Clinical Post Doctoral Fellow - Community Based Fellowship - College of Optometry

Department: Professional Program

Salary: $50,000.00

The Clinical Post Doctoral Fellow is a post-doctoral trainee who possesses, understands, and applies advanced clinical knowledge within a defined area of specialization. The position is clinically focused and designed to provide advanced training through direct patient care, clinical and surgical procedures (as applicable), clinical and laboratory instruction, and clinically oriented research and scholarly activity. The role prepares fellows for independent clinical practice, academic clinical appointments, or advanced clinical leadership roles.

1. Provides direct patient care in assigned clinical settings under appropriate supervision, with progressive autonomy consistent with training level and demonstrated competency.
2. Performs advanced diagnostic, therapeutic, and management procedures, including surgical and perioperative care when applicable and within licensure and credentialing requirements.
3. Serves as an attending clinician or preceptor in clinical and laboratory instructional settings; supervises, instructs, and evaluates students, residents, or other trainees.
4. Participates in clinical teaching activities, including case-based instruction, clinical conferences, workshops, seminars, journal clubs, and grand rounds.
5. Engages in clinically focused research and scholarly activity, including clinical trials, outcomes research, quality improvement initiatives, and preparation of presentations or manuscripts related to patient care.
6. Collaborates with faculty mentors and program leadership to meet defined clinical competency milestones and educational objectives of the fellowship program.
7. Maintains accurate and timely clinical documentation in compliance with institutional policies, regulatory requirements, and accreditation standards.
8. Participates in programmatic, community-based, or outreach clinical activities as required by the fellowship.
9. Exercises professional judgment and ethical decision-making appropriate to a post-doctoral clinical training role; seeks consultation for complex clinical situations.
10. Performs other job-related duties as assigned.

This is a one-year clinical post-doctoral training program in the College of Optometry.

Candidate must have a Doctor of Optometry (OD) degree and must be able to practice in Texas.

The one-year post-doctoral fellowship is designed to provide the candidate with extensive experience in a community-based setting and additional specialty rotations that will enhance the candidate's clinical experience. The fellowship provides educational opportunities necessary to build a strong foundation in community patient care and diagnosis and treatment for a broad range of ocular pathology. This position also allows the candidate to develop effective teaching styles through participation in clinical and laboratory instruction to student optometric clinicians and non-optometric professionals. Furthermore, the fellow will gain the knowledge and skills necessary to develop vision projects focused on improving access to care through community outreach programs.

The strong clinical teaching emphasis embedded in the program includes teaching as an attending/preceptor in a clinical setting, providing direct patient care, assisting with external community outreach projects (with a focus on the See to Succeed vision initiative), and conducting workshops/clinical seminars to a variety of audiences. In addition to the clinical responsibilities, the fellow will be expected to participate in the UHCO 4th year Grand Rounds grading panel and attend professional society meetings. Fellows will also participate in the teaching program for the residents-in-training. As a clinically oriented fellowship, it is designed to equip the fellow to enter either academic, community-based/public health, or private practice settings after fellowship training by providing substantial hands-on experience. The Fellowship coordinator, Dr. Janet Garza, will directly mentor the clinical experience and activities.

Applicants should submit the following:

• Letter of Intent detailing interests and goals
• Curriculum vitae
• Academic Optometry transcripts
• National Board Exam results (as available)
• Two professional letters of recommendation

MQ: Education: Requires singular knowledge of a specialized advanced professional discipline or the highest level of general business knowledge, normally acquired through attainment of a directly job-related terminal degree or equivalent formal training in a recognized field of specialization that is directly related to the type of work being performed. No experience is required.