Optometry Residency Program

Education is one of the three key missions at the University of Virginia Health System.  The strong clinical foundation of the Department of Ophthalmology and the extensive clinical referral population for central and western Virginia and parts of West Virginia, North Carolina and eastern Tennessee are the are the principle strengths of the department’s residency training programs.

The UVA Optometry Residency program is affiliated with the Indiana University School of Optometry and is accredited by the Accreditation Council on Optometric Education (ACOE). The program will advance the resident’s knowledge in systemic-based eye care.

The resident will primarily work under the Residency Program Coordinator. Daily, the resident will have an opportunity to see patients with a variety of systemic conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, lupus, Sjogren’s, HIV, and MS. The resident will be challenged to diagnose patients presenting with ocular disease and will be responsible for making appropriate clinical decisions and referrals. Communication with other specialties within the Department and the Health System is expected. A strong focus is placed on contact lens care. The resident is exposed to patients with simple refractive error, presbyopia, malignant myopia, and anisometropia.  The resident also works in our Specialty Contact Lens Clinic and treats keratoconus, pellicud marginal degeneration, post refractive ectasia, and corneal grafts.

The resident is expected to attend Grand Rounds, department lectures, and other educational events. The resident also has the opportunity to observe surgery in the surgical divisions of the department. The resident is responsible for one scholarly activity each quarter. Together with the Residency Program Coordinator, the resident provides guidance and leadership to an optometry intern.

The Optometry Residency has the following benefits:

• Health Coverage
• Professional Liability Insurance
• Paid Vacation
• Continuing Education Travel Reimbursement

We follow the same schedule of dates listed by the Optometry Residency Match (ORMatch).

The University of Virginia Physicians Group is committed to the principles of affirmative action and equal employment opportunity.  To promote these principles, we will provide equal employment opportunity in all aspects of employment without discrimination because of race, color, religion, national origin, gender, age, disability, veteran status or any other legally protected status.  Applicants with a multicultural experience and/or diverse background are strongly encouraged to apply.

The UVA Department of Ophthalmology selection of the Optometry Resident will be based on the applicant’s ability to meet the documented criteria.

Any training program is colored, in part, by the milieu of the surrounding academic center. The Health System at the University of Virginia lies adjacent to the central grounds of Thomas Jefferson’s original academical village. Charlottesville and Albemarle County attract cultural and cosmopolitan functions out of proportion to the small community University of Virginia.

Charlottesville offers an impressive variety of cultural, social, and recreational opportunities. There are over 25 neighborhood and jointly funded parks and an extensive series of walking trails that run through parkland, residential areas, and along the beautiful Rivanna River.

There is also a thriving art, music and theater community that keeps the creative spirit alive in Charlottesville. The Charlottesville Ting Pavilion amphitheater draws big named acts into the downtown area and hosts a weekly Friday After Five concert in the spring through the fall, a local favorite to kick off the weekend. The downtown pedestrian mall is one of the most successful of its kind in the country and has a wide variety of shops and restaurants. A magnet for art, music, dining, shopping and entertainment, the mall is home to the Paramount Theater, one of few community-supported restorations of historic theaters in the country. The John Paul Jones Arena (JPJ) opened in 2006 and hosted events such as The Dave Matthews Band, Rod Stewart, Billy Joel and Cirque du Soleil.

Other popular activities in the area include world-class tennis, golf, hiking, ballooning, horseback riding and racing, tubing, fishing, biking, camping, and the occasional hunting for antiques. The area also boasts a thriving wine touring and tasting business. The area boasts many thriving wineries, cideries, and breweries, making the state’s largest collection with several places winning national recognition.

The nation’s capital is only 120 miles away and there are excellent regular air connections to Washington, D.C., Charlotte, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Cincinnati, and Detroit. The Skyline Drive and Blue Ridge Parkway, 20 miles from Charlottesville, along with the nearby Appalachian Trail provide some of the best hiking in the United States. Snow skiing is within an hour’s drive, with night skiing available. Across the Blue Ridge Mountains, the vistas of the Shenandoah Valley and the rivers and mountains of West Virginia provide some of the best whitewater canoeing and rafting in the world. Medical students, Housestaff, and Faculty have a share in the stimulating and picturesque ambiance of University life within Piedmont Virginia.

UVA Department of Ophthalmology
Optometry Residency Program Coordinator
Evan J. Kaufman, OD, FAAO
Assistant Professor
Director of Optometry & Contact Lens Services

UVA Department of Ophthalmology
Optometry Residency Program Administrator
Jenny Hamlin, MHA
Department Associate Administrator
(434) 924-1941
UVAOptometry@virginia.edu

Indiana University School of Optometry
Director of Optometry Residencies
Anna K. Bedwell, OD, FAAO, FORS
Clinical Associate Professor
(812) 855-1964
abedwell@indiana.edu
https://optometry.iu.edu/academics/residencies.html

Here are some helpful links:

Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry

Indiana University School of Optometry 

The Optometry Residency Match (ORMatch)