AT
SOUTHERN COLLEGE
OF OPTOMETRY
PROGRAM MISSION
The Primary Eye
Care Residency Program educates graduate optometrists in the art and science of
optometry by providing significant opportunities for residents to enhance
skills in the diagnosis and management of eye and vision problems encountered
in primary care practice, encompassing all aspects of optometric care, with a
special emphasis on providing experience in the diagnosis and management of
ocular problems beyond that provided in the Doctor of Optometry program. These optometrists, upon completion of
the residency program, will be able to provide patient care of the highest
caliber and be qualified to serve the profession as leaders in optometric
patient care and education.
PROGRAM GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
GOAL 1: To provide the resident with an adequate number of patient
encounters to strengthen the residentŐs diagnostic and management skills of
varying visual disorders.
|
Objective 1 |
The resident will
complete a minimum of 1200 patient encounters. The patient demographics will include patients of all age
groups. |
|
Outcome |
The resident will
develop advanced expertise in management of visual disorders from all aspects
of Optometric Care. |
|
Measure |
The resident will
report on the number and types of patient encounters using the activity log. |
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|
Objective 2 |
The resident will
perform appropriate diagnostic procedures to diagnose and manage varying
visual disorders. |
|
Outcome |
The resident will
develop the knowledge and expertise as to when to select and perform varying
diagnostic procedures. |
|
Measure |
The resident will
be evaluated quarterly by the residency supervisor to ascertain the level of
proficiency in performing various diagnostic procedures. |
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Objective 3 |
The resident will
determine the correct diagnosis for a variety of patients with varying visual
disorders. |
|
Outcome |
The resident will
develop clinical insight enabling him/her to consistently establish the
correct diagnosis for each patient. |
|
Measure |
The resident will
be evaluated quarterly by the residency supervisor to ascertain the level of
proficiency in diagnosing various visual disorders. |
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|
Objective 4 |
The resident will
develop appropriate management options for a variety of patients with varying
visual disorders. |
|
Outcome |
The resident will
consistently formulate the most appropriate management plan for patients with
various visual disorders. |
|
Measure |
The resident will
be evaluated quarterly by the residency supervisor to ascertain the level of
proficiency in managing various visual disorders. |
GOAL 2: To provide the resident with enough patient encounters to
enhance the residentŐs examination skills.
|
Objective |
The resident will
develop advanced efficiency in providing visual care to a diverse patient
population. |
|
Outcome |
The resident will
perform a minimum of 800 comprehensive visual examinations on patients with
varying visual disorders. |
|
Measure |
The resident will
report on the number and age of patient encounters using the activity log. |
GOAL 3: To provide the resident
with the opportunity to develop expertise in advanced diagnostic procedures.
|
Objective |
The residency
will provide experience in advanced optometric diagnostic techniques,
including, but not limited to ophthalmic photography, fluorescein
angiography, medical laboratory testing, as well as their interpretation and
analysis. |
|
Outcome |
The resident will
perform these procedures either in The Eye Center, VA Medical Center
Optometry Clinic, or other external clinical settings. |
|
Measure |
The resident will
report on the number and type of procedures performed using the activity log. |
GOAL 4: To provide the resident the opportunity to develop expertise
in the care of ocular refractive conditions.
|
Objective |
The residency
will provide experience in advanced refractive care, including, but not
limited to contact lenses, low vision services, and vision therapy. |
|
Outcome |
The resident will
perform examinations on patients applying advanced refractive options in the
patientsŐ management of their refractive problems. |
|
Measure |
The resident will
report on the number and type of advanced management options utilized, using
the activity log. |
GOAL 5: To provide the resident with opportunities to participate in
patient care in practice settings other than the SCO Eye Center.
|
Objective |
The residency
will provide clinical experience at off-campus clinical sites, on a rotating
basis, with various specialties in Optometry, Ophthalmology, and Medicine. |
|
Outcome |
The resident will
rotate through various off-campus clinical sites. The number and variety will be determined on a monthly
basis in consult with the resident and the residency supervisor. |
|
Measure |
The resident will
receive a schedule at the beginning of each academic quarter, reflecting the
dates and location of off-campus sites.
