Job Title: Clinical & Research Fellow – Ophthalmology (Gap Year Program)

Position Type: Full-Time, Paid (1-Year Commitment)

Location: Torrance, CA

Compensation: $17.00 per hour

The Clinical & Research Fellow is a dual-role position split between direct patient clinical care, academic enrichment, and institutional research. This role is specifically designed for pre-medical or science-focused gap year college graduates seeking immersive clinical and investigative experience. Alongside clinical training, the position features a structured educational curriculum including didactic lectures and an interactive journal club to prepare the candidate for medical school or advanced graduate programs.

Clinical Responsibilities (Ophthalmic Technician):

• Patient Workups: Greet patients, document accurate chief complaints, past ocular/medical histories, and current medications.
• Diagnostic Testing: Measure visual acuity, perform lensometry, test intraocular pressure (tonometry), and run advanced imaging such as Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) and visual field analyzers.
• Clinic Flow & Scribing: Assist physicians chairside, manage patient movement through the clinic, and accurately scribe exam findings into Electronic Health Records (EHR).
• Patient Care: Prepare exam rooms, instill diagnostic eye drops, and deliver post-procedure or drop-use instructions to patients.

Research & Academic Responsibilities:

• Educational Curriculum: Attend mandatory didactic lectures covering ocular anatomy, pathology, and advanced diagnostics.
• Physician Mentorship: Receive structured mentorship and subspecialty exposure through direct, ongoing engagement with attending ophthalmologists and researchers.
• Journal Club: Actively participate in and periodically present peer-reviewed literature to the clinical and research team.
• Study Coordination: Screen, recruit, and consent eligible patients for active clinical trials and retrospective registry studies.
• Data Management: Collect, clean, and input specialized clinical and surgical data into secure study databases and spreadsheets.
• Academic Output: Conduct literature reviews and assist principal investigators with table formatting, abstract composition, and manuscript drafting for peer-reviewed publication, with the opportunity to earn co-authorship on at least one manuscript or conference poster during the appointment.

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree (completed or expected prior to start date) in Biology, Chemistry, or a related science/pre-health field.

Candidate Profile:

• We are looking for students with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.3 from a U.S. accredited four-year college/university program with extra-curricular activities demonstrating interest in applying to medical school or an advanced science/health graduate program. Additionally, application to this position will require:

o Official transcript

o One letter of recommendation from faculty or employer

o Cover letter detailing candidate’s interest in a healthcare/science career

Commitment:

• Full-time availability for a minimum of 12 months.

Skills:

• Strong interpersonal communication, exceptional multi-tasking skills, meticulous attention to detail, and working proficiency with standard computer applications/spreadsheets.

Experience:

• Prior clinical or research experience is preferred, but comprehensive on-the-job training will be provided