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Residency Profile: Kaiser Foundation Hospital / The Permanente Medical Group

Residency in Primary Eye Care Optometry
Kaiser Foundation Hospital, Santa Rosa, CA

KaiserFoundationHospital

Established:  2016
Position:  One

Kaiser Permanente, Santa Rosa, California
Department of Optometry, MOB 4
3925 Old Redwood Hwy
Santa Rosa, CA  95403

Residency Coordinator:  Paul H. Peng, OD, JD

Program Attendings:

Paul H. Peng, OD, JD

James Orosz, OD

John Corpus, OD

Gary Yip, MD

Mission Statement
The mission of The Kaiser Permanente, Santa Rosa Primary Care Optometry Residency Program is to provide residents with clinical experience, knowledge of diagnosis, as well as treatment and management through direct patient care that will lead them to attainment of advanced and enhanced proficiency and clinical competency.  In addition to clinical training, the resident will be taught leadership and management skills through Kaiser Permanente’s exclusive leadership training program and will participate in LMP (organized Labor, Management Partnership) training with a focus on interest based problem solving and consensus decision-making skills; thus preparing the resident for a future leadership role in any clinical network setting from HMO, VA to private sector.

Program Description

Program Application Deadline: January 1st

Program Goals

  1. Enhance the resident’s clinical experience in primary and secondary optometric care.
  2. To expand the resident’s skills, experience, and knowledge base in ocular disease detection, diagnosis, management; secondary and tertiary eye care; and, ocular manifestations of systemic disorders and medications.
  3. The resident will participate as a member of a multidisciplinary health care team; gain exposure to and develop interactive skills with non-ophthalmic health care disciplines; recognize the importance of a multidisciplinary, coordinated approach to health care delivery; and, develop an appreciation of the patient as an individual faced with multiple life and health care challenges.
  4. To develop the resident’s ability to present ophthalmic information to health care professionals, both ophthalmic and non-ophthalmic, as well as the lay public.
  5. To develop the resident’s appreciation for scholarly activities and lifelong learning.
  6. To develop the resident’s ability to work effectively in a leadership role.

Program Objectives

  1. The resident will experience approximately 1,200 direct patient care encounters consisting of primary and secondary eye care. These encounters will consist of regularly scheduled patients and non-scheduled urgent care patients.
  2. The resident will develop and demonstrate the ability to form appropriate ocular differential diagnoses, including differentials for ocular disease and systemic disorders with ophthalmic manifestations.
  3. The resident will demonstrate previously learned and licensed advanced techniques and ophthalmic skills. Advanced techniques may include bandaging, cranial nerve testing, epilation, exophthalmometry, foreign body removal, fundus contact lens examination, gonioscopy, imaging orders, laboratory testing orders, OCT interpretation, pachymetry, punctal dilation and irrigation, punctal plug insertion, retinal photography, visual field interpretation, vitals (BP/P/R). 
  4. The resident will acquire “hands-on” experience in the diagnosis, co-management and/or management of ophthalmic disease, including ophthalmic manifestations of systemic disease and medications, infectious processes, ocular inflammatory disease, ocular trauma, post-surgical eye care, and glaucoma.
  5. The resident will interact with ophthalmological and non-ophthalmological healthcare providers on a non-urgent and urgent basis possibly via phone consults, virtual consults, and non-urgent consultations and referrals.
  6. The resident will develop interactive skills with ophthalmology specialists and subspecialists.
  7. The resident will be required to attend continuing medical education conferences and/or workshops on ocular disease and advanced clinical techniques.
  8. The resident will participate as a member of the health care team by adding diagnoses and other information useful to the multidisciplinary health care team into the HealthConnect electronic medical record system.
  9. The resident will interact with non-ophthalmic health care providers from a variety of disciplines, which may include family practice, internal medicine, pediatric, dermatology, neurology, rheumatology, radiology, social work, and speech/language/learning services.
  10. The resident will prepare and deliver lecture presentations and/or clinical information to audiences comprised of ophthalmic professionals (ex. Optometrists), ophthalmic & non-ophthalmic health care providers (ex. VSAs, MAs, non-Optometric residents and physicians), and the public (ex. cataract class for patients).
  11. The resident will prepare a manuscript of a case report of publishable quality.
  12. The resident will attend and actively participate in optometric rounds, optometric medical education, and case reviews in real or cyberspace – via distance learning.
  13. The resident is strongly encouraged to attend the annual meeting of the American Academy of Optometry, and/or other major regional optometry meetings.
  14. The resident will gain knowledge and understanding of leadership and management skills through Kaiser Permanente’s exclusive leadership training.
     

