Optometric Residencies
Enrich and boost your career with an optometric residency.
The Accreditation Council on Optometric Education (ACOE) — the accrediting body for the schools and colleges of optometry and for their residencies — defines an optometric residency program as a planned program of post-OD clinical education that is designed to advance significantly the optometric graduate’s preparation as a provider of patient care services beyond entry level practice. Contact the ACOE at accredit@acoe.org
Completing a residency in optometry is a unique and invaluable experience. The rich rewards gained from the additional year of training serve to enhance career opportunities and add to the level of confidence the resident has when beginning his/her post-residency career. The most successful graduates of these programs are individuals who recognize early that what one gets out of the program is determined by what one puts into the program. Dedication, discipline, commitment and enthusiasm are expected of the resident throughout the year of training.
List of Residencies
The mission of the Eye Associates of New Mexico Optometric Residency Program is to provide qualified post-doctoral optometry graduates with an advanced educational experience focused on primary eyecare and ocular disease management in a private practice setting working closely with ophthalmology. Each resident will graduate from this program with a deep understanding of full-scope patient care with the knowledge and skills to care for the current change in demographics of our nation. This program will provide a solid foundation for providing medical eye care that includes retinal conditions, glaucoma and anterior segment disease. Emphasis will be placed on the use of current technology to care for macular degeneration, diabetes, glaucoma and cataracts.
The resident participates in patient care alongside optometrists and ophthalmologists, managing complex ocular disease cases. This program is accredited by the ACOE. One position is available. The residency stipend is $60,000 annually, which is not contingent upon resident productivity. Additional benefits such as health coverage and paid time off are provided.
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The mission of the Cornea and Contact Lenses residency program at Midwestern University Arizona College of Optometry is to provide qualified Doctors of Optometry with a unique opportunity for advanced training in specialty contact lens fitting and cornea and anterior segment disease treatment and management. This educational experience utilizes state of the art technology to deliver extensive clinical experience, exposure to academic teaching and scholarship.
The resident is primarily in clinical care at the Midwestern University Eye Institute in Glendale, Arizona, where they work with optometrists and corneal specialists. The resident spends one day per week at a county hospital in Phoenix, managing primary care and ocular disease cases. This program is accredited by the ACOE. One position is available. The residency stipend is $55,000 annually, which is not contingent upon productivity. Additional benefits such as health coverage, conference leave, paid holidays, vacation, and sick time are provided at the level of Visiting Instructor at Midwestern University.
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The mission of the Ocular Disease Residency Program at Midwestern University Arizona College of Optometry is to help residents develop into confident and independent doctors through guided professional development and advanced training in an inter-disciplinary environment. This educational experience utilizes state of the art technology to deliver extensive clinical experience, exposure to academic teaching and involvement in research.
The resident is primarily in clinical care at the Midwestern University Eye Institute in Glendale, Arizona, where they work with optometrists and ophthalmologists. The resident spends up to one day per week at a county hospital in Phoenix, and up to one day per week at an OD/MD private practice, managing primary care and ocular disease cases. This program is accredited by the ACOE. Two positions are available. The residency stipend is $55,000 annually, which is not contingent upon productivity. Additional benefits such as health coverage, conference leave, paid holidays, vacation, and sick time are provided at the level of Visiting Instructor at Midwestern University.
The mission of the Pediatric Optometry Residency Program at Midwestern University Arizona College of Optometry is to provide qualified Doctors of Optometry with a unique opportunity for advanced training in pediatric eye care. The program offers an area of emphasis in Vision Therapy and Vision Rehabilitation. This educational experience utilizes state of the art technology to deliver extensive clinical experience, exposure to academic teaching and scholarship.
The resident is primarily in clinical care at the Midwestern University Eye Institute and Therapy Institute in Glendale, Arizona. The resident works with optometrists, ophthalmologists, occupational therapists, speech language pathologists, and others as part of the interdisciplinary team. This is a first-year program seeking initial accreditation with the ACOE. One position is available. The residency stipend is $55,000 annually, which is not contingent upon productivity. Additional benefits such as health coverage, conference leave, paid holidays, vacation, and sick time are provided at the level of Visiting Instructor at Midwestern University.
The Mission of the National Capital Consortium's Optometry Residency in Vision Rehabilitation at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center is to provide advanced clinical training for optometrists with concentrated emphasis on traumatic brain injury (TBI) including diagnosis, treatment, and vision rehabilitation with additional advanced competencies in primary care optometry. Upon completion of the program, residents are expected to experience greater autonomy and increased professional capacity for managing diverse and complex patient populations across the spectrum of military and public health service assignments.
This program is only open to optometrists in military active duty, or in the Commission Corps of the US Public Health Service. The resident receives a military salary commensurate with the resident's years of service and rank, regardless of the resident's productivity.
The Residency Program in Pediatric Optometry at Phoenix Children's Hospital provides qualified optometrists with advanced clinical education and advanced competency training in the clinical examination, diagnosis and management of eye and vision problems encountered in pediatric eye care.
The resident works at PCH locations across the Phoenix area, providing care to patients from infancy to age 25 years. This program is accredited by the ACOE. One position is available. The residency stipend is $50,000 annually, which is not contingent upon productivity. Additional benefits such as health coverage and paid time off are provided.
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.
The resident provides patient care at the main hospital facilities and outpatient clinics in Phoenix. This program is accredited by the ACOE. One position is available. The residency stipend is $45,678 annually, which is not contingent upon productivity. Additional benefits such as health coverage and paid time off are provided.
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