Residency in Primary Eye Care - Brooke Army Medical Center

This program is reserved strictly for military optometrists and provides the resident with an opportunity to gain advanced clinical training and expertise in the areas of ocular disease diagnosis and management, vision rehabilitation, and primary care in a hospital-based setting. The resident spends a majority of his/her time at the Brooke Army Medical Center, working as an integral part of a multidisciplinary team in providing patient care. The resident will be provided numerous opportunities to rotate in ophthalmology specialty clinics (glaucoma, retina, cornea, pediatrics, neuro-ophthalmology) as well as other specialty clinics within the medical center. Multiple opportunities for continuing education, lectures, and conferences will be provided. A research paper or case report is required, and poster presentation at a national optometric meeting is highly encouraged. Teaching is another important aspect of this program, with opportunities to become involved in didactic and clinical education of optometry students, optometrists, and other health care providers.

Expected weekly hours of duty are 45 hours per week with no on call duties. Attendance of continuing education may lengthen the weekly hours of duties.

Physicians in the military do not have professional liability insurance in the same sense that their civilian counterparts do. Military residents perform their training under authority of lawful orders issued by the Department of the Army and receive their pay and allowances therefrom.

Accordingly, while performing such training, military residents are acting within the scope of their employment and are considered employees of the Army acting within the scope of their employment under Federal law. The provisions of 28 United States Code, Section 2679, immunizes the military resident from individual tort liability. Furthermore, it is understood that the United States will protect the liability of the military resident only, and that the United States may, in its representation of the military resident, assert any defense available under Federal law.

Admissions eligibility criteria include:

  1. Possess a Doctor of Optometry degree from an accredited program (by starting date)
  2. Pursue a full and unrestricted optometry license in any US state by starting date (and obtain within one year)
  3. Competitive GPA
  4. Successfully complete Parts I and II of the NBEO examinations
  5. Submit completed U.S. Army application materials
  6. U.S. Army active duty status

Program completion and awarding of the Certificate of Advanced Clinical Competence requirements include:

  1. Completed publishable quality paper (research paper, literature review, or case report)
  2. Submission of all residency evaluation forms including:
    1. Patient Encounter Logs with encounter types
    2. Residency Activity Logs
    3. Exit evaluations (Evaluation of Clinical Supervisors, Evaluation of Residency Program Supervisor, Evaluation of NSUOCO Residency Director and, Residency Program Evaluation)
  3. Successful completion of NBEO Part I, II and III including TMOD.
  4. Submission of a clinical poster to a national optometric meeting

About Brooke Army MC
ASCO Information Sheet
E-mail the Brooke Army MC Residency Supervisor,  Evelyn Reyes-Cabrera O.D.

Student Chris Tran performing gonio exam.
 

 

Primary Eye Care Residencies

Mission, Goals, Objectives

Mission Statement

The mission of the Brooke Army Medical Center Residency in Primary Care Optometry is to provide advanced clinical training for military optometrists, with emphasis in ocular disease, vision rehabilitation, and primary care, allowing residents, upon completion of the program, greater autonomy and increased professional capacity for managing a diverse and complex patient population.

 

Goal A

Provide appropriately supervised clinical educational experiences with emphasis on ocular disease and trauma, medical/therapeutic contact lens and prosthetic device fittings, and primary vision and eye health care.
Objective A1:  Examine a minimum of 1300 patients in clinic, either alone or in conjunction with another health care provider, during the course of the year-long residency.
Objective A2:  Evaluate and treat patients with a variety of clinical conditions including ocular disease and trauma, medical/therapeutic contact lens and prosthetic devices fittings and primary vision and eye health care.
Objective A3:  Appropriately refer and co-manage patients within other health care specialties for multidisciplinary care.
Objective A4:  Teach, mentor and precept fourth year optometry students through clinical supervision of optometric exams, staff meetings, briefings and/or lectures.

 

Goal B

Stimulate scholarly development in the residents.
Objective B1:  Lecture and workshop presentations in the form of continuing education, grand rounds, optometry classroom, etc.
Objective B2:  Participate in monthly journal club discussions, learning to critically review current ophthalmic literature in order to promote lifetime learning.
Objective B3:  Attend a national optometric meeting and submit/present a clinical poster at the meeting during the residency.
Objective B4:  Produce a research paper, literature review, and/or case report of publishable quality by the end of the residency program.

 

Goal C

Stimulate a commitment to professional growth and service in the resident.
Objective C1:  Join and maintain membership in at least two optometric organizations and/or seek leadership positions within these organizations during the residency.

 

Goal D

Facilitate experiences that are unique to the military optometrist. Participate in at least one military unique experience during the residency program such as special trauma courses or opportunities to deliver eye care in an austere environment.
Objective D1:  Attend at least one military specific medical training course during the residency.
Objective D2:  Participate in at least one MEDRETE (Medical Readiness Training Exercise) to deliver eye care in an austere environment.


Curriculum

The educational objectives, learning activities, and expected outcomes of the Residency in Primary Eye Care include the following:

  1. Provision of optometric care to a minimum of 1300 diverse patients with emphasis in ocular disease, vision rehabilitation, and primary 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, vision rehabilitation, and primary 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 and opportunities to deliver eye care in an austere environment.