Typical Daily or Weekly Schedule in Clinic
Hours: 40 hours/week; may include 1 Saturday/month depending on operational needs

Monday: 8:30-5:00 - Full day patient care
Tuesday: 8:30-5:00 - Full day patient care
Wednesday: 8:30-12:30 – ADMIN/Leadership | 1:30-5:00 – Patient Care
Thursday: 8:30-5:00 - Full day patient care
Friday: 8:30-12:30 - Half day patient care | 1:30-5:00  – ADMIN/Urgent exams

Schedule may vary based on schedule demands.

Duration of Program

12 months: July 1 to June 30 (onboarding is required, typically beginning mid-June)

Rotation through Other Services

  • Ophthalmology
  • Non-ophthalmic health care providers from a variety of disciplines, which may include family practice, internal medicine, pediatric, dermatology, neurology, rheumatology, radiology, social work, and speech/language/learning services

Type and Number of Patients

  • Approximately 1,200 direct patient care in Primary Care
    • Geriatrics, Pediatrics, Contact Lens, Ocular Disease, Low Vision

Clinical Teaching Opportunities/Lecturing Activities

  • Lectures/training in ophthalmic disease and examination techniques to eye care staff, ophthalmic professionals, and non-ophthalmic health care providers
  • Teaching pre-cataract surgery course to patients
  • Case discussions and reviews with mentor each clinic day

Scholarly/Didactic Activities

  • Leadership and management workshops/meetings
  • Attend continuing optometric and medical education conferences/workshops/meetings on ocular disease and advanced clinical techniques
  • Attend and actively participate in optometric rounds and case reviews in real or cyberspace – via distance learning
  • Research
  • Eye Care Monitoring Program for telemedicine
  • Case report or research paper of publishable quality is required (resident is encouraged to submit a poster presentation and attend the annual meeting of the American Academy of Optometry).

Compensation and Benefits
The resident will be compensated as an employee of the Kaiser Permanente

Stipend: Total stipend of approximately $74,000, less any federal/state required payroll deductions, will be paid by Kaiser Permanente. Not contingent upon productivity.
Health Insurance: Kaiser Permanente
Holidays: New Year’s Day, Presidents’ Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day
Educational Travel: No additional funding as expense is included in stipend
Paid Time Off: Accrue 10 hours per month in 1 year length of service (15 days per year)
Liability Insurance: Kaiser Permanente

Application Process

Admissions Eligibility Criteria

  • Must be a U.S. citizen or have a valid Visa to work in the U.S.
  • Must have graduated from an optometry school, college, or university accredited by the ACOE..
  • Successful passage of NBEO I, II/TMOD, III by interview day.
  • Earned a terminal GPA 3.25 in optometry school.
  • All applicants will be evaluated without regard to gender, race, color, religion, age, marital status, sexual orientation, or national origin.
  1. All materials should be sent to Paul Peng, O.D., Chief of Optometry
  2. Register with the Optometry Residency Match (ORMatch) program
  3. Send a copy of your curriculum vitae and a 1-page letter of intent.
  4. Submit three letters of recommendation.
  5. Provide transcripts of all college-level course work, including undergraduate, graduate and optometry school
  6. Request NBEO Part I, II, III and TMOD Scores (forwarded from ORMatch)
  7. Personal interviews and site visits are highly recommended and will be accommodated

