Classroom to Clinic—Resources for Your Career Success.
Issue: July 2026
As you prepare for your next step in optometry, this issue offers practical insight into the career and skill development choices that lay ahead. Explore the latest advancements in lens technology, opportunities for leadership development, access-to-care innovation, scholarship inspiration, upcoming student events, and, of course, the Hot Job listings. It’s all delivered here to help you move confidently from school into practice. Options abound for you to shape your own path forward.
For optometry students, recent graduates, and new ODs, the future of patient care is already taking shape in the exam room and dispensary. Unity V3 Elite Progressive Lenses are one example of how optical technology is making personalization recommendations precise, practical, and patient-centered. The Unity V3 AI algorithm utilizes prescription and gaze dynamics data to inform lens designs. Progressive lenses have historically come with a learning curve. Fit, prescription complexity, and adaptation challenges can affect how quickly patients feel comfortable in their new lenses. Unity V3 Elite addresses those challenges by making it easy to offer personalization that supports a more seamless visual experience from the start.
As you anticipate your entry into the eye care field, the technology behind Unity V3 Elite could have significant meaning and positive impact for you and your patients.
Technology like this can help new ODs in several ways:
This all points to a larger shift in optometry: technology is reducing complexity while raising expectations for patient outcomes. For fourth-year students and new doctors, Unity V3 Elite is a solid example of how staying curious and aware of emerging eye care and lens innovation can help shape stronger clinical conversations, better recommendations, and a more confident start in practice.
Interested in taking a deeper dive into Unity V3 Progressive Lenses? Read the white paper analysis.
VSP Future Leaders Academy Graduates Reflect
“I honestly didn’t know what to expect going into the VSP® Future Leaders Academy,” shares Alyssa Vu, OD from Cleveland, Ohio. “As a clinician, I wanted to become a better leader.” Dr. Vu quickly discovered how the 9-month hybrid learning program delivered the professional leadership skills she sought, and so much more. She, along with three other graduates of the VSP Future Leaders Academy, share their own experiences with the program and talk about the value they found in the well-balanced curriculum that is helping them grow in their careers—and in their personal lives, too.
“I highly recommend [the VSP Future Leaders Academy] for camaraderie and the companionship of those who are in similar situations to you,” offered Alex Bennett, OD from Los Angeles, California. “The friends I’ve made through this will be, hopefully, lifelong.”
Within this brief video, you’ll also meet Olivia Berger, OD from Berkeley, California, and Breanne McGhee, OD from New Orleans, Louisiana. They also share their enthusiasm for the program and how it not only helped them grow but also gave them increased confidence in the way they will manage themselves in their respective practices.
In the end, these four doctors cited the value and benefits that the VSP Future Leaders Academy can bring to ODs who have been 1 – 7 years out of optometry school:
Ready to apply for the 2027 cohort? Click the link below to learn more and apply. Don’t wait—the deadline for applications is July 31.
Learn more and apply now.
As you prepare to move from student to practicing OD, access to care is more than a public health issue, it is a real opportunity to shape the kind of provider you want to become. In healthcare deserts and underserved communities, patients may face long drives, limited transportation, and fewer available appointments for routine vision care. Those barriers can delay care and make preventable vision challenges harder to address. To help providers respond, the VSP Vision™ Global Innovation Center (GIC) created the Access to Care Guide, an interactive resource designed to support practice growth while helping more patients receive care.
The guide includes practical tools for reaching hard-to-reach populations, including financing options such as Vision One Credit Union private practice loans, powered by VSP Vision™, practice growth resources, and innovative solutions like the VSP Portable Eye Exam Kit (PEEK) for delivering care beyond traditional office settings.
For fourth-year students and recent graduates, these resources offer a practical look at how access, innovation, and practice development intersect. Whether you hope to strengthen a future practice, serve patients who might otherwise go without care, or explore opportunities in an underserved area, the guide can help turn your purpose into action and it could be a signpost in the road on your journey into practice.
Read the GIC Access to Care Guide | Discover more about the VSP GIC
VSP Vision™, in collaboration with Professional Eye Care Associates of America (PECAA) and the Student Optometric Leadership Network (SOLN), announced Mason Martin of the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Optometry as the 2026 Propel Student Business Challenge winner. The Propel Student Business Challenge supports optometry students pursuing private practice ownership and building strong business acumen early in their careers. This is just one of the many ways VSP invests in the long-term success of the profession.
Mason is the first-ever first-year student to earn the $10,000 scholarship, recognized for his patient-centered private practice business plan. Runners-up Danaka Howard and Sarah Mitchell each received a $5,000 scholarship.
"This experience challenged me to think more intentionally about the future of private practice and reinforced the importance of keeping patient-centered care at the heart of everything we do,” said Martin. “I’m incredibly honored to receive the Propel Student Business Challenge Scholarship.”
Read the full Press Release | Learn more about VSP Scholarships
The Academy 2026 event is coming to Anaheim, CA, September 30 – October 3, at the Anaheim Convention Center. Learn about the tremendous amount of activity, education, and networking opportunities in store. Plus, discover the wide variety of student-specific events and programs. Learn more and make your plans to attend.
Find hot OD job opportunities in a variety of career settings, from private practice to corporate to medical hybrid settings and more. Find the career opportunity that suits you. Visit the VSP Careers Page today!
