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6110 Executive Boulevard, Suite 506 • Rockville, MD 20852, USA • Tel (301) 984-4734 • Fax (301) 984-4737 • 
Sheldon Wechsler and George Mertz Contact Lens Residency Awards
2010 Residency awardees Sara N. Gaib, Shannon Zollinger, Anna M. Sleeper, and Natalie Corey flanked by Sheila Hickson-Curran, Director, Medical Affairs, and Colleen Riley, Vice President, Professional Development, Vistakon
Purpose
Residency training is becoming an increasingly important aspect of optometric training. A post-OD residency program significantly advances a graduate's preparation as an eye-care provider and provides additional experiences in instruction and scholarship. Many schools and colleges of optometry now require residency training as a basic prerequisite for new clinical faculty.
The Sheldon Wechsler and George Mertz Contact Lens Residency Awards are intended to promote the practice and development of the field of contact lenses by providing incentive and support to talented optometric residents who demonstrate a passion and commitment to practice, research, and education.
Eligibility
Any optometrist currently (2009-2010) in a contact lens residency at an accredited school or college of optometry may apply. Anyone who has yet to begin a residency or who has already completed their residency is ineligible.
Application Procedure
THE 2010 APPLICATION WINDOW OPENS SOON!
Deadline for applications is December 4, 2010. Applications and letters of recommendation must be submitted electronically (preferably as a PDF file) to . Please include “Residency Award” and the applicant’s last name in the subject line. Applications require the following:
- The applicant’s education, clinical, research, and teaching experience and involvement in professional groups typically in the form of a CV.
- A brief description of the residency program and the names and email addresses of the three people who are submitting letters of recommendation.
- A one-page statement of career goals, how you anticipate advancing/contributing to the field of contact lenses, and how you will participate in the Academy.
- Three letters of recommendation from persons qualified to comment on educational qualifications, research abilities, and potential. These should be emailed separately by the recommender.
Review Procedures
Proposals will be reviewed by a peer review committee established by the American Optometric Foundation board. The applicants will be evaluated primarily on the basis of their educational background and their ability and potential as teachers, researchers, and practitioners in the field of contact lenses.
Award Level and Payment
The Sheldon Wechsler and George Mertz Contact Lens Residency Awards are $4,000 each, part of which is in the form of a travel fellowship to attend the 2011 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Optometry in Boston. Four awards will be granted.
For additional information contact Tracy Kitts, Foundation Coordinator, at: (301) 984-4734 or
an affiliate of the American Academy of Optometry
www.ezell.org
