Ophthalmology Resident Research

LENS (Learning Essentials for Navigating Scholarship) is the core framework through which residents fulfill the required ACGME research component of ophthalmology residency training at the University of Michigan. Early in residency training, residents work closely with faculty mentors to initiate a clinical, translational, basic science, quality improvement, medical education, or global health research project, supported with a dedicated research rotation to provide protected time to advance their work.

Through LENS, residents benefit from extensive mentorship across the Kellogg Eye Center and the broader University of Michigan community, access to internal funding opportunities such as the Michigan Ophthalmology Trainee Career Development Award (MOTCDA), and the ability to pursue global ophthalmology research through established international programs through the Jerome Jacobson Global Program at the Kellogg Eye Center.

LENS supports residents in presenting their work at Kellogg’s annual Research Day and at national meetings, with many projects resulting in peer-reviewed publications, competitive awards, and presentations that support fellowship placement and long-term academic and clinical success.

OPTICS (Ophthalmology Program Track for Investigative and Clinical Sciences) is designed for residents who envision research as a significant component of their future careers but do not wish to pursue pre‑residency research year(s). This track offers a research‑heavy residency experience with expanded, protected research time integrated throughout residency, supported by a defined research budget commensurate with project scope and guided by an identified faculty mentor. It provides a structured pathway for residents to build meaningful, longitudinal research portfolios while maintaining strong clinical training. 

Eligibility for this track occurs through a competitive application during the PGY1 (internal medicine) year and includes submission of a research proposal and plan, proposed budget, and mentor letter of support. Residents interested in this pathway are encouraged to begin conversations with prospective mentors early in PGY1 to refine project ideas. Those interested in this track apply as medical students through the standard ophthalmology residency pathway but should indicate in their supplemental SFMatch materials their interest in this track and outline potential research plans in their personal statement and career plans, allowing for intentional alignment of mentorship, resources, and scholarly goals from the start of ophthalmology training. 

Applying to Track 2 (OPTICS) 

Applicants to the OPTICS track apply through the San Francisco Match to our traditional residency program. Visit our How to Apply page for information on how to apply to the Ophthalmology Residency program. During the application, be sure to include: 

• Personal Statement & Career Plans 
  All OPTICS applicants should use their personal statement and career plans in their SFMatch application to articulate their motivation for pursuing a physician‑scientist pathway and describe how they envision integrating research with clinical practice over the course of their career. 

• Letters of Recommendation 
  At least one recommendation letter submitted to SFMatch should reflect the applicant’s scholarly potential, intellectual independence, and readiness for advanced research training. 

• If accepted to our residency program, candidates will then submit an application for the OPTICS program during their PGY1 year. This ~4 page application includes:  

  • A concise summary of prior research experience and major contributions or findings (≤1 page; figures permitted and counted toward page limit). 

  • Proposed research program during residency, which may be framed as a descriptive narrative or a specific aims‑style page plus abbreviated approach and methods section (≤3 page). 

  • Identification of faculty mentor(s) at University of Michigan for the project, with an ~½ page description of how mentor fits with research project. Mentor(s) are sought out during the early stages of the PGY1 year. 

  • Letter of support from mentor 

The residency program has the capacity to accommodate 2 research intensive residents per year (Track 2 OPTICS or Track 3 StARR-BRITE). Thus, the number of residents we accept into the OPTICS program each year depends on the number of residents interested and quality of the candidate’s proposal. 

StARR-BRITE (Stimulating Access to Research in Residency – Blended Research Intensive Training Experience) is a clinician-scientist development track designed for residents who intend to have the majority of their future career dedicated to research. StARR‑BRITE offers a structured, research‑intensive pathway that leverages Michigan’s standing as a top‑ranked academic medical center and one of the nation’s leading environments for vision research. Through intentional mentorship, resource support, and extensive protected research time, StARR‑BRITE prepares trainees for independent, federally funded careers in ophthalmology and visual sciences.

Through StARR-BRITE, residents engage in rigorous, longitudinal research training that integrates seamlessly with clinical residency, beginning with pre-residency research and extending through tailored, protected research blocks during residency. The program emphasizes skill development in scientific inquiry, grant writing, leadership, and career planning, while providing access to world-class laboratories, clinical trial infrastructure, data cores, and a large community of funded physician-scientist mentors. Graduates of StARR-BRITE are positioned to compete successfully for NIH career development awards and to emerge as leaders shaping the future of vision science and patient care. Learn more about the StARR-BRITE program and how to apply.