Optometry
The mission of the Ocular Disease Residency Program at the VAMC Wilmington, DE, is to provide continued post doctoral training for optometric practitioners desiring to advance their clinical training beyond that of entry level optometric practice. The program emphasis is on the diagnosis, treatment and management of ocular disease in the veteran population through active participation in the patient’s health care team
Institution Requirements
- Affiliation Agreement with the Wilmington VAMC
- If not current with the Wilmington VAMC, contact the Academic Affiliations Office
- Must complete a Trainee Qualifications and Credentials Verification Letter (TQCVL) each academic year for all residents/students.
- TQCVL must be executed prior to all trainees first day.
Robert Duszak OD, FAAO
Chief of Optometric Services
VA Wilmington health care
Email: Robert.Duszak@va.gov
Rajni Acharya OD, MBS, FAAO
Residency Coordinator
VA Wilmington health care
Email: Rajni.Acharya@va.gov
The Eye Clinic is composed of:
- 14 Large exam rooms
- 5 Certified Ophthalmic Technician
- Cirrus OCT and OCT-A
- B-scan ultrasound
- Anterior and Posterior Segment Cameras
- A-Scan and IOL master
- Humphrey Visual Field, FDT and Tangent Screen
- Various lasers (1.e. SLT, MLT, YAG)
- Autorefractor, Handheld slit lamp, GDX, Corneal Pachymetry
- Large conference room with projector screen for academic activities
- Separate wing for Optometry and Ophthalmology staff offices
Student Externship
- We typically have 2-4 students at a time from several colleges of Optometry including Salus, NECO, NOVA, ICO and SUNY.
- Rotations can be 3 or 6 months in length depending on the school
- Perform comprehensive eye exams from case history to dilation completion
- Learn how to utilize all the various types of equipment in clinic and interpret the corresponding test results
- Participate in academic activities with residents on a weekly basis
Special Features:
- Health insurance available
- Professional liability insurance through the Federal Tort Law
- Annual Leave and Sick Leave
- Authorized absence for attendance at a professional meeting
- Free Parking
- On-site Free Gym
- 11 Paid Federal Holidays
Eligibility Criteria:
- Prior to matriculation, applicants must have attained the Doctor of Optometry (O.D.) degree from a school or college accredited by the Accreditation Council on Optometric Education
- The applicant must have earned an O.D. degree from an accredited school or college of optometry prior to the start date of the program.
- Obtain licensure in a State, territory, or Commonwealth of the US, or in the District of Columbia before completion of the first year of VA residency. Note: The license does not have to be from the State where the residency program is located.
- The applicant must be a citizen of the United States.
- All applicants will be evaluated without regard to age, sex, race, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, or physical or mental disabilities.
- Prospective residents must apply through the ORMatch (http://www.natmatch.com/ormatch/)
Academic Requirements
- Weekly scheduled academic programs (i.e. lectures by the Optometry/ophthalmology staff, journal article reviews, Case presentations by students or residents)
- Working alongside our glaucoma, cornea and retina specialists to provide comprehensive eye care to our patients
- Presenting 3 case presentations throughout the year at the hospital and one grand rounds presentation at Salus University
- Rotations with Endocrinology, Rheumatology, Infectious Disease and Neurology
- Maintenance and completion of evaluation, patient logs and academic logs. Program specific requirements including attendance, minimum patient encounters and meeting professional and clinical responsibilities.
- Submission of one publishable quality paper by end of residency.
Program Overview
- Accredited by the Accreditation Council on Optometric Education
- One year in length (July 1st to June 30th)
- Affiliated with the Pennsylvania College of Optometry at Salus University
- Stipend given ($38,115) for the 2021-2022 Academic Year