Primary Eye Care Optometry Residency Program

The Residency in Primary Eye Care program is approved to accept up to 1 resident each year.

The program does not accept resident transfers from other programs.

1. Provision of optometric care to a large number and diverse group of patients at Womack Army Medical Center with emphasis in ocular disease and trauma, medical/ therapeutic contact lens fitting, and primary vision and eye health care.
2. Appropriate referral and co-management of patients with other health care providers. External rotations may be arranged if likely to enhance expertise in ocular disease and trauma, medical/therapeutic contact lens fitting, and primary vision and eye health care.
3. Clinical supervision of optometry students.
4. Lecture and workshop presentations in the form of continuing education, grand rounds, optometry classroom, etc.
5. Participation in residency seminar activities, including literature review, journal club, clinical slide review, and case presentations.
6. Attendance of continuing education courses.
7. Completion of a research paper, literature review, or case report of publishable quality.
8. Active involvement in the optometric community through membership and participation in optometric organizations.
9. Extend experiences that are unique to the military optometrist, such as special trauma courses or opportunities to deliver eye care in an austere environment.

Provide appropriately supervised clinical educational experiences with emphasis on ocular disease and trauma, medical/therapeutic contact lens fitting, and primary vision and eye health care.
Objectives:
1. Examine a minimum of 1500 patients in clinic, either alone or in conjunction with another health care provider, during the course of the residency.
2. Evaluate and treat patients with a variety of clinical conditions including ocular disease and trauma, medical/therapeutic contact lens fitting and primary vision and eye health care.
3. Appropriately refer and co-manage patients with other health care specialties and providers.
4. Teach and mentor fourth year optometry students through clinical supervision of optometric exams.

Stimulate scholarly development in the resident.
Objectives:
1. Write and deliver at least one hour long lecture in the form of continuing education, presentations to peers, presentations to ophthalmic technicians, and lectures to providers in other specialties and groups.
2. Participate in monthly journal club discussions, learning to critically review current ophthalmic literature in order to promote lifetime learning.
3. Attend a national optometric meeting and submit a clinical poster at that meeting during the residency.
4. Produce a research paper, literature review and/or case report of publishable quality by the end of the residency program.

Stimulate a commitment to professional growth/development and service in the resident.
Objectives:
1. Join and maintain membership in at least two optometric organizations such as the Armed Forces Optometric Society, the American Optometric Association, and the American Academy of Optometry.
2. Initiate the board certification process by completing the requirements for attaining Fellowship in the American Academy of Optometry within one year of completing the residency program.

Facilitate experiences that are unique to the military optometrist.
Objectives:
1. Attend at least one military specific medical training course during the residency.
2. Participate in at least one Medical Readiness Training Exercise (MEDRETE) to deliver eye care in an austere environment.