The resident will report on the number of patients seen in these
off-campus sites and the types of encounters made, this being reflected in
the residentŐs activity log. |
GOAL 6: To provide the resident opportunities for presenting topics
in lecture and or poster format to fellow professionals.
|
Objective 1 |
The resident will
be given the opportunity to present information to other professionals in a
group setting. |
|
Outcome |
The resident will
present at least one lecture to SCO optometry students, two lectures at the
regular weekly residency conference, and make one lecture presentation at SCO
ResidentŐs Day. |
|
Measure |
The resident will
report on these types of activities using the activity log. |
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|
Objective 2 |
The resident will
be given the opportunity to submit and, if accepted, present a poster at an
optometric educational meeting. |
|
Outcome |
The resident will
submit at least one poster abstract to an optometric educational
meeting. If accepted, the
resident will produce the poster panels and visuals and present this poster
at the meeting where it was accepted. |
|
Measure |
The resident will
report this activity in the residency activity log. |
GOAL 7: To provide the resident an appreciation of the importance of
scholarly activity.
|
Objective 1 |
The resident will
be educated in the preparation of a professional manuscript. |
|
Outcome |
The resident will
prepare a publishable quality manuscript on an appropriate topic approved by
the residency supervisor. |
|
Measure |
The resident will
complete the manuscript as approved by the residency supervisor by the end of
the residency. |
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|
Objective 2 |
The resident will
be given the opportunity to attend local and non-local optometric educational
meetings. |
|
Outcome |
The resident will
attend at least two local optometric educational meetings (e.g. West
Tennessee Optometric Society, SCO Continuing Education meetings, Journal
Clubs). The resident will also
attend at least one non-local Optometric educational meeting (e.g. SECO, AAO,
AOA, COVD, national residency conference sponsored by an ophthalmic
company). If presenting a poster
at a meeting, this also will meet the non-local meeting attendance
requirement. |
|
Measure |
The resident will
document this attendance in the residency activity log. |
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Objective 3 |
The resident will
read scholarly publications, either journal articles or books. |
|
Outcome |
The resident will
read at least twenty-five journal articles of personal interest or one book
of personal interest. |
|
Measure |
The resident will
give the residency supervisor either an article summary of the articles read,
or a book summary of the book read. |
GOAL 8: To provide the resident opportunities to develop skills
considered necessary to become an effective educator.
|
Objective 1 |
The resident will
provide direct supervision of student clinicians in The Eye Center at
Southern College of Optometry and/or external Clinic sites. |
|
Outcome |
The resident will
gain experience in providing clinical education to optometry students. |
|
Measure |
The resident will
report monthly on the number of patient encounters of this type using the
residency activity log and will be evaluated quarterly by the residency
supervisor. |
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|
Objective 2 |
The resident will
present lectures to and participate in laboratory instruction of optometry
students at Southern College of Optometry. |
|
Outcome |
The resident will
gain experience in the preparation and presentation of laboratory and lecture
materials. |
|
Measure |
The resident will
report monthly on the number of activities of this type using the residency
activity log and will be evaluated quarterly by the residency supervisor. |
CURRICULUM
The resident will
obtain extensive experience in managing patients in a primary care setting,
gaining experience in the diagnosis and management of ocular disease, contact
lens practice, childrenŐs vision, geriatric vision, low vision, and general
optometry beyond that obtained in the Doctor of Optometry program, and
acquiring experience in advanced optometric diagnostic techniques. The resident will also obtain
experience in presenting topics to peers in written and oral form.
|
PROGRAM GOAL 1 |
|
|
Objective |
The resident will
develop an advanced degree of proficiency in optometric care of patients. |
|
Learning
Activity |
The resident will
provide optometric services to a minimum of 1200 patients with varying visual
problems in the SCO Eye Center and/or external clinics. |
|
Outcome |
The resident will
develop an advanced degree of proficiency because of the complexity and variety
of patient encounters. |
|
PROGRAM GOAL 2 |
|
|
Objective |
The resident will
develop a more efficient means of examining and managing optometric patients. |
|
Learning
Activity |
The resident will
perform comprehensive examinations to a minimum of 800 patients with varying
visual problems in the SCO Eye Center and/or external clinics. |
|
Outcome |
The resident will
develop an advanced degree of efficiency due to the complexity and variety of
patient encounters. |
|
PROGRAM GOAL 3 |
|
|
Objective |
A wide variety of
advanced diagnostic instrumentation will be provided for the resident to
utilize. |
|
Learning
Activity |
The resident will
perform and interpret a wide variety of advanced diagnostic procedures,
including, but not limited to ophthalmic fluorescein angiography, fundus and
anterior segment photography, GDx, OCT, HRT, A- and B-scan ultrasonography,
and pachymetry. |
|
Outcome |
The resident will
become experienced and become comfortable in a wide variety of advanced
diagnostic instrumentation and interpretation. |
|
PROGRAM GOAL 4 |
|
|
Objective |
A wide variety of
refractive patient encounters will be provided for the resident to manage. |
|
Learning
Activity |
The resident will
evaluate, counsel and manage patients needing various forms of refractive
management, including, but not limited to contact lens, vision therapy, low vision aids. |
|
Outcome |
The resident will
become experienced and more confident with a wide variety of refractive
management modalities. |
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PROGRAM GOAL 5 |
|
|
Objective |
The resident will
become familiar with various types of clinical settings and experience
real-life practice situations. |
|
Learning
Activity |
The resident will
rotate through various types of clinical settings encompassing Optometric,
Ophthalmologic, and Medical care delivery. |
|
Outcome |
The resident will
gain insight in different styles of clinical office management and patient
flow, and will develop an appreciation of other types of health care
delivery. |
|
PROGRAM GOAL 6 |
|
|
Objective |
The resident will
develop and present original presentations to optometric peers. |
|
Learning
Activity |
The resident will
present at least one lecture to SCO optometry students, three lectures to
fellow residents, and will submit at least one poster abstract to an
Optometric educational meeting. |
|
Outcome |
The resident will
be able to effectively communicate with optometric peers. |
|
PROGRAM GOAL 7 |
|
|
Objective |
The resident will
engage in scholarly activity. |
|
Learning
Activity |
The resident will
author an original, publishable quality paper that will be approved and
critiqued by the residency supervisor.
