Program Overview

Dr. Gina Sorbara Cornea and Contact Lens Residency

General Description of the Residency

The Dr. Gina Sorbara Cornea and Contact Lens (GSCCL) residency is designed to extend and refine knowledge and skills in the areas of cornea and specialty contact lenses. The focus of this one-year program is on clinical training, with an emphasis on scholarly activity and participation in organized seminars. The residency curriculum is an educational program focused on patient care, primarily in the Cornea and Contact Lens Clinic.

Dates of Residency

• August 1, 2026 – August 31, 2027
• Salary: $42,000 per year, plus an additional $2,000 for travel to optometric meetings

Supervisors

• Primary Supervisor: Dr. Chelsea Bray
• Other supervisors: Dr. Nadine Furtado (Primary Care and Acute Care)

Location

• The residency will take place in the School of Optometry and Vision Science
• A portion of the Primary Care component may be scheduled at the Health Science Campus (HSOC), Kitchener

Hours

• The clinical components of the residency are scheduled during the School's operating hours
• The schedule may be slightly heavier in one term than another, but in aggregate will be 5 days per week
• One half-day per week is provided for self-study, administration tasks, and the didactic components of the residency curriculum
• Saturday clinics may be scheduled in lieu of clinic time during a weekday
• On-call duties may be required, both inside and outside normal clinic hours

Anticipated Weekly Curriculum

Residency Goals and Objectives

Goal 1: Advanced Optometric and Contact Lens Care

• Objective 1: Accurately and efficiently examine contact lens patients, implement optometric management, and make referrals when necessary
• Outcome measures:
  • Approximately 550 encounters with patients wearing contact lenses
  • Discussion of each patient encounter with the supervisor until adequate competency is displayed
  • Weekly meetings with the supervisor to discuss cases
  • Facilities and equipment provided for specialized contact lens care
  • Submission of ePortfolio/Reflections based on patient or teaching situations
  • Maintenance of an accurate log of patient encounters
  • Participation in a week-long exchange at the University of Montreal's School of Optometry (if available)

Goal 2: Optometric Primary Care

• Objective 1: Conduct complete primary care examinations with appropriate treatment and management
• Outcome measures:
  • Approximately 100 encounters with patients in the Waterloo Primary Care or Acute Care clinics or at the HSOC clinic
  • Availability of licensed faculty for consultation
  • Bi-weekly meetings with an experienced optometrist to discuss cases
  • Facilities and equipment provided for full primary care assessments and therapy
  • Submission of ePortfolio/Reflections based on patient or teaching situations
  • Maintenance of an accurate log of patient encounters

Goal 3: Knowledge of Cornea and Contact Lenses

• Objective 1: Participate in didactic activities and self-study
• Outcome measures:
  • Attendance at three clinical optometric conferences during the year (American Academy of Optometry, Global Specialty Lens Symposium, and the British Contact Lens Conference)
  • Access to the Witer Learning Resource Centre resources
  • Attendance at seminars at the School whenever possible
  • Participation in rounds sessions with other residents and faculty

Goal 4: Critical Review of Literature

• Objective 1: Participate in a lecture/reading course provided by the supervisor and other faculty
• Outcome measures:
  • Reading of specified articles/chapters/online material and participation in discussions
  • Writing of a review paper or case report based on a specified topic
  • Participation in the Evidence-Based Medicine/Journal club

Goal 5: Effective Communication and Education

• Objective 1: Participate in speaking and writing opportunities under guidance
• Outcome measures:
  • Presentation of at least one seminar/lecture during the residency
  • Preparation of a paper of publishable quality
  • Submission of a poster or paper of a case report for presentation at AAO, GSLS, or BCLA
  • Participation in workshops on writing skills, oral communication skills, and case study development

Supervision

• Contact Lenses: Weekly meetings with the GSCCL supervisor/mentor to review cases
• Primary care/Acute care: File review meetings with a designated Faculty member at least once per month
• After Hours On-Call: Availability of a faculty or staff optometrist for direct patient consultation or by phone
• Saturday Clinic: Availability of a faculty or staff optometrist for direct patient consultation or by phone

Clinical Experience

• The residency curriculum is an educational program focused on patient care and clinical research
• The School's Corneal and Contact Lens (GSCCL) Clinic has a varied patient population
• Duties and responsibilities include independent patient care, teaching, and supervision of undergraduate students

Scholarly/Didactic Activities

• Participation in a directed reading journal club (Evidence-based Medicine/Journal club)
• Writing and submission of an article in a form suitable for publication in a peer-reviewed clinical or academic journal
• Attendance at seminars and lectures at the School whenever possible
• Devotion of time to professional self-development through the use of library and research facilities

Educator/Knowledge Sharing Component

• Presentation of oral presentations: 2 short rounds, one Grand Rounds, and one open-style oral presentation
• Submission of a poster or paper of a case report for presentation at AAO, GSLS, or BCLA
• Preparation of a paper suitable for publication in an academic or clinical journal
• Participation in workshops on writing skills, oral communication skills, and case study development

Additional Activities

• Photo documentation of clinical findings
• Familiarization with specialized techniques such as pachymetry, aesthesiometry, corneal topography/tomography, and other research procedures
• Participation in clinical studies being conducted by faculty (voluntary)

Assessment and Evaluation

• Feedback from supervisors on Grand Rounds and open-style presentations
• Review of case report/review/research paper for content and writing style
• Feedback on clinical performance at weekly (CL) or monthly (PC) meetings with supervisors
• Interim and final written evaluations on overall progress and performance
• Teaching evaluations from undergraduate students in the clinic
• Evaluation of ePortfolio/Reflections