Program Policies

 

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 resident’s 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.

 

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.

 

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.

 

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 resident’s 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.

 

Outcome: The resident will perform these procedures either in The Eye Center or 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 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 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 resident’s activity log.

 

GOAL 5:  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 residency conference, and make one lecture presentation at SCO Resident’s Weekend.

 

Measure: The resident will report on these types of activities using the activity log.

 

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 be given the opportunity to present this poster at the meeting where it was accepted.

 

Measure: The resident will report this activity in the residency activity log. 

 

GOAL 6:  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.

 

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 Physicians 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.

 

Objective 3: The resident will read scholarly publications, either journal articles or books.

 

Outcome: The resident will read journal articles and books while researching the abstract and paper.

 

Measure: The resident will produce an abstract and a publishable quality paper.

 

GOAL 7:  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.

 

Objective 2: The resident will 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, children’s 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.

 

Outcome: The resident will become experienced and become comfortable in a wide variety of advanced diagnostic instrumentation and interpretation.

 

PROGRAM GOAL 4

 

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 5

 

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 6

 

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. 

 

Outcome: The resident will develop an appreciation for scholarly activity and the importance of this to the resident’s personal growth and professional development.

 

PROGRAM GOAL 7

 

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 bi-monthly conference is given at SCO which the resident is expected to attend. The resident will be expected to present at least one 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 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 the SCO application and return by January 30. Supporting documents should be submitted to the Director of Residency Programs of Southern College of Optometry no later than January 30. This program uses Optometry Residency Match (ORMatch). Applicants must complete the ORMatch application. Applicants are responsible for ensuring that all supporting documentation is submitted to each entity involved, e.g., the College, ORMatch, and the residency site supervisor. 

1. You must have passed NBEO Part I, II and TMOD in order to apply to one of our programs through ORMatch.

2. You must have passed NBEO Part III and ISE (if applicable) in order to begin an SCO affiliated residency program. 

3. Those applying to a VA hospital or a state that does not require TMOD to obtain licensure are an exception if TMOD is not passed on first attempt.

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 of 3.0 or greater 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.

The College affirms that no person shall be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity at or affiliated with Southern College of Optometry on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, gender, age, disability, or national origin. 

 

CONTRACT

All applicants selected for admission must sign a standard resident contract.

 

STIPEND AND BENEFITS

The residency program is 24.5 months in length, starting July 1 and ending July 15 two years later. The resident's salary is $35,000 which is less than the standard $39,584. Compensation is not contingent upon productivity of the resident. SCO will use the difference to offset the resident's CBU tuition. The resident will be responsible for all CBU tuition and fees beyond this specified amount.

The resident will also have the opportunity to purchase health insurance. Professional liability insurance and a $750 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. Please note that the $400 Professional Privilege Tax, due May of each year, is not covered by the College.

 

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 and ensuring that the clinical schedule will be appropriately covered.  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.  Requests will be granted on a first come/first served basis during times when more than one resident is requesting time off. 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.  “On- Call” 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 here.

 

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, 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 and the Director of Residency Programs.

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 required to deliver an oral presentation at the annual Resident Weekend, held on the campus at SCO.

E.  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.

A resident rotating through a hospital based (or similar) residency program must adhere to all facility policies and procedures, including but not limited to, receiving all required immunizations or showing appropriate medical documentation that he/she is in full medical compliance with required immunizations.  In addition, if a resident cannot receive a flu or similar immunization due to potential allergic reaction, medical documentation must be made available to the Program Supervisor prior to the program's start date.  A resident should receive the required immunizations provided by the facility when appropriate.  Otherwise, any costs incurred will be the resident's responsibility.  Any grievances should be submitted in writing to SCO's Director for Residency Programs utilizing the procedures found in the Residency Handbook.

 

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 ACOE, 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: [email protected]

Sylvia E. Sparrow, O.D., FAAO Supervisor 
(901) 722-3200

email: [email protected]