dorchester community. The resident will be required to achieve beyond entry-level expertise in the areas of refraction, management of binocular and accommodative disorders, ocular disease and systemic disorders, pediatric optometry and contact lenses. Other specific clinical areas may be identified and emphasized by the resident by mutual agreement.
• Objective 1B - The resident will learn to recognize and diagnose distinctive signs and symptoms for the vast majority of normally encountered ocular diseases. This includes learning the differential diagnosis, data analysis and appropriate testing strategies.         
• Objective 1C - The resident will acquire the knowledge base and clinical expertise to determine optimal treatment and management regimens for the full range of common ocular diseases. In all cases, management will include thorough patient education to increase compliance and understanding. The resident’s knowledge of potential systemic and ocular side-effects of ophthalmic and common systemic agents will be strengthened.
• Objective 1D -The resident will supplement his optometric training with in-house rotations through pediatrics and primary care medicine and through external rotations in an urban ophthalmology practice and a Boston teaching hospital Retina Service.

 

GOAL 2: To train the resident in proactive effective decision-making and increased patient management responsibilities.

• Objective 2A - The resident will be closely supervised by the attending faculty during the first few months of the residency. There will be a phased-in process with structured interaction to ensure the highest quality of patient care and verify the resident’s acquisition of relevant concepts and knowledge. Once licensure and credentialing are obtained, there will be a gradual relaxation of oversight while encouraging the resident to assume greater responsibility for patient care, case management and interprovider communication and collaboration.
• Objective 2B - Through interactions with the staff optometrists and ophthalmologists and other in-house medical providers, the resident will strengthen his skills in case analysis, case management and decision-making. The resident will learn to extend his communication channels beyond the Eye Care Service to include available human and clinical resources within and beyond the agency.
• Objective 2C - The resident will be required to write numerous letters to referring providers and consultants which are critiqued by the faculty. These assignments and discussions will improve the resident's understanding of optimal patient care and its relationship to good interprovider communication.

 

GOAL 3: To stimulate and provide guidance to the resident in the development and completion of scholarly activities and to encourage the resident to participate in clinical research and scholarship relevant to the needs of the community.

• Objective 3A - The resident will be required (in collaboration with the residency faculty) to prepare and submit an abstract for a poster presentation at the Annual Meeting of the AAO.
• Objective 3B - The resident will be required to prepare and present 4 case reports during the year in the Eye Care Service Monthly Clinical Seminar series.
• Objective 3C - The resident will be required to prepare and give at least one presentation to the medical residents in the Dorchester House-Boston Medical Center weekly medical resident seminar series.
• Objective 3D - The resident will be required to give a formal presentation on a relevant community health project or topic at the Annual NECO Spring Residency Conference.
• Objective 3E - The resident will be required to complete a manuscript of publishable quality. The final paper must be submitted at the Annual NECO Spring Residency conference.

 

GOAL 4: To reinforce learning through clinical preceptorship and clinical teaching of optometry students.

• Objective 4A - The resident will participate in periodic clinical preceptor assignments during the residency year, both within the Dorchester House Eye Care Service and through community outreach activities sponsored by The New England Eye Institute.

 

Goal 5: The resident will participate in public health initiatives in order to identify and educate those members of the community who do not presently receive adequate care.

• Objective 5A - The resident will participate in at least one community health project that addresses a heath care need of an underserved segment of the Dorchester community.
• Objective 5B - The resident will complete a manuscript of publishable quality or a poster involving clinical research and/or other topics pertaining to an underserved population.

 

Sample Weekly Schedule:

Monday:           Patient Care: AM and PM

Tuesday:          Patient Care: AM, PM, Ophthalmology EVE (every other week)

Weds:              Patient Care AM, Pediatrics or Primary Care Medicine Rotation PM

Thursday:         Patient Care: AM, Community Outreach PM

Friday:                         AM: Independent Study/Pediatric Outreach Screenings

                        PM: Community Outreach/Community Research Project

 

Note: Elective external rotations are scheduled as needed by mutual agreement

 

STIPEND/BENEFIT PACKAGE:

The annual stipend for 2008-2009 will be $35,000, with a benefit package which includes the following: 80% of individual health care coverage, professional liability insurance, full NECO library privileges, tuition waiver at NECO-sponsored continuing education courses, an $800 educational stipend, 2 weeks of vacation and 1 week of conference time.

 

RESIDENCY PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS:

1. To attend all scheduled clinic sessions as assigned (not including excused absences) and demonstrate appropriate professional conduct at all times.

2. To demonstrate the necessary clinical skills, expertise and progress, as well as the appropriate professional attitudes commensurate with the program's mission, goals and objectives.

3. To attend the formal NECO residency conferences and any other designated educational programs that have been selected by mutual agreement.

4. To complete a scholarship project and submit the corresponding manuscript to the program director by the end of the residency year.

5. To maintain an accurate Patient Log of all patients seen during the residency.

6. To maintain an Activities Log of all non-clinical activities during the residency.

7. To complete all NECO program and preceptor evaluations and questionnaires as required in a timely manner.

 

MINIMUM ELIGIBILITY AND APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS:

• Applicants must be graduates of an ACOE accredited college of optometry.
• Successful completion of National Boards Parts I, II and III.
• Applicants must be eligible for optometric licensure in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts at the earliest opportunity.
• Applicants must be available for a personal interview.
• Candidates apply through the ORMS: www.orms.org

 

Applicants should submit the following materials in a timely manner:

• Current curriculum vitae
• Letter of intent
• Official optometry school transcripts
• Official NBEO scores
• 3 letters of recommendation

 

The Dorchester House and The New England College of Optometry are equal opportunity employers. They do not and will not discriminate against any person because of race, color, creed, sex, religion, national origin, age or handicap.

 

For more information please contact:

Douglas J. Hoffman, O.D., F.A.A.O.

Director of Eye Care Services

Dorchester House Multi-Service Center

1353 Dorchester Avenue

Dorchester, MA 02122

Tel. (617) 288-3230 x 2214

hoffmand@neco.edu