Career Opportunities in Academia for Optometrists
Explore the growing demand for optometry faculty in academia, focusing on the need for teaching and research expertise. Discover academic entry points, such as MS and PhD programs, residencies, and innovative K12 Mentored Clinical Scientist Development Programs to enhance your career in optometry academia.
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Career Opportunities for ODs in Academia Teaching & Research Needs
Need More Optometry Faculty 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 Mentored Clinical Scientist Development Program (NEI website lists six programs) UC Berkeley Optometry Wilmer Univ. of Penn Duke Harvard-Mass Eye & Ear Univ. of Illinois
K12 http://www.nei.nih.gov/funding/neifm.asp Three to five years of training Purpose: support career development of clinical scientists Translate basic science advances to clinic 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 MCPHS: OD/MPH NECO: MS, PhD with Boston Univ. Nova Southeastern: MS Ohio State University: MS, PhD Pacific University: MS, MEd PCO at Salus: MS, PhD SCCO: MS SUNY: MS, PhD UAB: MS, PhD UCB: MS, PhD University of Houston: 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 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 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
