Residency Program in Comparative Ophthalmology

Ophthalmology Residency Program

The Comparative Ophthalmology Service, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis is announcing a 4-year, paid residency position in Comparative Ophthalmology to begin Aug 1st, 2026, with mandatory orientation beginning July 29th. The successful applicant will become a key member of our team which includes 5 ophthalmology residents, 5 ACVO Diplomates, 5 full-time registered veterinary technicians, one clinical coordinator, and 3 Emeritus DACVOs. The resident will also have access to the resources of our large, multidisciplinary, NIH-funded vision science laboratory with its large staff. All members of our team work in close coordination to provide exemplary ophthalmic care for nonhuman animals of all species, to communicate clearly with owners and referring veterinarians, to teach DVM students, and to advance knowledge through comparative ophthalmic research. 

A. Program Description

The UCD Residency Program is designed to provide training in all medical and surgical aspects of comparative ophthalmology including large and small domestic animals, laboratory animals, as well as captive and wild exotic animals. The resident will be responsible for hospital patients and will assist in instruction of professional veterinary medical students. In addition, the residents will attend a diverse range of lectures and rounds at the  University of California, Davis Medical Center. 

The UCD Residency program is designed to prepare the resident for achieving board certification through the credentialing and examination process administered by the American Board of Veterinary Ophthalmology. The intent of the program is to prepare the candidate for a career as a clinician-scientist.

Residents will have their first residency year primarily dedicated to their mentored research endeavors. The resident will receive mentoring in grant development, study design and performance, and manuscript preparation, and learn a variety of research techniques.  Opportunities also exist to perform research with and become proficient examining nonhuman primates at the California National Primate Research Center (CNPRC) which houses the Vision Sciences Laboratory (VSL). Residents will also be trained in ophthalmic screening of mice for the International Mouse Phenotyping Consortium along with development and execution of hypothesis-driven research. 

B. Licensure

The California Veterinary Medical Board requires all with primary patient care duties at the University of California, Davis to hold a regular California veterinary license or a University veterinary license. To obtain a University veterinary license, veterinarians who are not licensed in the state of California will be required to take a 3-day course on regionally-important diseases and a short open-book jurisprudence test, in addition to being background checked. The course will be provided by live webinar at the University of California, Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, usually in April. The cost of obtaining the University veterinary license will be the responsibility of the trainee. The University license permits individuals to work in California as veterinarians for University-related practice only.  

C. Goals of the Residency Program

  1. Development of clinical skills necessary to successfully practice veterinary and comparative ophthalmology
  2. Development of a broad knowledge of the eye and its diseases
  3. Development of effective clinical teaching skills
  4. Introduction to methods of research in vision science including study design and execution, as well as grant and manuscript preparation
  5. Preparation for the certifying examination of the American Board of Veterinary Ophthalmology

