Jesse Brown VA Medical Center Hines VA Hospital Residency in Ocular Disease & Low Vision Rehabilitation

Ocular Disease  Direct management 100%  Large patient population with high prevalence of acute and chronic disease – Resident will manage many cases of a given disease

Ocular Disease  Attendings with experience – most have 10 or more years working in VA setting managing eye disease – Chief has 32 years experience with 30 in the VA – See Web page ‘The Players’

Ocular Disease  Attendings see patients with residents – pass ongoing experience to residents – assure quality of patient care – always available for consultation

Ocular Disease  Ophthalmology – Shared rounds at VA both OD & MD residents present cases – ODs attend grand rounds at UIC present cases – Frequent clinical interaction

Ocular Disease  Medical specialties – Frequent interaction – Resident does most if not all of the medical work up – Diagnosis confirmed by specialty – Consult for other specialties (clinic, ward)

Ocular Disease  Environment (see ‘The Experience’) – fully equipped – 10 lanes – digital photography, angiography & OCT – fundus topography – ultrasonography (a & b scans / pachymetry) – Perimetry (all types)

Ocular Disease  Environment – minor OR – conference facilities – electrodiagnostics – lasers

Low Vision Rehabilitation  Experience in continuum of care – Hines Blind Rehabilitation Center 4 months 3 days per week rotation severely disabled (legally blind) comprehensive rehabilitation – Chief has >25 years experience in Low Vision Rehabilitation and research.

Low Vision Rehabilitation  Hines BRC – Multidisciplinary ADL Communication Orientation & mobility Leisure skills Psychology Low Vision – Gold standard for rehabilitation

Low Vision Rehabilitation  Experience in continuum of care – VICTORS Partially sighted comprehensive low vision rehabilitation – Low Vision Rehabilitation (Outpatient) Partially sighted & Legally Blind comprehensive low vision rehabilitation

Low Vision Rehabilitation  Experience in continuum of care – Pediatric low vision 3 day trip to school for multiple disabled children Attend with pediatric ophthalmology fellow & ICO faculty

Clinical Hours  Mon, Tues, Thurs, Fri 7:30 AM-~ 6 PM  Wed = conference/lecture – ~ 7:30AM – 6PM  No weekends – Unless patient needs to be seen (corneal ulcer, etc.)  Off on 11 Federal holidays  Sick days & vacation days  Academy meeting

Overall  Extensive exposure to ocular & systemic diseases – Routine & obscure  Complete physical diagnosis & lab testing  Comprehensive Low Vision  Tough program, hard work, but well worth it!!! – Results in confidence approaching any condition that you will encounter

General information  Malpractice for practice in VA is covered under federal tort. – External practice (moonlighting) is discouraged – Malpractice is covered by resident or non- VA facility.  VA offers vacation and health insurance benefits with current Chicago stipend $32k.

Certificate Requirements  Successful completion of full 12 months of clinical experience.  PowerPoint presentation of case at ICO Grand Rounds by 11 months  Complete 1 st journal review by 6 months with JB Attendings  Completing manuscript or presentation of publishable quality by 12 months of program.