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July 1 to June 30
Affiliated with Nova Southeastern University
College of Optometry
The Orlando VA Medical Center is located on the site of what was once the Orlando Naval Training Center’s Hospital. The surrounding residential area is now known as Baldwin Park. The Orlando VA Medical Center, serving an area of more than 90,000 veteran patients in East Central Florida, is one of seven members of the VISN 8 Healthcare System. The Orlando VA Medical Center includes the Orlando VA Medical Center, Nursing Home Care Unit, the Domiciliary and Rehabilitation Program, Brevard OPC, Daytona OPC, and the 3 Community Based Outpatient Clinics, which are located in Leesburg, Kissimmee, and Sanford. The East Central Florida veteran population is slated for a new hospital to be built after 2011 on land near Lake Nona. It is anticipated that the new facility will serve nearly 400,000 veterans. This much needed facility will make it easier for east central Florida veterans to access VA’s world-class medical center and relieve the burden of traveling long distances for their inpatient care. When the new PSA (Patient Service Area) begins on October 1, 2006, the new Orlando VA Medical Center will immediately begin with over 90,000 unique veterans and over 1,100 employees spanning over 6 counties.
The Orlando VAMC Eye Clinic has 4 optometrists on staff. The optometrists provide primary eye care as well as management of chronic ocular diseases and ocular manifestations of systemic diseases. The staff optometrists are licensed practitioners credentialed and privileged to perform full scope optometry, including the usage of topical and some oral medications based on their state of licensure to treat eye diseases. The optometrists also participate in Low Vision exams for patients who are visually impaired and specialty contact lens exams and fitting. Optometrists are the only ones who will be supervising optometry students and optometry residents.
The Orlando VAMC Eye Clinic has 3 ophthalmologists on staff. The ophthalmologists manage advanced chronic ocular diseases and ocular manifestations of systemic diseases. The staff ophthalmologists perform the following surgeries: cataracts, trabeculectomy, strabismus, blepharoplasty, pterygia removal, eyelid growth removal, cryotherapy, focal laser, panretinal photocoagulation, YAG capsulotomy, laser PI and ALT.
The Orlando VAMC Eye Clinic has 6 eye technicians on staff. One of these technicians is dedicated to the visual field room each day. When available the technicians screen patients with a brief history, visual acuity assessment, autorefraction and autolensometry. The technicians also do ancillary tests as directed by the doctor such as corneal pachymetry, OCT testing, digital stereo optic nerve photography, digital fundus photography and digital fluorescein angiography.
The Orlando VAMC Eye Clinic has a teaching program involving fourth year optometry students from the Pennsylvania College of Optometry in Philadelphia. There is currently 1 position available each quarter. Our primary goal is to provide quality eye care to our nation’s veterans. Another goal we have is to provide a quality learning experience for optometry students and residents. We hope that the skills and clinical information that you learn here can be used for many years to come in whatever mode of practice you end up choosing. One of the best ways to do this is by allowing the resident to obtain as many patient encounters as possible. However, we recognize that sheer volume does not equate to an education. Therefore, the workload will be increased or decreased based upon each resident’s progress and desire to learn. Additional reading assignments may be assigned in order to enhance the educational experience.
The Orlando VAMC developed a Hospital Based Primary Care Optometry Residency program that was granted funding by the VA Central Office in March 2007. At that time, Nova Southeastern University agreed to become the academic affiliate for the residency program. Upon its inception, the residency program received Candidacy Pending status from the Accreditation Council on Optometric Education (ACOE). The first optometry resident started July 1, 2007. During the 2007-2008 year, NSU’s College of Optometry Residency Program Coordinator visited the Orlando VAMC in preparation for the ACOE’s site visit in May 2008. Following the ACOE’s site visit, the Orlando VAMC residency program will receive notification of their accreditation status, and hopefully be granted full accreditation status after the first resident completes the program at the end of June 2008.
The optometric resident will see approximately 6-10 full exams per day and will see follow-ups or walk-ins as needed. Types of encounters will include routine comprehensive examinations as well as a high percentage of patients with diabetes with/without retinopathy, cataracts, AMD, glaucoma and ocular manifestations of systemic diseases. The resident will also be seeing Low Vision patients and those needing Specialty Contact Lenses as well as those at external rotations.
Opportunities to observe ophthalmologists performing surgical procedures will be available. There will be additional time spent doing observations of primary care providers, dermatologists and radiologists. External rotations will include: a private contact lens practice, a private retina specialist, a private optometrist actively involved in pre/post-operative cataract/refractive surgery care.
Hours of work will be M-F 7:30a-4:30p with 30-60 minutes for lunch. The resident is granted 13 days of annual leave (vacation), Federal holidays, sick days and authorized absence. Authorized absence is to be used to attend the VISN 8 Optometry Resident Grand Rounds, NSU’s Optometry Resident Grand Rounds and/or attending one major educational meetings (i.e. AAO, AOA Congress, SECO) at their own expense. Attendance at the meeting will be verified. A 45 day notice is required in order to use any of these days.
Housing is the responsibility of each resident. There are numerous apartments near-by that are used by the students of Rollins College or the University of Central Florida.
Should you have any questions, contact Dr. John M. Spalding at 407-629-1599x1725 or via e-mail at john.spalding@va.gov.
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