APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

Note that all residency applicants will be evaluated without regard to sex, sexual orientation, race, color, creed, age, national origin, or non-disqualifying physical disabilities.

  • Applicant must have earned an OD degree, or will have earned such a degree by the time of graduation, from an accredited school or college of optometry.
  • Applicant must have taken and passed the TMOD and Basic and Clinical Sciences portions of the National Board of Examiners in Optometry, and furnish official copies of the results of this examination.
  • Applicant must apply through the Optometry Resident Match (ORMatch) and follow the application guidelines. The application is due by the published date in February. Empire Eye and Laser Center’s ORMatch number is 39124.
  • A personal interview is required. The applicant should contact the Residency Program Coordinator (Dr. Vin T. Dang) to schedule an appointment for the interview.
  • Applicants should send application matching materials to Optometry Resident Match (ORMatch).
  • Three letters of reference are required from full-time faculty members who have been most responsible for the clinical education of the applicant.
  • Applications will be evaluated by the  Empire Eye and Laser Center Committee, which then recommends for appointment of the most qualified applicant to the Dean of Academic Affairs, SCCO. The chosen applicant is then offered a written contract from SCCO for the residency position.
  • If accepted, the applicant must provide official NBEO and official transcripts of their optometric education and submit them to the Director of External Programs at SCCO.

Required paperwork for residency applicants to be sent to the Residency Coordinator at Empire Eye and Laser Center:

  • Curriculum Vitae (CV).
  • Letter of intent.
  • Three (3) letters of recommendation preferably from instructors who are familiar with your clinical work.
  • Official optometry school transcripts up to the time of your application.
  • Official NBEO transcripts.

SELECTION PROCEDURE

Potential applicants are required to submit their applications to the optometry program via the Optometry Resident Match (ORMatch) and should contact the Program Coordinator via email or telephone expressing interest in the program and intent to apply. Candidates are highly encouraged to visit the clinic site in person to tour the facility and speak to the Program Coordinator, attending faculty and the current resident.

Candidates with a complete application file (ORMatch application, transcripts, NBEO and TMOD scores, and letters of recommendation) are to contact the Program Coordinator as specified on the ORMatch website. Individual interviews are conducted in person or by telephone conference call. The interview committee consists of:

Program Coordinator, Vin T. Dang, O.D., F.A.A.O.
Clinical Manager, Saralee Esau, COA
HR Administrator, Amanda Steitz

In the individual interview, candidates are initially asked questions that include but are not limited to, what motivates them to pursue residency training, why they are interested in our specific program, what their career aspirations are, and how they will enhance our program. Following the interviews, the Program Coordinator tabulates an overall score based on grade point average, NBEO I and II scores, TMOD scores, and interview scores. Candidates are ranked in each category, and then the rank is multiplied by a weighting factor for each category. The GPA is weighted as 1.0, NBEO part I is weighted as 1.0, NBEO part II is weighted as 1.0, TMOD is weighted at 1.0, and interview score is weighted the highest at 5.0. From this, an overall ranking is devised based on the sum of their weighted ranks in each category. From this overall ranking, a candidate may move up or down by up to 2 positions to account for other factors such as letters of recommendation, communication skills, clinical or work experience, and letter of intent.

The ranking of all candidates is submitted to ORMatch for matching.

PREREQUISITES

  • Earned an OD degree, or will have earned such a degree by the time of graduation, from an ACOE accredited school or college of optometry.
  • Applicant must have taken and passed the TMOD and Basic and Clinical Sciences portions of the National Board of Examiners in Optometry, and furnish official copies of the results of this examination.
  • Applicant must apply through the Optometry Resident Match (ORMatch) and follow the application guidelines. The application is due by the published date in February.
  • A personal interview is required. The applicant should contact the residency program coordinator (Dr. Vin T. Dang) to schedule an appointment for the interview.
  • Applicants should send application matching materials to Optometry Resident Match (ORMatch).
  • Three letters of reference are required from full-time faculty members who have been most responsible for the clinical education of the applicant.
  • Applications will be evaluated by the Empire Eye and Laser Center Committee, which then recommends for appointment of the most qualified applicant to the Dean of Academic Affairs, SCCO. The chosen applicant is then offered a written contract from SCCO for the residency position.
  • If accepted, the applicant must provide official NBEO and official transcripts of their optometric education and submit them to the Director of External Programs at SCCO.

REQUIREMENTS FOR RESIDENCY COMPLETION & AWARDING OF CERTIFICATE

  • Patient care and curriculum criteria must be met.
  • Reporting requirements, to include, but not necessarily limited to, Patient Encounter and Diagnosis Log, Faculty Evaluation, Resident Referral Log, Resident Activity Log, Resident Reading Log, and Final Evaluation of Residency Program must be met.
  • All multi-media and/or materials on loan to the resident must be returned.