Residency Program

Vance Thompson Vision Optometric Residency in

Refractive & Ocular Surgery Care

This residency’s mission is to provide the post-doctoral optometrist advanced training and competency in ocular disease, as well as refractive and ocular surgery peri-operative care with an emphasis on direct patient care, research, and educational opportunities.

• Program Site: Vance Thompson Vision, Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and Fargo, North Dakota
• Sioux Falls Program Coordinator: Mitch Ibach, OD
• Fargo Program Coordinator: Brooke Messer, OD, FAAO, FSLS
• Sioux Falls Residency Director: Janice Jurkus, OD, MBA
• Fargo Residency Director: Anna Kathryn Bedwell, OD, FAAO
• Number of Positions (Sioux Falls): 2
• Number of Positions (Fargo): 1
• Program Dates: 12 Months, beginning approximately July 1st through the following July 7th, 40-50 weekly hours
• Sioux Falls ORMatch Number: 37627
• Fargo ORMatch Number: 42278

About Vance Thompson Vision

Vance Thompson Vision was, founded by Dr. Vance Thompson, MD, in 1991 and is a private anterior segment surgical and referral center located in Sioux Falls, SD, with additional locations in Fargo, ND, Bozeman, MT, Omaha, NE, Alexandria, MN, Billings, MT, and Sioux City, NE. We have grown significantly in the last 25 years. Our surgeon team consists of fellowship-trained ophthalmologists who specialize in cornea, cataract, glaucoma, oculoplastics, and retina and residency-trained optometrists who specialize in the pre and post-op care of cornea, cataract, glaucoma, oculoplastics, dry eye, and specialty contact lens fitting. Vance Thompson Vision has always been actively involved in clinical and surgical anterior segment research having participated in over 100 FDA-monitored clinical trials. Vance Thompson Vision also places great emphasis on our team culture and patient experience with our motto being “Best on Earth”. Vance Thompson Vision was recognized by Entrepreneur Magazine as one of the top one hundred company cultures in the US in 2017.

Program Design

The Sioux Falls and Fargo residency program will consist of 4.5 days per week, spending time with each subspecialty, including cornea, glaucoma, and oculoplastics (Sioux Falls) and specialty contact lenses (Fargo). The remaining 0.5 day will be spent on research and educational projects. One-half day per quarter will be spent observing surgery with our surgeons.

Program Highlights:

• Advanced clinical training in the pre and post-op care of anterior segment surgery including;
  • Advanced Cataract
  • Refractive cataract surgery
    • Including extensive management of
      • Toric IOLS
      • multifocal IOLs
      • extended depth of focus IOLs
  • Refractive surgery to correct ametropia
    • PRK
    • LASIK
    • Incisional and phakic IOL surgery
• Advanced corneal disease diagnosis and treatment including
  • corneal transplantation
  • DMEK
  • Intacs
  • PTK
  • Amniotic membrane
  • Specialty contact lens fitting
• Advanced glaucoma treatment, diagnosis, and surgery including
  • Minimally Invasive Glaucoma Surgeries (MIGS)
  • SLT
  • Trabeculectomies
  • Shunts
  • Cytophotocoagulation
• Sioux Falls - Advanced training in oculoplastics and aesthetics; including, blepharoplasties, dermal laser treatments, injections, and facial aesthetics treatments
• Fargo - Advanced training in specialty contact lenses
  • Scleral Lenses
  • Orthokeratology
  • Custom soft
  • Prosthetic
  • Eyeprint Pro Lenses
• Advanced clinical evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment of dry eye including; Lipiflow, BBL, IPL, low-level light therapy, and autologous serum.
• This resident program will be a very challenging and rewarding year clinically, but will also emphasize an enhanced patient experience and a team culture that will encourage the resident to become a valued member of our work family.

Educational Conferences

• The Resident will attend 2 Educational Conferences - including one national conference
• Complete one publishable paper or poster to be presented at a national meeting.
• Present an Optometric Educational Lecture at our annual VTV Symposium
• Coordinate and present Journal Club meetings at VTV

Salary

Compensation package includes salary and benefits.

Benefits

Health coverage, professional liability insurance, vacation, paid sick leave, travel allowance for conferences.

Criteria for Completion

Reviewed by Residency Program Directors

Completion of Acknowledgment

A certificate is presented upon completion of the program from Vance Thompson Vision.

For more information

Mitch Ibach, OD - Sioux Falls Director

3101 West 57th St.

Sioux Falls, SD 57108

mitch.ibach@vancethompsonvision.com

Brooke Messer, OD, FAAO, FSLS - Fargo Director

354 23rd Ave E

West Fargo, ND 58078

brooke.messer@vancethompsonvision.com