The resident will also read at least twenty-five journal articles or
one textbook and provide the residency supervisor summaries of the readings. |
|
Outcome |
The resident will
develop an appreciation for scholarly activity and the importance of this to
the residentŐs personal growth and professional development. |
|
PROGRAM GOAL 8 |
|
|
Objective |
The resident will
gain experience in instructing optometry students. |
|
Learning
Activity |
The resident will
participate in lecture, laboratory, and clinical instruction of optometry
students. |
|
Outcome |
The resident will
develop basic skills in didactic and clinical instruction. |
Clinical Rotations
The Resident will gain clinical experience in the
Southern College of Optometry campus clinic and in external multidisciplinary
clinics affiliated with the College.
The campus clinic provides the resident with the opportunity to practice
full‑scope primary care optometry.
Modern diagnostic instrumentation is readily accessible, as are Faculty
who are experienced in all optometric specialties. The resident will meet on a weekly basis with the family
practice residency Supervisor for discussion of current cases. The resident
will see patients at external multidisciplinary clinics in addition to the
clinical experience available at the College. These locations provide exposure to a wider variety of
conditions than might be seen in an equivalent period of time at the College
clinic. .
DIDACTIC ACTIVITIES OF THE
RESIDENT
During the residency a weekly conference is
given at SCO which the resident is expected to attend. The resident will be expected to
present at least two of these conferences during the year. A paper of publication quality is
expected prior to the end of the residency. The resident will be involved in student supervision during
the second half of the program. In
addition, the resident may be asked to be a guest lecturer in a didactic course
at SCO.
APPLICATION PROCEDURES
A. All applicants must complete and
return the Southern College of Optometry application forms by January 15.
Supporting documents should be submitted to the Director of Residency Programs
of Southern College of Optometry no later than January 31. This program uses the Optometric
Residency Matching Service.
Applicants must complete the ORMS application and forward it to the ORMS
as directed in the application. Applicants are responsible for ensuring that
all supporting documentation is submitted to each entity involved, e.g., the
College, ORMS, and the residency site if required.
B. Applicant must have earned an O.D.
degree, or will have earned such a degree by the time of matriculation from a
school/college of optometry accredited by the Accreditation Council on
Optometric Education.
C. Applicant will furnish an official
transcript from his/her school/college of optometry. An applicant should have a cumulative grade point average
greater than 3.0 on a 4.0 scale in the professional optometric curriculum.
D. Applicant must pass all parts of the
National Board of Examiners in Optometry examinations required for Tennessee
license and furnish official transcripts when available. If accepted, the resident is expected to
obtain a Tennessee optometry license.
E. Three letters of recommendation are
required.
F. A brief essay stating reasons for
applying to this program.
G. A personal interview will be required.
H. Southern College of Optometry affirms
that all residency candidates will be evaluated without regard to sex, race,
color, creed, national origin or disabilities.
CONTRACT
All applicants selected for admission must sign a
standard resident contract.
STIPEND AND BENEFITS
The residency program is one calendar year in length
from July 1 to June 30. The
stipend is $36,000 which will be paid on a bi-monthly basis.
The resident will also have the opportunity to purchase health insurance at a nominal cost. Professional liability insurance and a $500 travel stipend are provided by the College. Also included in the benefit package are clinic coats, 10 days academic leave, 10 personal days and 18 days vacation leave, as outlined in the paragraph below.
