Sponsor: VA Southern Oregon Rehabilitation Center & Clinics, 8495 Crater Lake Highway, White City, OR 97503
Academic Affiliate: Pacific University College of Optometry, Forest Grove, Oregon
Mission
The residency program at VA SORCC is a one-year post-doctoral educational program centered on clinical training which results in the resident’s attainment of advanced competencies in eye, vision, and health care. The program will emphasize delivery of primary eye care and ocular disease management to both inpatient and outpatient Veterans enrolled at the facility. The program seeks to advance the competency, confidence, knowledge, and skill level of the practicing optometrist within a multi-disciplinary health care setting.
General Information
Residency Program Coordinator:
Aaron Severson, OD
Residency Program Faculty:
Length of Program: 52 weeks (July 1st through June 30th)
Number of Positions: 1
Salary: $45,590 – not contingent upon productivity of the resident
Hours: Regular clinic hours for the resident will be 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. As with any clinical position, hours of attendance vary.
Leave: The resident accrues four (4) hours of annual leave and two (2) hours of sick leave during each 2-week pay period. In addition, there are eleven (11) paid Federal holidays during the residency year. The resident can also request authorized absence for attendance at continuing education activities.
Professional Liability Protection: The U.S. Government accepts responsibility for the actions of its employees during exercise of official duties. VA residents are protected by the Tort Claim Act in instances of alleged malpractice resulting from performance of their duties in or for the Veterans Health Administration.
Health Insurance Benefits: The resident is provided information about healthcare benefits during the VA SORCC orientation. Optional health insurance coverage is offered to the resident; biweekly premiums will be deducted if the resident elects to enroll in such insurance. Long-term disability insurance is not provided.
Requirements for Completion:
- Attend and document all assigned clinical, scholarly and didactic activities.
- Present a COPE-approved oral lecture at the Pacific University of Optometry Northwest Residents Conference.
- Achieve at least an "average" combined rating of 3 (1=lowest, 5=highest score) in the Clinical Performance and Case Management Skills sections on all resident evaluations, or successfully complete a remediation program. For "Below Average" evaluations (1 or 2) in other areas, improve performance to the satisfaction of the Residency Coordinator and the Director of Residencies at Pacific University College of Optometry.
- Complete all assigned evaluations of the program and faculty.
Program Goals
Goal 1: To advance the competency, knowledge and skill level of the resident through exposure to significant, diverse and challenging patient encounters.
Goal 2: To improve patient care management skills in a multidisciplinary health care team setting.
Goal 3: To enhance the resident’s leadership and teaching skills and encourage scholarly interests.
Goal 4: Stimulate a commitment to service and life-long learning by the resident.
Residency Experience
Strengths of the Program
The main emphasis of this program is clinical assessment and management of both inpatients and outpatients in a multidisciplinary health care environment. The education experience will concentrate on the delivery of primary eye and vision care, with an emphasis on ocular manifestations of system disease, ocular disease, ocular side effects of systemic medications, and low vision.
Each resident will be examining at least 1200 patients at the VA SORCC eye clinic. Approximately 85% of the resident's time will be spent in direct patient care; other activities include providing clinical preceptorship of fourth year optometry student interns, observation of ophthalmic surgery, didactic, and scholarly activities. The resident will perform comprehensive eye examinations, consult with various health care practitioners in co-management, prescribe oral and topical therapeutic medication, perform ophthalmic procedures, and order laboratory and radiology studies as indicated for diagnosis and management.
Didactic and scholarly training is emphasized by the involvement of the resident in precepting optometry student interns, participation in a weekly optometry staff education/case report/journal club meeting, and presentation of a COPE approved oral education talk at Pacific University's Northwest Residents Conference.
During the weekly optometry staff education/case report/journal club meeting, the resident will present interesting cases from previous week's encounters. From these case presentations, an impromptu discussion may take place regarding the diagnosis, management, and treatment of the patient. The resident may be assigned a topic to review and present later, or the resident may research relevant journal articles to read.
Scholarly Activities
The resident is required to complete a study/review/report and to present this work at the annual Northwest Residents Conference. The resident will also present case reports at the weekly optometry team meeting.
Continuing Education
The resident is entitled to attend VA and Pacific University sponsored CE at no charge for credit hours. A nominal fee for printed materials and meals may be required for some Pacific University functions. Authorized absence from clinical responsibilities can be granted for attendance at supervisor approved CE conferences.
Lecturing
The resident will present a lecture at the annual Northwest Residents Conference prior to the completion of the residency program. The resident will also present case reports at the weekly optometry team meeting.
Clinical Privileges
The resident is required to be supervised per VA Chapter 26 and Medicare regulations. The Optometry Residency Program Supervisor will maintain a clinical competence record, which determines the resident’s privileges. The resident must obtain an Oregon license or another state license that has scope of practice laws equal to or greater than Oregon. The scope of practice at the VA is determined by the clinical privileges of the supervising faculty that are equivalent to the scope of practice permitted by Oregon Laws which allow optometrists to treat ocular conditions including foreign bodies and glaucoma, to prescribe topical and oral medications, to order any laboratory testing and to order any medical imaging. When surgical or other care is needed that cannot be provided in the optometry department, the resident will coordinate with the attending optometrist to make appropriate referrals.
The resident will receive written evaluations from the Residency Program Supervisor on a quarterly basis. The resident will evaluate the Residency Program Supervisor, attending doctors and the program biannually.
Worksite
VA SORCC opened its doors to veterans in 1949 and is the former hospital of Camp White, built during World War II. The 145-acre site is seven miles north of Medford, OR. VA SORCC cares for over 30,000 veterans living in Southern Oregon and Northern California.