Selection Process

  1. The Program Coordinator and faculty member decide which candidates to rank for the match and determine the sequential ranking of those candidates based on the application materials, the on-site interview, letter of intent, and recommendation letters.  Candidates are ranked according to the following categories and weight:

    GPA 15%
    NBEO Scores 20%
    Letters of Recommendation 15%
    Letter of Intent 10%
    Interview 20% ( may include on site oral / written testing )
    Special qualities/characteristics 20% (Including personality, motivation, professionalism, communication skills, willingness to learn, attitude, ability to work as part of a team, etc.)
     
  2. Final candidates’ selections are reviewed by the Assistant Dean of Residencies and the approved list is submitted to ORMatch by the Residency Coordinator.
  3. ORMatch contacts the Residency Coordinator with the results of the match
  4. The Program Coordinator contacts the matched candidate within 1 week to confirm their intent to enroll in the residency program.

Requirements for Residency Completion and Awarding of Certificate

  • Be present for complete academic year for the entire term of duty except when on approved vacation, sick, or authorized absence day
  • The resident will be expected to perform in a professional manner in the delivery of patient care services and to observe those proprieties of conduct and courtesies that are consistent with the rules and regulations governing KP and SCCO at MBKU.
  • The resident is required to provide quality, compassionate, and ethical care to all KP patients and all the while deliver clinical services at a level that is satisfactory to the Residency Coordinator and the Assistant Dean of Residencies.
  • The resident is required to complete the requirements set forth in the curriculum and keep a detailed log of all required program aspects which will be reviewed at least quarterly by the Residency Coordinator and the SCCO at MBKU Assistant Dean of Residencies.  These documents include:
    • Quarterly encounter activity
    • Quarterly patient encounter log
    • Quarterly faculty evaluations
    • Quarterly program evaluations
    • Quarterly resident referral log
    • Quarterly resident activity log
    • Quarterly resident reading log
    • End of year evaluation of program
    • Certification of completion of residency requirements
    • Resident contact address after completion
  • The resident is required to attend and participate in local and regional multi-disciplinary meetings on a periodic basis including the Star Leadership Program.
  • The resident will be required to write a publishable quality paper based on original research, literature review, or a clinical case.
  • The resident is highly encouraged to participation and present at the Southern California College of Optometry at MBKU Annual Residency Forum.
  • The resident is highly encouraged to attend and participation at the Annual American Academy Meeting, California Optometric Association Symposium, or any pre-approved educationally rich meeting.
  • The resident is required to return any property that belongs to Kaiser Permanente at the end of the residency year.
  • Upon successful completion of the Residency Program, the Residency Coordinator and the Assistant Dean of Residencies will recommend the granting of certification to the Dean at the Southern California College of Optometry.
  • Any resident accepted for training can be dismissed, without receiving a certificate of completion, for infractions of the rules and regulations of Kaiser Foundation Health and/or Southern California College of Optometry at MBKU, or for any action that jeopardizes the safety of patients, personnel, or physical facilities.

Program Accreditation
The Accreditation Council on Optometric Education granted the program the status of “accredited” in 2017. The next scheduled site visit will take place in June 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

Local Activities & Attractions

  • Charles M. Schulz Museum & Research
  • Sonoma County History and Art Museum
  • Historic Railroad Square
  • Luther Burbank Center for the Arts
  • Armstrong Redwoods State Reserve
  • Over 400 Wineries in the Sonoma Area

Points of Contact / Faculty
Paul H. Peng, OD, JD
Residency Coordinator
Kaiser Permanente, Santa Rosa
Department of Optometry, MOB 4
3925 Old Redwood Hwy
Santa Rosa,  CA  95403
707.566.5244 • Email: paul.h.peng@kp.org

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
714.473.7568 • Fax: 714.992.7811 • Email: jtong@ketchum.edu