Residency in Vision Therapy & Rehabilitation/Pediatric Optometry
SOUTHERN COLLEGE OF OPTOMETRY
MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE
PROGRAM MISSION
The Pediatric Optometry Residency Program at Southern College of Optometry provides qualified graduate optometrists with advanced clinical experience in pediatric optometry, management of binocular vision disorders, vision therapy, and developmental and behavioral aspects of vision care that will facilitate their development into exceptional clinicians offering specialized skills in optometric care for pediatric patients and persons with binocular and developmental vision impairment.
PROGRAM GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
Goal 1: Enhance the resident’s skills in the provision of pediatric optometric eye and vision care
Objective 1: The resident will develop a high degree of competency in the provision of pediatric optometric services.
Outcome: The resident will provide optometric services involving a minimum of 1500 patient encounters for patients age 13 and younger.
Measure: The resident will report on the number of patient encounters of this type using the activity log.
Objective 2: The resident will develop advanced competency in providing visual care to a diversified patient population.
Outcome: The resident will perform a minimum of 300 comprehensive visual examinations on patients age 13 years and younger.
Measure: The resident will report on the number and age of patient encounters using the activity log.
Objective 3: The resident will gain experience in the treatment of ocular disease in pediatric patients.
Outcome: The resident will experience a minimum of 50 ocular disease-related patient encounters involving patients age 13 years and younger.
Measure: The resident will report on the number and age of patient encounters using the activity log.
Goal 2: Strengthen the resident’s expertise in the diagnosis and management of vision problems in pediatric patients.
Objective 1: The resident will perform the appropriate diagnostic procedures.
Outcome: The resident will consistently select and successfully perform the proper diagnostic procedures for each patient.
Measure: The resident will be evaluated quarterly by the supervisor to determine if the desired level of technical and cognitive ability is being exhibited.
Objective 2: The resident will determine the correct diagnoses for each patient.
Outcome: The resident will consistently select the correct diagnosis for each patient with increasing independence as the residency program progresses.
Measure: The resident will be evaluated quarterly by the supervisor to assess the appropriateness of the resident’s diagnostic ability.
Objective 3: The resident will determine the best management for each patient.
Outcome: The resident will consistently devise an appropriate management plan for each patient in order to best address the patient’s needs.
Measure: The resident will be evaluated quarterly by the supervisor to assess the resident’s management skills.
Goal 3: Expand the resident’s knowledge of binocular and developmental vision problems.
Objective 1: The resident will gain experience in managing patients with visual processing disorders and/or vision related learning disabilities.
Outcome: The resident will evaluate and manage a minimum of 100 patients with visual processing disorders and/or vision related learning disabilities.
Measure: The resident will report on the number of patient encounters of this type using the activity log.
Objective 2: The resident will gain experience in managing patients with accommodative dysfunction and/or non-strabismic disorders of binocular vision.
Outcome: The resident will evaluate and manage a minimum of 100 patients with accommodative dysfunction and non-strabismic disorders.
Measure: The resident will report on the number of patient encounters of this type using the activity log.
Objective 3: The resident will gain experience in managing patients with strabismus.
Outcome: The resident will evaluate and manage a minimum of 100 patients with strabismus.
Measure: The resident will report on the number of patient encounters of this type using the activity log.
Objective 4: The resident will gain experience in managing patients with amblyopia.
Outcome: The resident will evaluate and manage a minimum of 50 patients with amblyopia.
Measure: The resident will report on the number of patient encounters of this type using the activity log.
Goal 4: Develop the resident’s skill in presenting topics to fellow professionals.
Objective: The resident will acquire and practice skills needed to effectively present information to other professionals in group settings.
Outcome: The resident will present at least one lecture per quarter during the regular Residency Conference and when possible will present posters or lectures in other settings such as the American Academy of Optometry or COVD or the AOA.
Measure: The resident will report on these types of activities using the activity summary.
