UK Optometric Residency Program

Anna K. Bedwell, OD

The Residency Program in Ocular Disease at the University of Kentucky Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences (UK) provides qualified optometrists with advanced clinical education in the treatment and management of ocular disease in an acute care, hospital based setting that results in the attainment of advanced competencies in clinical eye care. Residents completing the program are uniquely qualified to deliver and coordinate eyecare in a hospital or multi-disciplinary setting.

The ocular disease residency at the University of Kentucky Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences is designed to provide the optometric resident with a wide range of clinical experience in the treatment and management of ocular disease. The department provides outpatient and consultative ophthalmology services to the Chandler Medical Center at the University of Kentucky Medical Center in Lexington, Kentucky. Sub-specialty care is provided in the areas of retina, neuro-ophthalmology, glaucoma, cornea, oculoplastics, and pediatrics. The resident provides coverage for the Urgent Care Clinic, which covers walk-in patients, urgent referrals from other services, and established patients with new onset of ocular complaints, among others. The resident provides advanced ocular disease care, including frequent consultation with the sub-specialties listed above. The resident also attends weekly fluorescein conferences, grand rounds presentations, and other didactic lectures presented by the ophthalmology faculty, optometry faculty, and other trainees.

In the spring of 2017, the department moved across South Limestone Street to a brand new 5-story medical office building. The department of ophthalmology is housed in the top two floors and includes 50 state of the art universal exam rooms and equipment; badge-restricted faculty offices with adjacent resident offices, a resident library and universal wetlab/surgical training/pathology room. The 32,528 square foot eye clinic contains 50 examination lanes, 27 procedure/diagnostic rooms, digital fluorescein system, Humphrey automated visual field instruments, pentacam corneal topography, Heidelburg OCT imaging system, B-scan ultrasonography, Optos wide field photography, and Electroretinography testing system. Our hospital uses Epic electronic health records with all testing integrated into Epic vis DICOM imaging systems. Epic allows the resident to communicate with several specialites throughout the hospital and have access to all medical records for patients.   

40 hours weekly, Monday-Friday 8am to 5pm

The resident will be responsible for the Urgent Care/on-call duties during business hours, but no after hours on-call responsibilities are required.

In order to successfully complete the residency, the resident must:

• complete 12 months of training at our site. 


• participate actively in a large number of patient encounters involving the diagnosis and management of ocular disease. 


• attend weekly Grand Rounds and Retina conferences. 


• submit at least 2 case abstracts to national meetings, present 2 other grand rounds style cases throughout the year, and submit one AAO format case report. 


• lead 1 journal club per quarter  


• maintain accurate patient and activity logs to record all clinical and didactic activity.

Application submitted via ORMatch including optometry school transcripts, three letters of recommendation, CV, NBEO scores, and a brief letter of intent concerning their goals for residency training.

Residency applicants apply through OR match.  All supporting documents (including optometry school transcripts, three letters of recommendation, CV, NBEO scores, and a brief letter of intent concerning their goals for residency training) are sent directly to the program coordinator via ORMatch. Completed applications are reviewed, and select applicants are invited for an on-site or zoom interview. Selection of candidates is made through OR match and is in accordance with its guidelines.