Residency Programs
Northern Navajo Medical Center (NNMC)
Established: 1993
Positions: One
Northern Navajo Medical Center
P.O. Box 160
Shiprock, NM 87420
Program Faculty
Residency Coordinators: Shannon Lee, OD
Attendings:
- Leslie Meyer, OD
- Barbara Massey, OD, FAAO
- Ryan Peine, OD
- Anjali Paramanandam, OD
- Melissa Lester, OD
Mission Statement
The fundamental mission of this training program is to provide qualified postdoctoral optometric practitioners with outstanding educational experiences focused on primary care optometry with a focus on advanced ocular disease practice within a hospital setting. This program aims to foster an appreciation for the culture of the Navajo people and an atmosphere that encourages the resident to become a caring and compassionate provider for all patients with diverse backgrounds.
Program Description
Program Goals and Objectives
Goal 1: Strengthen the resident's primary eye care skills.
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Objective 1: Provide the resident with at least 1200 primary eye care encounters.
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Objective 2: Offer diverse, challenging, and complex clinical cases with patients of all ages (neonate to geriatric), sexes, and ocular conditions.
Goal 2: Expand the resident’s advanced skills in ocular disease diagnosis and management.
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Objective 1: Advanced skills will be practiced, performed and assessed in the clinical setting.
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Objective 2: Supervise and train the resident closely to develop appropriate diagnoses, treatment, and management of ocular disease cases. Discussion between Residency Coordinator/Faculty and resident is encouraged during patient care.
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Objective 3: The resident will see scheduled and urgent-care patients with anterior and posterior ocular disease.
Goal 3: Provide opportunities for didactic education to enhance the resident’s knowledge base.
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Objective 1: The resident will participate in weekly virtual grand rounds with other IHS residents and staff. The resident will present at least two grand round cases per year.
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Objective 2: Train the resident to critique and analyze clinical studies and scientific literature through quarterly journal clubs.
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Objective 3: The resident must read an average of two journal articles per week.
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Objective 4: The resident will attend general medical continuing education at the facility approximately quarterly.
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Objective 5: The resident will rotate with ophthalmologists, observing patient care and/or surgery.
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Objective 6: The resident must prepare and present monthly lectures or training for optometry staff and/or workshops on a variety of eye care-related topics for other hospital staff members.
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Objective 7: Present one lecture at the yearly IHS Eye Care Meeting.
Goal 4: Guide and develop the resident’s scholarly skills.
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Objective 1: The resident must prepare a manuscript of publishable quality.
Goal 5: Provide the resident a practical understanding and importance of their role as integral member of a multi-disciplinary Indian Health Service health care system in a hospital setting.
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Objective 1: Integrate the resident to the health care team model by serving as the primary source of eye care for all the medical staff at NNMC.
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Objective 2: The resident will initiate urgent and non-urgent referrals to health care providers and communicate appropriate ophthalmic findings that prompted the referral.
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Objective 3: The resident will utilize the clinical resources available in the multi-disciplinary hospital setting.
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Objective 4: Present at least one eyecare-related continuing education lecture to the general medical staff.
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Objective 5: The resident will rotate through other departments within the hospital.
Duration of Program
- 12 months, August 1 to July 31 (may be adjusted by a few days depending on government pay period)
Typical Daily or Weekly Schedule in Clinic
- Hours:
- Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. with 30 minutes for lunch for the first quarter
- Optional to switch to four day 10 hour work week, 7:00am-5:30pm with 30 minutes for lunch for second-fourth quarter
- Wednesday PM: OPEN for administrative/educational responsibilities
- Mon/Tues/Thurs/Friday: 30 minutes at the beginning and end of the clinic day are set aside as administrative time for clinic preparation, charting, and case reviews.
- Call Schedule
- There is no after-hours call schedule.
Rotation Through other Services
The resident will rotate through other departments within NNMC including rheumatology, radiology, neurology, oral-maxillo facial division, ENT and audiology, diabetes education center, public health nursing, etc.
