The Orlando VAMC Optometry Residency Program curriculum is made up of 3 parts:

Didactic Education

1. Attend weekly Friday afternoon optometry conferences.
2. Attend weekly VA professional staff continuing education at the discretion of the optometry residency program supervisor.
3. Regularly attend bi-monthly meetings of the Central Florida Society of Optometric Physicians for a minimum of 3 hours of Continuing Education.
4. Attend at their own expense, a minimum of 12 hours of Continuing Education at one of the major educational meetings (i.e. AAO, AOA Congress, SECO).

Clinical Experiences

1. Provide eye care for patients with a wide variety of systemic and ocular diseases including:  diabetes, hypertension, vascular disease, glaucoma, cataracts, anterior segment diseases, age related macular degeneration, and neuro-ocular disease.
2. Perform diagnostic testing including:  automated perimetry, OCT, corneal pachymetry, B scan ultrasonography, photography, etc. as necessary.
   
3. Enter patient records into Computerized Patient Record System.
4. Review and triage consults from other members of the professional staff.
5. Order and review laboratory, radiographic and vascular imaging studies.
6. Coordinate patient care with primary care providers and specialists.
7. External Rotations (Locations/Affiliations to be Arranged)
   1. As of 7/1/07
      LasikPro with Brian DenBeste, OD – Refractive Surgery / Primary Care
      Florida Retina Institute with Elias Mavrofrides, MD – Retina
   2. As of 04/01/08
      Eye Associates of Winter Park with Brad Giedd, OD – Contact Lenses
      

Professional Activites

1. Give four 20 minute Grand Rounds Presentations at the VISN 8 Optometry Resident Grand Rounds meeting and/or Quarterly Lectures at the Friday Afternoon Conference.
   
2. Give 1 formal Grand Rounds presentation at the VISN 8 Optometry Meeting and/or at Nova Southeastern University’s College of Optometry at the discretion of the optometry residency program supervisor.   
   
3. Conduct weekly Friday afternoon slide/case review for the Optometry Student, present case of the week, and be ready to discuss weekly journal article presented by the Optometry Student.
   
4. Choose one of the following and complete either of the projects prior to June 30th:
   
   1. To present a poster of sufficient quality (as determined by the optometry residency supervisor) for presentation at one of the national meetings (SECO, AOA Congress or AAO Meeting).  Guidelines for submission are based on those required of the American Academy of Optometry.  The resident may be asked to present the poster at one of  national meetings, a local society meeting, the VISN 8 Optometry meeting or at the Orlando VAMC at the optometry resident supervisor’s discretion.
      
   2. To submit a paper of sufficient quality (as determined by the optometry residency supervisor) for publication of original research, literature review or case review.  Guidelines for submission are based on those required by Optometry:  Journal of the American Optometric Association.
      
5. Work with a member of the optometry staff to help in the monthly education of the eye clinic technicians.
   
6. Licensed Optometry Residents will supervise optometry students during the last quarter of the year.