Cherry Health Residency

Goal 1: To provide the resident with diverse optometric experiences and patient populations in order to gain proficiency and expertise in the diagnosis and management of a wide range of primary eye care and ocular disease conditions. 

• The resident will be involved in over 1500 patient encounters through direct care, precepting externs and observation.
• The resident will perform comprehensive exams on patients of all ages and ethnicities to develop the skills needed to recognize and diagnose commonly encountered ocular conditions.
• The resident will perform problem focused exams on patients with acute ocular conditions.
• The resident will be exposed to complex and infrequently encountered conditions due to our at risk population and through observation of sub-specialty care.
• The resident will prescribe appropriate topical and systemic pharmacological agents.
• The resident will assume responsibility for the care, follow up and referral of their patients under the supervision of the attending optometrist

Goal 2: The resident will enhance their technical skills and competency in all areas of an ocular examination. 

• The resident will become proficient in the following examination skills:
  • Refraction
  • Binocular vision evaluation
  • Dilated fundus exam with 20D/BIO
  • Slit lamp examination of the anterior segment and posterior segment with 90D/78D fundus lenses
  • Goldmann Applanation Tonometry
  • Gonioscopy o Pachymetry
  • Corneal topography
  • Performing Cirrus OCT for optic nerve and retinal evaluation.
  • Performing 10-2, 24-2 and 30-2 Humphry Visual field
  • Performing anterior and posterior segment photography
• The resident will become proficient in the following surgical procedures:
  • Corneal foreign body removal
  • Epilation
• The resident will develop advanced skills in the following areas:
  • Diagnosis and treatment of ocular disease through examination, and utilization and interpretation of advanced diagnostic techniques.
  • Diagnosis of binocular vision and accommodative dysfunction.
  • Examination of young children and infants. o Development and implementation of vision therapy program

Goal 3: The resident will learn to function effectively within a multi-disciplinary, community based health care team and with subspecialty eye care.

• Develop and understanding of community health issues and health disparities that impact health and health care.
• The resident will be encouraged to complete additional cultural competency training provided by Cherry Health.
• The resident will be encouraged to attend training focused on use of a medical interpreter to enhance patient care.
• The resident will be encouraged to participate in inter-professional meetings and discussions within Cherry Health.
• The resident will be responsible for maintaining a working relationship with internal medicine and associated specialties through development of written and verbal communication skills. 
• The resident will be encouraged to participate in “See To Succeed”, a mobile, school linked, comprehensive pediatric vision service.
• The resident will spend time observing sub-specialists in eye care including glaucoma, retina, cornea, cataracts, oculoplastics, low vision and pediatrics (more or less time dedicated depending on level of interest).

Goal 4: The resident will develop clinical instructional and precepting skills to reinforce their own learning and allow participation in the educational experience of optometric externs.

• Provide direct clinical supervision of optometric externs during the “Advanced Phase” of the residency program.
  • Ratio of precepting to patient care will depend on individual level of interest and level of competency determined by attending optometrists.
• Participate in evaluation of optometric externs.
• Conduct journal article review/club with optometric externs.
• Assist externs in the development of lectures for Cherry Health Grand Rounds including selection of appropriate cases and approval of final presentations.

Goal 5: The resident will gain experience in the development and completion of scholarly and research activities including written and oral presentations to reinforce the importance of life-long learning.

• The resident will be encouraged to attend local and national continuing education meetings. 
• The resident will present a poster or lecture at a professional meeting.
  • ***If a poster is not accepted then a third paper of publishable quality may be submitted.
• The resident will write two case reports of publishable quality.
• The resident will develop and present a lecture for the Michigan College of Optometry’s Residency Day.
• The resident will develop and present lectures for presentation at Cherry Health grand rounds.

The residency will begin the last week of June and continue until the last Friday in June of the following year (53 weeks in duration). The first week is reserved for orientation and training activities. The resident will be scheduled for 38-40 hours per week, Monday through Friday. The resident will not be required to provide on-call or emergency care outside of clinical hours. The majority of this time will be spent on optometric patient care with one half day per week allotted to professional development.

List of clinical activities:

• Direct patient care including diagnosis, management, treatment of ocular and visual conditions.
• Perform and interpret dilated eye exams, refractions, sensory motor evaluations, visual field testing, corneal pachymetry, gonioscopy, anterior & posterior segment photography and optical coherence tomography (OCT).
• Coordinate appropriate referrals and consultations to sub-specialty care.
• Provide appropriate written correspondence to internists, pediatricians and other health care providers.
• Observation of sub-specialty optometric care
• Observation of patient care in other clinical services offered by Cherry Health including but not limited to; Adult Medicine, Pediatrics and Behavioral Health.
• Precepting 4 th year externs

List of didactic activities:

• Optometry grand rounds
• Present lecture
• Assist externs on preparation of their case reports
• Weekly journal club
• Present lecture at the Michigan College of Optometry’s Residency Day
• The resident will be encouraged to attend one nationally recognized meeting.
• The resident will be encouraged to be an active member in our state and local optometric associations.

List of scholarly activities:

• Write two case reports of publishable quality, suitable for submission to the American Academy of Optometry
• Prepare and present a paper or poster at a nationally recognized meeting.
• If poster is not accepted the resident may submit a third case report or literature review may be submitted.

Cherry Health provides comprehensive adult and pediatric vision services at the Heart of the City Health Center. Services include dilated eye exams, diagnosis and treatment of ailments, chronic eye problems, refractions and dispensing of eye glasses, as well as case management services for those with diabetes. 

The resident’s annual stipend is $33,000. The resident is entitled to paid leave as follows: 10 days of paid time off and 5 days of paid professional development/conference time.

Benefits include medical, dental and vision insurance, short and long-term disability insurance and professional liability insurance.

The Michigan College of Optometry provides a $500 travel stipend and FSU library privileges. Cherry Health will provide an additional $1,000 travel stipend.

• Successful completion of the majority of the residency’s goals and objectives.
• Attend all scheduled clinic sessions as assigned (not including excused absences).
• Conduct him/herself at all times with composure, patience, and professionalism.
• Maintain an accurate patient log.
• Maintain an accurate activity log of all non-clinical activities.
• Write two papers of publishable quality.
• Submit a poster to a national optometry meeting.
• Complete all evaluations of program and preceptors in a timely manner.
• Obtain agreement from all residency faculty that a residency certificate should be granted.