Career Opportunities for ODs in Academia: Teaching & Research Needs
The demand for more optometry faculty with OD degrees is increasing due to the growing profession, expanding scope, and the need for greater expertise in teaching basic science. There is a call for more optometry faculty to address research needs, especially in traditional and biomedical topics. Emphasizing the importance of science in optometry enhances patient care and the legitimacy of the field. Various academic entry points are highlighted, including residency programs and new initiatives like the K12 Mentored Clinical Scientist Development Program.
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Career Opportunities for ODs in Academia Teaching & Research Needs
The Demand for More Optometry Faculty with the OD Degree is Increasing Teaching Needs Profession is growing More schools Expansion of Scope requires greater range of expertise Fewer instructors with ODs are teaching basic science in optometry schools
Need More Optometry Faculty Research Needs Current production of OD, PhDs or OD, MS is just a trickle There are many topics in Traditional Optometry that need research Biomedical topics, i.e. within the expanded scope, have only a handful of OD researchers
Why Bother with Science? Every instrument, every procedure, every treatment you use in clinic has a background in science Smart clinicians ask why? Leads to basic, translational & clinical studies that improve patient care Optometry s authenticity & legitimacy is enhanced because ODs do research Optometry must not simply be a consumer of knowledge, it must contribute as well.
Academic Entry Points Traditional: MS and PhD programs Residency: Many provide teaching responsibilities; often needed for faculty positions NEW: K12 Mentored Clinical Scientist Development Program Training in Clinical/Translational research--Is not necessarily a degree program
K12 NEI Institutional Mentored Physician Scientist Award Program (NEI website lists seven funded programs sites) UC Berkeley Optometry Wilmer Univ. of Penn Duke Harvard-Mass Eye & Ear Univ. of Illinois Univ. of Michigan
K12 https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-14-352.html Mentored training program designed to recruit, train, and mentor clinician-scientists Purpose: To introduce clinicians to research and support career development of scientists Maximum project period of 5 years Translate basic science advances to clinic If you are already a faculty member, Berkeley program offers your current faculty salary Possible to get release & return to current institution
Graduate Programs at Schools and Colleges of Optometry Indiana University: MS, PhD, OD/MS, MBA-Eye Care Business MCPHS: OD/MPH NECO: MS, OD/PhD with Boston University Nova Southeastern: MS The Ohio State University: MS, PhD Pacific University: MS, OD/MEd, PhD, OD/MHA, OD/MBA Salus University PCO: MPH, MSc, PhD SCCO at Marshall B. Ketchum University: MS SCO: OD/MBA in Healthcare Management with Christian Brothers University SUNY: MS, PhD UAB: MS, PhD, OD/MPH, OD/MBA UCB: PhD University of Houston: MS, PhD University of the Incarnate Word: MS, PhD http://www.opted.org/about-optometric-education/graduate-programs/
Major Sources of Financial Support Fee remissions, stipends, teaching & research assistantships, & training grants from the institutional graduate program NIH- Loan Repayment Program, up to $70,000 AOF Ezell Fellowships Individual NIH K23 (clinician scientist) or KO8 (research training) grants
Summary of $ Little or no tuition/fees = $0 out Receive a modest stipend for living expenses = some $ in Potential to increase salary through KO8 or K23 (e.g.$60-80K/year) grants = a lot of $ in Potential to have a substantial portion of Optometry school loans repaid = reduce debt You will be very competitive for teaching or research jobs
How to get started? If you like to ask why, enjoy the discovery process, or want to advance the state of patient care, then a post-OD degree may be for you Talk to the research director at your school To see if research is appealing, some optometry schools have NEI supported summer research programs that will pay you a stipend, including: IU, NECO, OSU, UCB, UH
