Program Supervisor:  James Patrick Smith, O.D.

 

Established:                       2008

 

Program Site:                  Togus VA Medical Center

                                                    Augusta, Maine

 

Positions:                           One

 

Accreditation Status:  Pending.  This program is sponsored by the Department of Veterans Affairs and is affiliated with The New England College of Optometry.

 

MISSION:

The fundamental mission of the residency in primary eye care is to provide advanced clinical training for post-graduate optometrists with an emphasis in primary eye care, ocular disease and systemic disease, allowing residents upon completion of the program to pursue professional opportunities that require a high level of clinical expertise.  Providing care to a complex patient population as well as didactic and scholarly activities develop the critical thinking skills and professional abilities of the resident.

 

RESIDENCY GOALS:

1. Provide the resident with advanced clinical experience in the diagnosis and management of ocular disease.
2. Integrate the resident into a multidisciplinary health care team.
3. Enhance the resident’s clinical and didactic instructional skills.
4. Stimulate an ongoing commitment to scholarly pursuits in the resident.
5. Encourage the resident to contribute to the body of optometric knowledge.

 

RESIDENT ACTIVITIES: 

The eye clinic is open Monday through Friday 8:00 am to 4:30 pm.  The resident is expected to perform program-related activities between 40 to 50 hours per week.  These activities include but are not limited to:

• providing comprehensive, full-scope medical eye care to the veterans of Togus
• diagnosing and managing complex cases of ocular disease and ocular manifestations of systemic disease
• precepting fourth-year optometry students in the clinical setting
• educating other health professionals with regards to optometric care in the clinical setting
• performing low vision evaluations for veterans with special visual needs
• providing consultations for eye care requested by other health care providers
• working with glaucoma and retina specialists on difficult cases of ocular disease
• participating in weekly eye clinic seminars, and  medical center and surgical staff grand rounds
• lecturing periodically at weekly eye clinic seminars
• observing ophthalmic surgery
• rotating through various health care disciplines at the facility including internal medicine, otolaryngology, radiology, and rheumatology
• attending New England College of Optometry residency conferences
• completing a publishable-quality research paper, literature review, or clinical case report

 

LENGTH OF RESIDENCY:

This is a one year residency that begins on July 1 and ends on June 30.  There are no on-call hours. 

 

STIPEND:

The annual salary for this position is $32,000. 

 

BENEFITS:

Annual Leave:

   Vacation time:  12 days, accrued at the rate of 4 hours every 2 weeks

   Sick leave:       12 days

   Excused absences may be allowed for educational seminars and other professional activities

 

Professional liability coverage:  Provided for all official duties by the VA through the Federal Torts Reform Act

 

Health Insurance:  Health insurance is offered

 

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS:

• Each candidate must complete ORMS (Optometry Residency Matching Service): www.optometryresident.org. The deadline for submission is 2/1/08. Candidates must submit the following to the program supervisor (See below):

a.  letter of interest

b.  curriculum vitae

c.  official copy of NBEO scores

d.  official copy of optometry school transcript

e.  3 letters of recommendation

• The candidate must be a citizen of the United States.
• A personal interview is strongly encouraged
• Prior to beginning the program the successful candidate must:
  • hold an O.D. degree from an AOA/ACOE accredited school or college of optometry
  • have successfully completed the TMOD and Basic and Clinical Science portions of the National Board of Examiners in Optometry.

 

RESIDENCY COMPLETION REQUIREMENTS:

• Demonstration of advanced clinical competency at a level satisfactory to the supervisor of the residency program
• Satisfactory or better performance on periodic formal reviews
• Completion of patient and activity logs that detail experiences acquired during the residency
• Completion of a manuscript of publishable quality related to the resident’s experience in the program
• Completion of all required NECO evaluations and attendance at all NECO Residency Conferences.

 

For further information on the program

please contact: 

Dr. James Patrick Smith

Residency Program Director
Togus VA Medical Center
1 VA Center

Eye Clinic (112)
Augusta, ME, 04330

Phone: 877-421-8263 extension 5284

Email: james.smith348c2e@med.va.gov

 

or

 

Dr. Douglas Hoffman

Director of Residencies

The New England Eye Institute

940 Commonwealth Avenue, Suite 2

Boston, Massachusetts 02215

Email: hoffmand@neco.edu