1. Career Opportunities for ODs in Academia
Teaching & Research Needs

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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.

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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

11. 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