Rotation through Ophthalmology Practices
Arrangements will be made for the resident to rotate through the ophthalmology practices to which we refer. Practices are located in Farmington, NM and Durango, CO and include all specialties.
Type and Number of Patients
Northern Navajo Medical Center is a multi-disciplinary hospital with inpatient and outpatient services and a robust emergency department with a level IV trauma unit. There are 60 in-patient beds, 4 ICU beds, and outpatient subspecialties including, but not limited to, internal/family medicine, pediatrics, dentistry, OB-GYN, rheumatology, neurology, radiology, general surgery, laboratory, mental health services, rehabilitation services, and public health division.
The Northern Navajo Medical Center Residency in Primary Care Optometry is a 1-year program designed to provide residents with the advanced skills and knowledge necessary to manage complex patients in a multidisciplinary hospital setting. The resident is expected to see at least 1200 primary eye care encounters throughout the year.
Lecturing Opportunities
As part of the requirement for the completion of the residency program, the resident must prepare and present at least one continuing education lecture for the medical staff of NNMC.
One case presentation to be given at the annual IHS Eye Care Meeting.
Scholarly Activities
The resident is required to write a publishable paper suitable for submission to a referred professional journal.
Journal Clubs
The resident is required to read an average of at least two ocular health care journal articles per week.
The resident will be an active participant in the quarterly Navajo Area optometry journal club.
Ground Rounds
The resident will participate in weekly virtual grand rounds with other IHS residents. The resident will present at least two cases throughout the year.
Requirements for Residency Completion and Awarding of Certificate
- The resident is required to complete all basic components of the clinical, didactic, and scholarly activities as outlined in the Northern Navajo Medical Center Residency Program Curriculum.
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The resident is required to keep a detailed log of all program activities, which will be reviewed by the SCCO Director of Residencies and the Residency Coordinator.
- Each resident is expected to deliver patient care services in a professional manner and to observe those proprieties of conduct and courtesy that are consistent with the rules and regulations governing MBKU and the IHS.
- Upon evidence of satisfactory performance in meeting all requirements of the program, each resident will be awarded a Certificate of Residency Completion by the MBKU.
Stipend
The annual stipend is $104,219 (effective 1/15/25) (GS11 step 1) for the 12-month program paid through the U.S. Federal Government/Civil Service employment.
Benefits
| Health | The resident is offered the opportunity to obtain health insurance and choice of plans through the federal government. |
| Holidays | All Federal holidays. |
| Educational Travel | The resident usually receives a travel stipend for approved continuing education conference (dependent on funding for fiscal year). |
| Vacation | As a civil service employee, the resident will accrue 4 hours of annual leave each two week pay period. |
| Liability | The resident is covered under the Federal Tort Claims Act. |
| Continuing Education | The resident is expected to attend the annual IHS Eye Care Conference. Additional NNMC, medical staff continuing education opportunities are available as well as Navajo Area Indian Health Service continuing educational opportunities. |
| Information Resources | N/A |
Prerequisites
- OD degree from school or college of optometry accredited by the Accreditation Council on Optometric Education (include transcript)
- Must be U.S. citizen
- Passage of NBEO (include official transcripts of NBEO scores)
- Optometric License must be obtained before civil service employment is obtained.
- Candidates must apply through the Optometric Residency Matching Services, Inc (ORMatch)
Applicants must provide:
- A letter of intent for applying to the program, including a statement of goals desired to be attained during the residency.
- An application must furnish complete transcripts of all optometric education.
- Three letters of reference. The following are suggestions of the appropriate individuals to compose the letters of reference:
- Clinical Director of the school or college of optometry from which the applicant has graduated or will graduate.
- Internal faculty members who have been responsible of the clinical education of the applicant.
- External faculty members who have been responsible for the clinical education of the applicant.