The Mission of VA SORCC is to serve as a national resource for eligible veterans, providing quality residential treatment in addictions, mental health, physical and vocational rehabilitation; to provide high quality primary outpatient medical and mental healthcare to veterans living in the Southern Oregon and Northern California regions; and strive, in partnership with the veterans served, to optimize social and vocational integration of the veterans into their communities.
The resident will work at the Veterans Affairs Southern Oregon Rehabilitation Center and Clinics. Clinical facilities are spacious and well-equipped to serve both patient needs and the residency program’s educational objectives.
Specialty Areas
Outpatients and Inpatients
VA SORCC provides primary medical care and mental health services to veterans living in Southern Oregon and Northern California. In addition, VA SORCC has inpatients receiving specialized services such as Substance Abuse Treatment and Vocational Rehabilitation. Both Outpatients and Inpatients are eligible to receive comprehensive eye health and vision care at VA SORCC. The optometry resident will provide routine and urgent eye care for these patients.
Low Vision
Visually impaired and legally blind veterans receive comprehensive eye health and vision care at VA SORCC, along with basic low vision services. Optometry staff members and residents work in conjunction with the Visually Impaired Service Team (VIST) coordinator to provide services to eligible veterans.
Weekly Optometry Team Meetings
During weekly optometry team meetings, the resident will present interesting cases from the previous weeks’ encounters, present educational talks, lead discussions and scientific article reviews, or participate while other students and faculty present.
Administration Time
The resident is scheduled four (4) hours each week for administrative time. This time is intended to be used for research, preparation of case reports, review of charts and study.
Library and Research Resources
The resident will have access to online research libraries and databases available through Pacific University and the VA.
Computer Access / Email
Telephone service and computer workstations with email and internet access are available.
Southern Oregon Living
White City is a small community in Southern Oregon, located midway between Portland and San Francisco near Interstate 5. It is one of several cities and towns nestled in the Rogue Valley, known for its mild climate, beautiful scenery, pear orchards and unique festivals. Area attractions include the Oregon Shakespeare Festival in Ashland; camping, hiking and boat tours at Crater Lake National Park; specialty shops, cozy inns, museums, excellent dining and historic attractions from the Gold Rush years in Jacksonville. The Oregon Caves National Monument, Redwood National Park and the Pacific Ocean coastline are within day trip distances. There are festivals to enjoy, wineries to savor, scenic roads to travel, rivers to raft, trails to ride, and mountains to climb.
The VA Southern Oregon Rehabilitation Center and Clinics are located on the 145 acre site that was the hospital at Camp White during World War II.
Housing & Cost of Living
Cost of living is slightly above the national average. Rentals cost an average of about $1200 per month.
Commuting & Parking
Most VA residents commute to White City, Oregon by personal automobile and live within a 30-minute drive. Traffic is light in the Rogue Valley. VA PD requires vehicle registration but there are no parking fees. Public transportation by bus RVTD is available but limited.
Eligibility Criteria
Candidates must earn the degree of Doctor of Optometry from a school or college of optometry accredited by the Accreditation Council on Optometric Education prior to the starting date of the residency.
Candidates must have passed the NBEO Part I and have taken Part II by the application deadline. The selected candidate must pass all parts before the start date of the residency. The selected candidate must be eligible for state licensure and obtain licensure in a State, Territory, or Commonwealth of the United States, or in the District of Columbia before October 1.
By congressional law, candidates must be citizens of the United States.
Optometry residents are required to be immunized according to current Center for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines and VHA policy. This is for the protection of the resident, other employees and patients while working in a healthcare facility. Current requirements include tuberculosis screening and the following vaccines: hepatitis B, seasonal influenza completed before November 30, measles/mumps/rubella, varicella, and tetanus/diphtheria/pertussis.
Selection Process
VA SORCC complies with all ORMatch guidelines in the recruitment and selection of residents and participates in the computerized match program. The application process officially begins with the resident registering with ORMatch online at natmatch.com/ormatch. The resident applicant registers with ORMatch by submitting agreement compliance with ORMatch Rules, an Applicant Agreement, OE Tracker Number, and a registration fee. Once registered, the resident applicant will submit the following documents to ORMatch:
- Application
- Letter of Intent
- Curriculum Vitae
- Unofficial optometry school transcript
- Two letters of of reference are required from faculty members who have been most responsible for the clinical education of the applicant.
- The VA SORCC Residency Coordinator and Director of Residency will review all applications and will offer interviews those who best match with our program. Notification of interview status will be sent by February 15. Interviews will take place in February and March.
- The application deadline is January 31.
Interviews:
Interviews will be scheduled by phone or other video conference technology. The interview typically consists of a group discussion with optometry clinic staff regarding the residency program and the candidate's goals and qualifications. An on-site interview and facility tour may also be scheduled if desired.
Call or Email Today
For additional information about this residency opportunity, please contact:
Aaron Severson, OD | Residency Program Coordinator
VA Southern Oregon Rehabilitation Center & Clinics Optometry Residency Program
8495 Crater Lake Highway
White City, OR 97503 / Aaron.Severson@va.gov
541-826-2111 ext. 3115 |
Program Accreditation
The Accreditation Council on Optometric Education (ACOE) has granted VA Southern Oregon Rehabilitation Center & Clinics Residency in Primary Care Optometry - Ocular Disease the accreditation status of “Accredited.” This classification is granted to an educational program indicating that the program generally meets the Standards for Accreditation. For more information, please review the ACOE’s website, or contact the ACOE at accredit@theacoe.org.
Accreditation Council on Optometric Education
243 N. Lindbergh Blvd., Suite 301
St. Louis, MO 63141
Phone: 1-800-365-2219
E-mail address: accredit@theacoe.org