LEAVE POLICY
Eighteen days of vacation leave are provided to the resident. These days are those on which The Eye Center at Southern College of Optometry is normally closed: July 4, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and the Friday following, ten working days at Christmas and New Year’s, Martin Luther King Day, two days during the Spring Break, and Memorial Day. Provision of these vacation days is automatic and does not require approval or submission of a leave request form. The resident may be required to provide on call services during some of these days.
Ten days of educational leave are provided. These days are intended to allow the resident to attend professional meetings. Ten days of personal leave are provided. The resident must submit a standard leave request form in advance to request educational and personal leave. This form should be completed by the resident and submitted to the supervisor. The supervisor will then approve or disapprove the request. If the request is approved by the supervisor the leave request form is forwarded to the Director of Residency Programs, who is responsible for tracking the resident’s leave balance. If the resident has a leave balance sufficient to cover the request, the DRP will approve the request and forward the appropriate copies of the form to the resident and the supervisor. The resident and supervisor are responsible for notifying the appropriate Chiefs of Service and the Director of Clinical Operations of the days that the resident will not be available to provide clinical services.
The resident
should understand that on-call duties may be concurrent with some expected
leave days. Residents should plan
ahead and consult with the director of the on-call service to avoid conflicts.
On-Call Service Policy
The On-Call schedule for the academic year shall consist of equitable weeks
of service for each in-house resident at Southern College of Optometry. ŇOn-
CallÓ shall be defined as the period of time for which the resident is responsible
for responding to urgent/emergent after-hours calls and those calls which may
come during regular business hours of The Eye Center at Southern College of
Optometry when TEC/SCO is closed for breaks and holidays. An annually
updated On-Call Manual will be supplied by TEC Chief of Staff to all residents
at the onset of the program and can also be found in an electronic version at
http://www.sco.edu/residency/SCOPrimaryEyeCare/Documents/TEC_EOCS_Manual.pdf.
Scholarly Activity
The resident is required to write a paper based
upon original research, literature review, or a clinical case suitable for
publication in a refereed optometric journal. See the program Curriculum
description for details.
CRITERIA FOR COMPLETION OF RESIDENCY
A. The resident is required to deliver
clinical services at a level that is satisfactory to the Residency Supervisor,
the Residency Committee, Director of Residency Programs, and the SCO
administration. The resident will
be given a specific schedule each quarter. Approximately 40 hours per week will be assigned. After hours on-call assignments will be
made on a periodic basis. Participation in community screening activities will
be required on a periodic basis.
B. The resident will be required to keep a
record of patient contacts. Cases
will be reviewed periodically by the Supervisor of the Residency Program, the
Director of Residency Programs, and the Residency Committee when appropriate.
C. The resident will be required to write a
paper based on original research, literature review, or a clinical case for
publication in an acceptable professional journal.
D. The resident will be 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 Southern College of Optometry.
F. The resident will be required to
participate in and complete the requirements set forth in the curriculum.
G. Upon successful completion of the
Residency Program, the Residency Supervisor and the Director of Residency
Programs will recommend the granting of certification to the Vice President of
Academic Affairs.
H. Any resident accepted for training can be
dismissed, without receiving a certificate of completion, for infractions of
the rules and regulations of Southern College of Optometry, for failure to meet
the requirements set forth in the Residency Handbook and program description,
or for any action that jeopardizes the safety of patients, personnel, or
physical facilities.
OTHER EMPLOYMENT
Other employment (moonlighting) activities
are at the discretion of the residency supervisor. However, under no circumstances is moonlighting permitted if
it interferes with any part of the residency, including on-call
assignments. The professional
liability protection provided by the College does NOT cover moonlighting activities.
ACCREDITATION
The Primary Eye Care residency program at
Southern College of Optometry is fully accredited by the Council on Optometric
Education of the American Optometric Association, 243 N. Lindbergh Blvd., St.
Louis, MO 63141, 314-991-4100.
CERTIFICATE OF COMPLETION
Upon evidence of satisfactory performance in
meeting all requirements of the program, the resident will be awarded a
Certificate of Completion.
REPORTING STATUS
The resident reports to the Supervisor of the
residency program. The Supervisor
reports directly to the SCO Director of Residency Programs, who reports
directly to the Vice President for Academic Affairs at Southern College of
Optometry.
FOR
FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:
Cheryl E. Ervin, O.D.
Director, Residency
Programs
Southern College of
Optometry
1245 Madison Avenue
Memphis, TN 38104
(901) 722-3201
email: cervin@sco.edu
Sylvia E.
Sparrow, O.D., Supervisor
(901) 722-3200
email: bsparrow@sco.edu