Ocular Disease/Primary Care Optometry Residency

Program Overview

BronxCare Health System, affiliated with SUNY College of Optometry, offers 3 positions for a one-year postgraduate residency in Ocular Disease/Primary Care Optometry. This program is designed to provide highly‐motivated postgraduate optometrists with a rich clinical learning experience through its diverse patient base in the underserved South and Central Bronx communities in both hospital and community‐based clinical settings. Residents will have the opportunity to provide full-scope primary eye care to patients of all ages, co‐manage patients with complex ocular diseases with ophthalmology sub‐specialists, utilize advanced ophthalmic equipment and technology, and observe ophthalmic surgical procedures. After completing the program, residents will have acquired an advanced didactic education as well as a high level of clinical competency in providing full scope optometric care. Graduates of this residency program will possess the skills necessary to thrive in the areas of patient care, optometric education, and leadership within hospital‐based, academic, and private practice clinical settings.

Residency Program Curriculum

Didactic Education

Attend departmental morning lectures given by attendings and/or guest lecturers
Attend SUNY College of Optometry’s Friday Program
Attend and participate in BronxCare Optometry didactic program with Optometry attendings
Attend American Academy of Optometry’s (AAO) annual meeting

Clinical Training

Gain concentrated clinical experience in examining and managing patients from infants to geriatric patients
Rotate through ophthalmology subspecialty clinics at BronxCare:
▪ Medical and Surgical Retina
▪ Neuro‐ophthalmology
▪ Glaucoma
▪ Cornea
▪ Oculoplastics
Learn and become highly proficient in advanced clinical skills
Learn how to interpret ancillary testing results
Participate in the On Call Service; Learn how to triage, diagnose, and manage ocular conditions presenting to the Emergency Department

Professional Activities

Present minor and major lecture presentations at SUNY College of Optometry’s Friday Program
Submit an abstract for presentation at a major optometry meeting (i.e., AOA, AAO, SECO)
Prepare a manuscript for publication in a peer-reviewed journal

Mission Statement

The mission of the Optometric Residency in Ocular Disease/Primary Care Optometry at BronxCare Health System is to provide the post-doctoral optometrist a rich clinical learning experience through its diverse patient base in the underserved South and Central Bronx communities in both multi-disciplinary and interdisciplinary health care settings. This program enables the resident to gain a high level of clinical competency in full-scope optometric care as well as acquire an advanced didactic education. Graduates of this residency program will possess the skills necessary to thrive in the areas of patient care, optometric education, and leadership within hospital-based and private clinical settings.

Faculty

Alanna Khattar-Sullivan, OD, FAAO, DiplABO
Program Supervisor
Ocular Disease/Primary Care Optometry

Tybee Eleff, OD, MS, FAAO, DiplABO
Ocular Disease/Primary Care Optometry

Asha Tadepalli, OD, FAAO, DiplABO
Ocular Disease/Primary Care Optometry

Brenda Hahn, OD, MS, DiplABO
Ocular Disease/Primary Care Optometry

Danielle Crane, OD, FAAO
Pediatric Optometry

Alexis Pelowski, OD, FAAO, DiplABO
Pediatric Optometry

For more information:

Alanna Khattar-Sullivan, OD, FAAO, DiplABO
Program Supervisor
BronxCare Ocular Disease/Primary Care Optometry Residency Program
1650 Selwyn Avenue, Suite 1C
Bronx, NY 10457
Phone: (718) 960‐2041
Fax: (718) 960‐2045
Email: AKhattar@bronxcare.org