D. Duties and Responsibilities

  1. Clinical Activities - Regular participation in all clinical activities of the Ophthalmology Service including evening and weekend emergency duty is required. Residents must be able to arrive at the UCD Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital (VMTH) within 15 minutes of an emergency call. Ophthalmology residents are not obligated to rotate through the VMTH’s general after-hours emergency service. 
    • Medical Ophthalmology - Residents are initially under direct supervision of a faculty member. Although there is a gradual increase in responsibility throughout the residency program, all new cases are seen in conjunction with an ACVO Diplomate throughout the residency. State-of-the-art ocular imaging modalities are available in the Comparative Ophthalmology Imaging Laboratory (COIL).
    • Microsurgical Training - Each resident must successfully complete a rigorous reading, simulator, and ex-vivo (cadaver eye) microsurgical training program. All intraocular and extraocular surgery on patients is done under direct supervision of ACVO Diplomates until the resident has demonstrated sufficient skills to justify operating independently.
    • Medical Records - All patient records must be completed in an exemplary and timely fashion.
  2. Didactic Training - Regular participation in seminars, conferences, rounds, and journal club, including those held in association with the UCD Medical School, is required.
    • External Courses- Attendance at two or more meetings of the American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists, one Magrane Basic Science Course, and at least one of the UCD, VAF, and/or University of Wisconsin phaco training courses is required during the residency training program. University funds may be available to subsidize the expenses involved in these opportunities, but attendance is ultimately the resident's responsibility.
  3. Teaching - Considerable responsibility for teaching UCD veterinary students in clinics and in teaching laboratories is required. A formal training program in didactic teaching is provided and culminates in the opportunity to lecture to veterinary students in the UCD curriculum. The resident may also be asked to provide some lectures and/or facilitate discussions at local associations or for veterinary student clubs.
  4. Communication and Collegiality - The VMTH is committed to building strong relationships with its constituents and maintaining excellent communications within its walls.  Therefore, residents must at all times:
    • Communicate in a constructive and respectful manner with all members in the workplace (students, house officers, faculty, staff, referring veterinarians, and clients).
    • Ensure that their actions foster and contribute to a positive, collegial, and supportive working and learning environment.
    • Demonstrate positive leadership and effectively guide more junior house officers and students.
    • Act in a manner that positively contributes to the culture and longevity of the Residency Training Program.
  5. Research - During their training program, each resident must complete a research project in an area related to ophthalmology or vision science. Submission of a manuscript to a peer-reviewed, archival journal is required. The expenses of conducting this research and the publication of the information will be borne, at least in part, by the Ophthalmology Service; however, the resident is expected to apply for intramural or extramural funds to support their research. Presentation of research data at the UCD Veterinary Intern & Resident Research Symposium and at least one ACVO conference is required.
  6. The UCD Mouse Biology Program is a major participant in the International Mouse Phenotyping Consortium. The UCD Veterinary Ophthalmology Service provides ophthalmic screening of mice for this program, which constitutes a major (weekly) responsibility for the first-year resident.

Continuation into subsequent years of the training program is contingent upon satisfactory performance in previous and current years.  Failure to meet all aspects of the duties and responsibilities will result in termination or withholding of the certificate of residency completion.

The current salary for the first year of the residency program is $53,965 with 24 days of vacation accrued yearly. Projected salaries for consecutive years are: Year 2 - $56,481; Year 3 - $59,089; Year 4 – 62,066. Continuation into the second year is contingent upon satisfactory performance.

E. Requirements

  1. Graduation from a School of Veterinary Medicine.
  2. A minimum of 12 months full-time clinical practice as a veterinarian between graduation as a veterinarian and beginning the residency training program.
  3. Demonstration of high motivation and excellent interpersonal skills.
  4. Satisfactory ethical standing.

F. Information for foreign applicants

We have traditionally considered foreign applicants for this position. Foreign nationals must be eligible for either a TN or J-1 visa, with no bars or home country requirement, for the entirety of the program. Please visit this page for latest updates. 

G. Application procedure

  1. Resident selection will be performed utilizing the Veterinary Internship-Residency Matching Program (VIRMP) Platform;
  2. Deadline for application: all materials (VIRMP packets and letters of references) should be received by Monday January 05, 2026 (6 pm Pacific Time). Late applications will not be reviewed;
  3. Applications that are NOT submitted through the VIRMP platform will not be reviewed;
  4. Match result date will be released on Monday March 2, 2026 (5 am Pacific Time). 

Required documents (either through VIRMP platform or separate):

  • A personal statement, discussing your expectations of a residency program and your future professional goals. In addition, we encourage you to describe your anticipated contributions to your matched institution. These may include life experiences, background, past activities or unique personal characteristics that would contribute to the program in meaningful ways.
  • A curriculum vitae.
  • PDF copies of veterinary school transcripts.
  • Three to four letters of recommendation from university faculty members or veterinary/medical practitioners. Besides the standardized VIRMP letter, narrative letters of recommendation should also be emailed directly to [email protected]  (Reference writers should note "Ophthalmology Residency – last name of writer – last name of applicant" in the subject line). 

H. Review Process:

Written applications will be reviewed and a select number of applicants will be contacted according to the timeline below.  No in-person visits or interviews are permitted.  Instead, we will utilize a series of video interviews and potentially other methodologies.  

If after critical review of information on this webpage you have questions regarding the residency application, please direct these to Bianca C. Martins, DVM, DACVO at [email protected].

The University of California, Davis, and the Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital are interested in candidates who are committed to the highest standards of scholarship and professional activities, and to fostering a campus climate of respect and collaboration.