Optometry Residency Program Details

Program Description

UPMC is a multi-hospital tertiary care medical institution that consistently ranks among the top healthcare institutes in the nation. The UPMC Eye Center clinical team consists of over 80 providers, encompassing all ophthalmic sub-specialties, dedicated to resident education and unparalleled patient care. Our optometric residency programs in ocular disease and low vision rehabilitation/ocular disease were launched in AY 2022-23. The UPMC Eye Center is comprised of 13 locations and a state-of-the-art 9-story eye care institute. The 410,000 square foot Mercy Pavilion was designed with the input of a visually impaired architect and boasts 83 exam lanes, 10 rehab exam rooms, on-site surgical suites, 100,600 square feet of research space, a rooftop terrace garden for mobility training, and a life skills apartment and street lab to practice these vital skills.

Our clinics span Pittsburgh and the surrounding communities, offering our residents the opportunity to treat diverse patient populations and serve the community by participating in events such as Mission of Mercy. In 2022, our optometry residents volunteered as part of this initiative to provide free eye exams and glasses for over 700 patients in a single weekend.

Our hospital setting allows residents the unique opportunity to work in primary, secondary, and tertiary clinics. Our residents receive graduated levels of supervision and autonomy as they progress from optometric primary clinical care into the more advanced sub-specialty care ophthalmology clinics such as Glaucoma, Cornea, Neuro-ophthalmic Disease, and Retina, while working alongside ophthalmology residents in various acute care, ambulatory, and in-patient clinical settings. Our ocular disease resident will also have their own primary care clinic and a sub-specialty clinic of their choosing by month six. The combined Low Vision/Ocular Disease resident begins their residency in low vision clinic working alongside our low vision providers gaining advanced competency in low vision rehabilitative care. The second half of the residency allows the resident autonomy in their own low vision clinic. In addition to rotating through ophthalmology sub-specialty clinics, the low vision resident also spends approximately 2 days a month in Inherited Retinal Disease clinic, providing low vision care to patients who come to Pittsburgh seeking care from all over the world. Clinical time is also spent in medically necessary contact lens clinic, providing the resident with another tool to offer patients with visual impairment from corneal disease. Both programs are enhanced by didactic education including journal clubs, case reviews, and weekly sub-specialty lectures. Residents also develop teaching skills by working directly with optometric externs. Opportunities for research are available to all residents. Additionally, we require each resident to prepare a case report of publishable quality with submission to present at a major optometric meeting. Residents will also participate in our weekly Grand Rounds, presenting a case of their own in the fourth quarter of the residency.

Training & Education: Our program combines clinical and didactic training for a balanced educational experience. In addition to optometry specific journal clubs and case reviews, some of which residents will lead for our optometric externs, residents are encouraged to attend ophthalmology didactic lectures and imaging conferences which are scheduled Monday-Thursday mornings from 7:00 - 8:00 from August to June. Mandatory department Grand Rounds are held Friday mornings 7:00 - 8:00.

Length: The length of the Optometry Residency at the UPMC Eye Center is 12 months beginning July 1 and ending June 30.

Clinical Assignments: Residents are expected to be in the clinic 40 hours a week. Clinical assignments are Monday-Friday approximately 8 am-5 pm. There are no mandatory on-call duties. 

Stipends: Each resident is paid an annual salary of $45,000 not contingent on productivity. Benefits include a health benefits package, 15 paid vacation days, and $3,000 towards continuing education, licensure, and memberships.

Professional Liability: Professional Liability (occurrence coverage) is provided by UPMC through Tri-Century Insurance Company in the amount of Per Incident $1,000,000 an aggregate of $3,000,000.

Additional Information