Refractive Surgery Fellowship (pre-doc)
For UMSL student doctors
3-year program
For over seven years, Vision Care Partners has worked with UMSL College of Optometry to provide students with part time positions offering an in depth learning experience in refractive surgery. These students’ role is primarily on Saturday mornings, with one full time summer position offered to the top performing technician. Students working at Vision Care Partners can anticipate multiple patient interactions weekly, with practice involving slit lamp exams, refraction, critical thinking, and visualizing eyes at one day post op for a range of procedures. This is a unique opportunity offering experience with refractive surgery post operative exams to prepare for a lifetime of confidence with co-management.
Daily Clinical Skills Development
In-depth, daily slit lamp training, including high-level corneal and anterior chamber evaluation techniques such as evaluating LASIK flap healing, measuring ICL positioning and vault, and determining anterior chamber cell and flare.
Oral presentation practice: patient-to-preceptor communication and case reporting
Complete patient evaluations and present your treatment plan to one of our four doctors for feedback and discussion
Postoperative & Surgical Experience
Learn to manage postoperative complications for LASIK, SMILE, PRK, EVO ICL, RLE, and other advanced procedures
Weekly exposure to YAG laser (posterior capsulotomy, peripheral iridotomy) and excimer laser (for PRK)
Optional laser training for interested student doctors, including:
YAG capsulotomy and iridotomy
PRK
Light Adjustable Lens procedures
Other advanced laser surgeries
(Note: Some of these procedures are approved for optometrists in specific states)
Hands-On Technical Skills
Develop proficiency in:
Medical terminology and scribing
Refraction and prescription checking
Contact lens placement and removal
Tonometry using iCare, Tonopen, and Goldmann applanation
Temporary and permanent punctal plug placement
Career-Enhancing Experience
Customer service and marketing training for success in private practice or clinical roles including reputation management, search engine optimization, digital marketing, online presence, and direct to consumer advertising.
UMSL medical technicians report this experience significantly enhances academic performance.
Receive a no-cost consultation for your own surgery candidacy and observe live LASIK and other procedures in-office.
Gain real-world experience, sharpen your skills, and access opportunities you won’t find anywhere else.
Typical Hours are 7:30am to 10:30am
Competitive Summer Role: Lead Medical Technician Track
For Top-Performing First-Year UMSL Medical Technicians
Each year, Brinton Vision offers a single, full-time summer position to a standout first-year UMSL medical technician. This is a competitive, high-responsibility opportunity that offers advanced training, leadership experience, and a pathway to become a Lead Medical Technician during your second and third years.
Program Highlights
Exclusive opportunity: Only one full-time summer position is offered each year
Designed for our highest-performing first-year UMSL technician
Includes advanced hands-on training, such as:
Surgical marking of the limbus
Releasing intraocular pressure post-surgically
Working with Light Adjustable Lenses (LALs)
After successful summer training, you will serve as Lead Medical Technician for Saturday staff during your second and third UMSL years
Requirements
GPA of 3.5 or higher (required to maintain)
GPA of 3.0–3.49 may be considered on a case-by-case basis with exceptional performance
Must reside in the St. Louis metro area year-round until fourth-year rotations begin in May 2028
If you rely on prescription glasses, you must be willing to wear contact lenses or undergo LASIK with us as part of your role
Compensation
$20/hour average over the full three-year commitment
Includes a completion bonus for those who successfully fulfill the entire program
Things to Consider Before Applying
This is a demanding, high-expectation role. Please read carefully:
Attention to detail is critical – unlike routine clinic work, surgical mistakes can be permanent. Accuracy and focus are non-negotiable.
Our patients have high expectations – many are paying out-of-pocket for elective surgery, and 20/20 may not be “good enough” when they can refract to 20/16.
We start early – Saturday shifts begin at 7:30am. If you aren’t a morning person, this may not be the right fit.
We invest heavily in training – in return, we ask for your full commitment to the program’s full duration. Please do your due diligence before accepting:
Shadow a current technician
Talk to alumni of the program
Understand our pace, culture, and expectations
You must believe in what we do – our mission is to provide patients the option of visual freedom through refractive surgery. If you’re not comfortable supporting surgical vision correction, this role won’t be a good match.
You’ll learn the business of eye care, not just the medical side. Success in this role requires interest in how practices operate, market, and deliver elective care at a high level.
This position is a rare opportunity for a future-focused student doctor who wants to build technical skills, leadership experience, and a deep understanding of surgical eye care.
Student doctors trained at Vision Care Partners
Class of 2028
Class of 2027
Class of 2026
Class of 2025
Class of 2024
Class of 2023
Class of 2022
Class of 2021
Class of 2020
SURGEONS TRAINED BY DR. BRINTON
Ted A. Pasquali, MD
SoCal Eye, Lakewood, CA
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| schedule block 1 | schedule block 2 | schedule block 3 | schedule block 4 | training topics | |||||
| August 23 | Interview day #1
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| August 29 | Shadow day #1
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No-charge LASIK candidacy BVOA (usually $120) and shadow a surgery!
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| August 30 | Interview day #2
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| September 1 | Shadow day #2
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No-charge LASIK candidacy BVOA (usually $120) and shadow a surgery!
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| September 6 | Interview day #3
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| September 12 | Shadow day #3
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No-charge LASIK candidacy BVOA (usually $120) and shadow a surgery!
