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.
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.
Graduates Pursuing Residency Post Graduation
| Graduating Class | Percentage of Graduates Matched to Postdoctoral Residency Programs |
|---|---|
| Class of 2013 | 34.10% |
| Class of 2014 | 36.40% |
| Class of 2015 | 28.90% |
| Class of 2016 | 21.60% |
| Class of 2017 | 28.90% |
| Class of 2018 | 19.60% |
| Class of 2019 | 26.40% |
| Class of 2020 | 41.50% |
| Class of 2021 | 32.00% |
| Class of 2022 | 19.00% |
List of Residencies
The vision of the program is to foster an attitude of life long learning that will continue to guide residents beyond the completion of the program, promoting patient centered clinicians who are capable of providing high quality and safe optometric services. Residents will receive clinical and didactic training that will insure the development of advanced competencies in eye, vision, and health care. Residents will be exposed to both medical and surgical eye care and have he opportunity to observe various eye surgeries and actively participate in the pre and post-operative care.
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A 12 month program emphasizing specialty contact lens fitting and anterior segment disease while offering didactic opportunities in an academic setting. The resident will also have the opportunity to rotate through an OD/MD setting and a hospital setting.
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A 12-month program focused on ocular disease with opportunities for diverse clinical experiences in ocular disease and surgical co-management. The resident will work in several clinics at the Midwestern University Eye Institute, with their time focused in the various ocular disease clinics, and with the clinic’s full-time ophthalmologist. The resident will also have the opportunity to rotate through affiliated sites, including an OD/MD practice setting and a hospital setting.
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Midwestern Ocular Disease Residency
A 12-month program focused on pediatric optometry with emphasis in Vision Therapy and Vision Rehabilitation. The resident spends a majority of time at the Midwestern University Eye Institute and Therapy Institute seeing patients in the Pediatrics and Vision Therapy clinics, and also participates in the Acquired Brain Injury and Low Vision Rehabilitation clinics. Most patient care is through direct care by the resident, however there are opportunities for precepting optometry students and shadowing, as well. Shadowing opportunities are available with other pediatric optometrists at outside facilities, and within the Midwestern University Occupational Therapy, Speech Language Pathology, Dental, and Clinical Psychology departments.
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Midwestern Pediatric Optometry Residency
The National Capital Consortium optometric residency in Vision Rehabilitation with emphasis in Brain Injury Rehabilitation and Primary Care Optometry is conducted at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. The residency is open to military optometrists on active duty status.
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National Capital Consortium Residency
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.
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Phoenix Children's Hospital Residency
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.
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Phoenix VA Residency
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Link below for general information about all of the residency opportunities