Sheldon Wechsler and George W. Mertz Contact Lens Residency Award

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.

Purpose

The Sheldon Wechsler and George W. Mertz Contact Lens Residency programs, which are funded by Johnson & Johnson Vision, are intended to promote the practice and development of the field of contact lenses by providing incentive and support to sustain talented optometric residents who demonstrate a passion and commitment to practice, research, and education.

Each recipient will receive $2,000. Travel grants are temporarily postponed until further notice. 

The submission window opens April 1, 2021 and closes June 1, 2021.

Two George W. Mertz and one Sheldon Wechsler award will be granted to optometrists, currently serving in a 2020 - 21 academic year calendar advanced practice contact lens residency program through a North-American school or college of optometry may apply. Anyone who has yet to begin a residency for the 2020 - 21 academic year calendar is ineligible.

Applications must be submitted via our online submission system and must include the following:

1. The applicant must be a member of the American Academy of Optometry (AAO); whether as a student, candidate, or Fellow at the time of acceptance of any award.  To learn more, visit the AAO website: Student Membership for student membership information and Candidate for Fellowship for how to become a Fellow.
2. A brief description of the residency program. 
3. CV with applicant's education, clinical, research, teaching experience, honors, in the form of a PDF.
   
4. A one-page statement of career goals and list the date/status of when AAO membership was obtained.
5. Three letters of recommendation from persons qualified to comment on educational qualifications, research abilities, and potential.  One of which must be the Residency Director or Program Coordinator of the institution. The recommender will receive an email once the applicant has submitted their application with directions on how to upload their letter.  

**If you are applying for more than one contact lens award (Corwin, Wechsler, Mertz) then only ONE letter of recommendation from each recommender is needed**

Review Procedures

Proposals will be reviewed by a peer review committee established by the American Academy of Optometry Foundation with the assistance of the American Academy of Optometry Section on Cornea, Contact Lenses and Refractive Technologies chair. 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 Notes

It is the standard policy of the AAOF that an award recipient who receives, a travel stipend to attend an event, cannot also receive a second travel stipend from the Foundation or its affiliate, the AAO.

Prior to the awards submission window opening the guidelines for any given award are subject to change by the AAOF and/or the award sponsor. Applicants are reminded to please review all information before submitting their application to ensure all award criteria is met.

All award recipients by application and acceptance of an award agree to allow the AAOF and/or the sponsor of the program to which they applied to publish their  name, image, institution information, and any statement or quote provided by the recipient. These will appear in a variety of  media formats that will announce and promote the program including, but not limited to, the AAOF and/or sponsor annual report, website, annual meeting promotional materials.

For further information contact:

Jennifer Rubin
Awards and Student Membership Engagement Manager
622 E. Washington Street #300
Orlando, FL 32801
Phone: 321-319-4872
AAOAwards@aaoptom.org

2019 George W. Mertz Contact Lens Residency Award

Andrew Fischer, OD
Indiana University School of Optometry

Alexandria Lui. OD
Indiana University School of Optometry

2019 Sheldon Wechsler Contact Lens Residency Award

Laurel Roberts, OD
Illinois College of Optometry

2018 George W. Mertz Contact Lens Residency Award