- An interview may be required and is strongly encouraged.
- CV
Selection Criteria
All completed applications will be evaluated by the program coordinator and other on-site faculty prior to ORMatch match day. Candidates are ranked according the following categories and weight:
- GPA 15%
- NBEO Scores 15%
- Letters of Recommendation 20%
- Letter of Intent 10%
- Interview 20%
- Special qualities/characteristics 20% (Including personality, motivation, professionalism, communication skills, willingness to learn, attitude, ability to work as part of a team, etc.)
Program Accreditation
The Accreditation Council on Optometric Education granted the program the status of “accredited” in 2016. The next scheduled site visit will take place in March 2025. The review by the residency program will be submitted in the annual report on or before September 1st. For more information on accreditation status, please visit the ACOE website (http://www.theacoe.org) or contact the ACOE via postal mail, email, or phone at:
Accreditation Council on Optometric Education
243 N. Lindbergh Blvd., Suite 301
St. Louis, MO 63141
Phone: 1-800-365-2219
E-mail address: accredit@theacoe.org
Housing
The resident is responsible to obtain his/her own housing in Farmington, NM (30 miles) or Cortez, CO (40 miles).
Local Activities & Attractions
Northern Navajo Medical Center, on the northeast portion of the Navajo Reservation, is location in the town of Shiprock, NM. The Four Corners region provides many world class outdoor recreational activities (hiking, biking, camping, skiing/snowboarding, fishing, paddling, etc.) as well as numerous cultural opportunities. The area is the gateway to the San Juan mountains to the north and the desert/canyon country to the west. The high desert climate of the region provides all four seasons.
The nearby city of Farmington, NM has a population of ~45,000 and is the largest city in the Four Corners region. Farmington is connected to Shiprock by 4 lane highway, offers most suburban services, and is a hub for shopping and restaurants in the area. Farmington is also the home to San Juan Community College. Cortez, CO is a scenic commute north of Shiprock. Cortez is a quiet town, historically a farming and agricultural community, with a population of ~8,500. Cortez has a recreation center, basic amenities, and a very small airport with services to Denver and Phoenix. A larger airport is located in Durango, CO approximately equal distance from Farmington and Cortez. The largest airport in the area is located in Albuquerque, NM.
Some of the attractions in the Four Corners include Mesa Verde National Park, Aztec Ruins, Chaco Canyon, Canyon of the Ancients, Monument Valley, Canyon de Chelly, Navajo Lake, and Four Corners Monument. Weekend trip possibilities include the Grand Canyon, Moab and southern Utah national parks, Page and Lake Powell, Albuquerque/Santa Fe/Taos, and the San Juan Mountain towns of Telluride/Silverton/Ouray. Nearby downhill skiing/snowboarding can be found at Telluride Ski Resort, Purgatory Resort, and Wolf Creek.
Former Residents Testimonials – Contact Information
Dr. Anjali Paramanandam – former resident – Anjali.paramanandam@ihs.gov
Dr. Roseanne Work – former resident – roseanneworkod@gmail.com
Dr. Kaitlyn Philipsen – former resident – kphilipsen21@gmail.com
Dr. Tel Todd- former resident- telmtodd@gmail.com
Dr. Kassy Swanson- former resident- kswanson@southcentralfoundation.com
Dr. Hanna Fylpaa- former resident- hrfylpaa@gmail.com
Dr. Melissa Lester- former resident- mmlester@gmail.com
Shannon Lee, OD
Residency Coordinator
Northern Navajo Medical Center
P.O. Box 160
Shiprock, NM 87420
505.368.7133 • Email: shannon.lee@ihs.gov
Judy W.H. Tong, OD
Assistant Dean of Residencies
Southern California College of Optometry at
Marshall B. Ketchum University
2575 Yorba Linda Blvd.
Fullerton, CA 92831-1699
714.449.7429 • Fax: 714.992.7811 • Email: jtong@ketchum.edu