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| September 13 | x | x | taking an eye history; setting up your exam lane and the clinic space
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| September 20 | x | x | taking an eye history; setting up your exam lane and the clinic space
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| September 27 | x | x | checking UDVA OD/OS/OU, UNVA OD/OS/OU, UIVA, CDVA, CNVA, CIVA, and low contrast visual acuities
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| October 4 | x | x | checking UDVA OD/OS/OU, UNVA OD/OS/OU, UIVA, CDVA, CNVA, CIVA, and low contrast visual acuities
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| October 11 | x | x | iCare and tonopen tonometry, visual acuities for FDA clincal trials
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| October 18 | x | x | iCare and tonopen tonometry, visual acuities for FDA clincal trials
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| October 25 | x | x | eye pharmacology – medications, drug class, and phamacokinetics, for the medications you will be administering
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| November 1 | x | x | eye pharmacology – medications, drug class, and phamacokinetics, for the medications you will be administering
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| November 8 | x | x | clinic timing sheet, encouraging patients to check-in and share their experience with others
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| November 15 | x | x | clinic timing sheet, encouraging patients to check-in and share their experience with others
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| November 22 | x | x | treatment instructions and post op medication regimen/restrictions
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| November 29 | x | x | treatment instructions and post op medication regimen/restrictions
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| December 6 | x | x | eye terminology, principles of scribing, and the five-digit chart
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| December 13 | no Friday surgery | ||||||||
| December 20 | x | x | eye terminology, principles of scribing, and the five-digit chart
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| December 27 | x | x | KYP -- know your patient, and how to present your workup to the doctor
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| January 3 | x | x | KYP -- know your patient, and how to present your workup to the doctor
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| January 10 | x | x | co-management and refracitve surgery – coordinating future eyecare with the referring doctor
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| January 17 | no Friday surgery | ||||||||
| January 24 | x | x | co-management and refracitve surgery – coordinating future eyecare with the referring doctor
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| January 31 | x | x | myopia, hyperopia, astigmatism, and how to read and interpret a manifest refraction
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| February 7 | no Friday surgery | ||||||||
| February 14 | x | x | myopia, hyperopia, astigmatism, and how to read and interpret a manifest refraction
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| February 21 | x | x | presbyopia | ||||||
| February 28 | x | x | presbyopia | ||||||
| March 7 | no Friday surgery | ||||||||
| March 14 | x | x | intro to slit lamp biomicroscopy -- slit lamp settings
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| March 21 | no Friday surgery | ||||||||
| March 28 | x | x | intro to slit lamp biomicroscopy -- slit lamp settings
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| April 4 | x | x | slit lamp biomicroscopy -- exmination of the lids, lashes, and conjunctiva
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| April 11 | x | x | slit lamp biomicroscopy -- exmination of the lids, lashes, and conjunctiva
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| April 18 | x | x | slit lamp biomicroscopy -- exmination of the external cornea
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| April 25 | x | x | slit lamp biomicroscopy -- exmination of the external cornea
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| May 2 | x | x | slit lamp biomicroscopy -- exmination of the corneal stroma
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| May 9 | x | x | slit lamp biomicroscopy -- exmination of the corneal stroma
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| May 16 | x | x | slit lamp biomicroscopy -- discussion of Fuchs dystrophy and exmination of the corneal endothelium
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| May 23 | x | x | slit lamp biomicroscopy -- discussion of Fuchs dystrophy and exmination of the corneal endothelium
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| May 30 | x | x | slit lamp biomicroscopy -- exmination of the anterior chamber, iris, and crystalline lens
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| June 6 | x | x | slit lamp biomicroscopy -- exmination of the anterior chamber, iris, and crystalline lens
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| June 13 | x | x | slit lamp biomicroscopy -- advanced exmination of the anterior chamber for cell, flare, and pigment
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| June 20 | x | x | slit lamp biomicroscopy -- advanced exmination of the anterior chamber for cell, flare, and pigment
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| June 27 | x | x | slit lamp biomicroscopy -- advanced exmination of the anterior chamber for different types of cataracts including anterior subcapsular, cortical, nuclear, posterior subcapsular, double nucleus, etc.
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| July 4 | x | x | slit lamp biomicroscopy -- advanced exmination of the anterior chamber for different types of cataracts including anterior subcapsular, cortical, nuclear, posterior subcapsular, double nucleus, etc.
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| July 11 | x | x | slit lamp biomicroscopy -- advanced exmination of the anterior chamber for implantable contact lens presence, position, and vault
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| July 18 | x | x | slit lamp biomicroscopy -- advanced exmination of the anterior chamber for implantable contact lens presence, position, and vault
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| July 25 | x | x | procedures 1: temporary and permanent punctal plug placement at the slit lamp
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| August 1 | x | x | procedures 1: temporary and permanent punctal plug placement at the slit lamp
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| August 8 | x | x | procedures 2: YAG laser capsulotomy with practice at the YAG laser
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| August 15 | x | x | procedures 2: YAG laser capsulotomy with practice at the YAG laser
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| August 22 | x | x | procedures 3: YAG laser peripheral iridectomy with practice at the YAG laser
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| August 29 | x | x | procedures 3: YAG laser peripheral iridectomy with practice at the YAG laser
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| September 5 | x | x | procedures 4: light delivery device treamtents for the Light Adjustable Lens / LAL
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