Goal 5: Instill in the resident an appreciation of the importance of scholarly activity.
Objective: Educate the resident in the preparation of a professional manuscript.
Outcome: The resident will prepare a publication-quality manuscript on an approved topic.
Measure: The resident will complete the manuscript by the designated completion date.
Goal 6: Provide the resident with the opportunity to become an effective clinical educator.
Objective: The resident will supervise optometry student clinicians in the provision of vision services to patients.
Outcome: The resident will mentor and oversee the optometry students during the final six months of the residency.
Measure: The resident will report the number of patient encounters of this type in the activity log.
CURRICULUM
Program Goal 1
Objective: Enhance the resident’s skills in the provision of pediatric optometric services
Learning Activity: The resident will provide care for patients age 12 and under.
Outcome: The resident will become highly skilled in optometric care of pediatric patients.
Program Goal 2
Objective: Strengthen the resident’s expertise in the diagnosis and management of vision problems in pediatric patients.
Learning Activity: The resident will perform appropriate diagnostic procedures, make correct diagnoses, and implement management plans for pediatric patients with regular assessment and feedback from the program supervisor.
Outcome: The resident will develop advanced skills in the diagnosis and management of vision problems in pediatric patients.
Program Goal 3
Objective: Expand the resident’s knowledge of binocular and developmental vision problems.
Learning Activity: The resident will provide care to patients with vision related learning disabilities, accommodative dysfunction, non-strabismic disorders of binocular vision, strabismus, amblyopia, visual perceptual problems, and oculomotor dysfunction.
Outcome: The resident will develop advanced competency in managing patients with binocular and developmental vision problems.
Program Goal 4
Objective: Develop the resident’s skill in presenting topics to fellow professionals.
Learning Activity: The resident will present at least one lecture per quarter during the regular Residency Conference and when possible will present posters or lectures in other settings such as the American Academy of Optometry and SECO.
Outcome: The resident will develop enhanced effectiveness at presenting topics to other health care professionals.
Program Goal 5
Objective: Instill in the resident an appreciation of the importance of scholarly activity.
Learning Activity: The resident will prepare a publication-quality manuscript on an approved topic.
Outcome: The resident will gain additional experience in the preparation of a publication quality manuscript.
Program Goal 6
Objective: Provide the resident with the opportunity to become an effective clinical educator.
Learning Activity: The resident will provide instruction to student clinicians.
Outcome: The resident will develop skills necessary to provide clinical education.
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.
In order to take part in the Match you must have passed NBEO Part I, Part II (PAM) and TMOD. 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.
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.
CONTRACT
All applicants selected for admission must sign a standard resident contract.
STIPEND AND BENEFITS
The residency program is 12.5 months in length from July 1 to July 15 of the following year. The stipend is $39,584.00 which will be paid on a bi-monthly basis. Compensation is not contingent upon productivity of the resident. The resident will also have the opportunity to purchase health insurance at a nominal cost. 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.
The OEP Clinical Curriculum is a series of post-graduate courses designed for both optometrists and vision therapists who work with them. The courses are offered at multiple sites in the United States and Europe. Our approach is based on sound clinical practice and the theoretical background needed to understand the behavioral philosophy of optometry. The curriculum is designed so that the most advanced practitioner as well as the beginner will develop the necessary tools and skills to practice with confidence, understanding and true insight. Residents will have the opportunity to take at least one Clinical Curriculum course during their tenure at no cost and can take other courses elsewhere in the country at a significantly reduced fee.
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. “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.
RESEARCH
The resident will conduct a clinical investigation leading to a publication quality manuscript.
CRITERIA FOR COMPLETION OF RESIDENCY
A. The resident is required to deliver clinical services at a level which 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.
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 publication quality paper based on original research, literature review, or a clinical case.
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, or for any action which 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.
ACCREDITATION
The Pediatric Optometry residency program at Southern College of Optometry is fully accredited by the Accreditation 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 in turn reports directly to the Vice President of 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