The mission of the Phoenix VA optometric residency is to train residents to practice full scope optometry within an integrated health care setting through developing advanced clinical competency in the diagnosis and management of ocular disease and to instill in the resident an appreciation for ongoing professional development and the skills necessary to be an optometric educator.

General Information

Duration of Agreement: July 1 - June 30
Number of Positions: One (1) position available each year. 
Annual Salary: The annual compensation is $45,678. The resident's compensation is not contingent upon productivity. 
Hours:  The resident works a compressed schedule of four ten-hour days weekly.  The normal working hours are 7:00AM-5:30PM.  There are no on-call responsibilities.
Leave:  Paid leave is accrued through the residency year, with 13 days of vacation leave, and 13 days of sick leave total.
Professional Liability Protection: Professional liability insurance while providing care at VA facilities is provided through the Federal Tort Act.

Program Goals

1. Strengthen the resident's clinical competence in providing primary eye care and ocular disease management.
2. Cultivate the resident's ability to effectively co-manage patients with complex and interrelated ophthalmic and systemic conditions with other healthcare providers of an interdisciplinary health care team.
3. To broaden the resident's ophthalmic knowledge base of ocular disease processes and to integrate this knowledge into patient care through evidence-based clinical decision making.
4. To develop and enhance the resident's skills as an optometric educator.
5. To instill in the resident an appreciation for the importance of scholarly activity and ongoing professional development.

Eligibility Requirements

1. Applicants must earn the degree of Doctor of Optometry from a school or college of optometry accredited by the Accreditation Council on Optometric Education prior to the starting date of the residency program.
2. Applicants must have passed the NBEO Part I and have taken Part II by the application deadline. The selected candidate must have passed Part II and be scheduled to sit for Part III.
3. The applicant must be a U.S. citizen

Application Requirements

• Applicants must apply to this residency program through the Optometry Residency Match (ORMatch) online at www.natmatch.com/ormatch/
• Applicants must submit a letter of intent describing the applicant's reasons for pursuing an optometry residency, as well as their goals and expectations for the year.
• Three letters of recommendation from faculty or practicing optometrists familiar with the applicant's clinical and/or didactic abilities are required; at least one letter must be from a faculty member. Letters should be submitted directly by the author through ORMatch.
• Applicants must include a current curriculum vitae, NBEO board scores, and an unofficial optometry school transcript through ORMatch. The matched resident will be asked to additionally supply an official transcript from their optometry school's registrar.

Selection Procedure

• Qualified applicants will be invited for an interview
• Applicant rankings will be determined by the Residency Coordinator and submitted to ORMatch

Completion Requirements

• The resident is required to participate in AZCOPT Residents' Day.
• The resident is required to keep a detailed log of all patients and meet submission deadlines.
• The resident is required to deliver patient care services at a satisfactory level as determined through formal evaluations by the clinical supervisors/preceptors involved in the resident's training.
• The resident will be expected to act in a professional manner with all patient, student, doctor, and staff interactions.
• The resident is required to prepare a manuscript of publishable quality typically in the form of a case report or literature review.
• State licensure (in any state) must be obtained prior to completion of the residency year.

Accreditation Status

• First-year program.  The program intends to seek initial accreditation in the 2023-2024 program year.  The Accreditation Council on Optometric Education (ACOE) is the accrediting body.  Contact the ACOE at accredit@theacoe.org 

Contact

For additional information about this residency program, please contact:

Heather Spampinato, OD, FAAO
Residency Supervisor
9424 N. 25th Avenue
Phoenix, AZ 85012
602-633-6900
heather.spampinato@va.gov