Womack Army Medical Center

The mission of the Residency in Ocular Disease with emphasis in Cornea and Contact Lens at Womack Army Medical Center is to provide advanced clinical training for military optometrists with emphasis on ocular disease and trauma, medical / therapeutic contact lens fitting, and primary vision and eye health care, allowing the resident an increased professional capacity to manage 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 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. Encourage appropriate referral and co-management of patients with other health care providers.
4. Teach and mentor fourth year optometry students through clinical supervision of optometric exams.

Goal B
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.

Goal C
Stimulate a commitment to 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.

Goal D
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 MEDRETE (Medical Readiness Training Exercise) to deliver eye care in an austere environment.

All eligible Army applicants are solicited to apply for the residency via the LTHET message. A list of application materials is included in the Long Term Health Education and Training (LTHET) message released each December by the U.S. Army Medical Service Corps and includes a DA Form 3838, Commander's Memorandum, Transcripts, DA Photograph, Memorandum from the Optometry Consultant at the Office of the Surgeon General and a signed/dated officer record brief (ORB).

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, II, III and TMOD of the National Board of Examiners in Optometry examinations 5.Submit completed U.S. Army application materials 6.U.S. Army active duty status.

The applicant must have a Doctor of Optometry degree by the time of matriculation from a school or college of optometry accredited by the Accreditation Council on Optometric Education. All residency applications will be reviewed without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or genetic information.

The program application deadline is April, one year prior to start date.

• Specific requirements are in place for program completion and awarding of the Certificate of Advanced Clinical Competence. The requirements are as follows:Specific requirements are in place for program completion and awarding of the Certificate of Advanced Clinical Competence. The requirements are as follows:

  • Completed publishable quality paper (research paper, literature review, or case report)
  • Sumbission of all residency evaluation forms including:
  • Patient encounter logs with encounter types
  • Residency activity logs
  • Exit evaluations (evaluation of clinical supervisors, evaluation of residency program supervisor, evaluation of NSUOCO residency director and residency program evaluation)
  • Submission of a clinical poster to be presented at a national optometric meeting

• U.S. Army active duty officer benefits to include:

  • Health coverage
  • Professional Liability Insurance
  • Vacation
  • Paid Sick Leave
  • Travel Allowance