Retail Opportunities
Total Vision - Employed Full-Time Optometrist, Riverside, CA Total Vision in Riverside, CA is hiring an Optometrist! Join a patient-focused, collaborative team offering competitive compensation, a $10,000 signing bonus, and access to advanced technology in a supportive environment that enables you to practice full-scope care, with an emphasis on low vision care. Enjoy a balanced schedule (no weekends!) while building your career in a vibrant Southern California community and making a lasting impact on patients’ vision and eye health.
Learn More / Apply Now
Golden Vision - Employed Full-Time Optometrist, San Francisco, CA Golden Vision is hiring an Optometrist! Join a high-performing, patient-focused team offering competitive compensation, a $20,000 signing bonus, and access to advanced technology in a supportive environment that allows you to practice full-scope care. Enjoy a balanced schedule while growing your career in a desirable California community and making a meaningful impact on patients’ vision and eye health.
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Optical Outlets
Optical Outlets - Employed Full-Time Optometrist, Lake City, FL Eye Doctor’s Optical Outlets, a VSP Vision company, has supported the eye health of Central Florida communities for more than 35 years. Our team is dedicated to delivering exceptional customer service and quality eyewear at an affordable price. Enjoy a fun, inclusive work environment while helping patients bring their best vision to life.
Visionworks Opportunities
Visionworks FT - Employed Full-Time Optometrist, Chambersburg, PA >> Up to $50,000 in incentives* << If you are an outstanding Optometrist, whose primary goal is to provide excellent patient care, we are interested in talking to you! Visionworks is seeking an ambitious and passionate Optometrist who would love a fresh start with a fast-growing company dedicated to helping patients see great, feel great and look great. Whether you're a seasoned professional or a recent graduate, this opportunity can take your career to the next level.
Visionworks FT - Employed Full-Time Optometrist, Staten Island, NY >> Up to $40,000 in incentives* << Seeking optometrists with an entrepreneurial spirit dedicated to patient care who strongly desire to help grow the business long-term. Candidates should have excellent clinical and people skills. Must be committed to providing patients with the highest level of care and a wide range of services to ensure optimal eye health and vision for a lifetime. Whether you're a seasoned professional or a recent graduate, this opportunity can take your career to the next level.
Visionworks - Employed Full-Time Optometrist, Rosedale, MD Visionworks is seeking an ambitious Optometrist dedicated to excellent patient care. Whether you are a seasoned professional or a recent graduate, this role offers a fresh start with a fast-growing organization focused on helping patients see, feel, and look great. You'll provide comprehensive eye care to patients of all ages, visual and medical conditions.
Visionworks | NC Doctors of Optometry - Professional Corporation Full-time Optometrist, Asheville, NC >> $20,000 sign-on bonus + relocation assistance + student loan assistance << NC Doctors of Optometry, a doctor-owned practice, is adding to their team in Ashville, NC. This is a great opportunity with flexible schedules, competitive compensation, benefits package, productivity incentives, and more! We cover your yearly NC License and NC State Society dues. We also offer a relocation package, and student loan repayment to qualified candidates. If you're looking to join a team where doctors work alongside and support doctors while making a meaningful impact on patient care, let’s talk!
Learn More / Apply now
Visionworks | Independent Practice Opportunity - Sublease Full-time Optometrist, Corpus Christi, TX This opportunity is ideal for entrepreneurial Optometrists seeking full-time clinical autonomy and practice ownership. Visionworks’ Sublease Program offers the freedom to build your own practice while benefiting from strong brand awareness, established patient flow, and operational support in a vibrant Gulf Coast community.
Corporate Opportunities
Ventures | Wildflower Vision - Employed Full Time Optometrist, Temple, TX >> 10K Sign-on Bonus and Relocation Assistance << Are you a Texas-licensed optometry professional looking to join a reputable practice? Located in Temple, TX, Wildflower Vision, part of the Ideal Eye team, is seeking a well-rounded professional to join their growing team immediately. Whether you are an experienced professional or a recent graduate, we encourage you to explore this incredible opportunity. The practice offers comprehensive services, including thorough eye exams, specialty contact lenses, and diagnosis and treatment of ocular diseases.
Private Practice Opportunities
Private Practice | Mill Creek Vision Full-Time Optometrist, Mill Creek, WA Mill Creek Vision, established in 1983, serves the communities of Bothell, Lynnwood, Everett, and Woodinville, WA and is actively seeking both full-time and part-time professionals to join their expanding team. If you’re a driven professional passionate about helping others and interested in taking the next step in your career while collaborating with a dedicated team to grow the practice—this is your moment!
Onsite Clinics
Onsite Clinics - Sublease Full-Time Optometrist, San Antonio, TX Located in the heart of San Antonio, this is an exciting opportunity for an entrepreneurial-minded Optometrist to step into a unique sublease role within a well-established onsite clinic serving employees and their families. Ideal for a doctor who is passionate about delivering quality eye care, values autonomy, and is eager to build within a supportive healthcare setting backed by a large, well-known employer, this urgent opening is targeting a July start. An active license is required, and professionals available to begin in July are strongly preferred.
Learn More / Apply Now ________________________________________
Medical Opportunities
Aran Eye Associates - Employed Clinical Optometrist, Miami, FL Join a growing medical/surgical practice dedicated to preserving and improving vision. Aran Eye Associates is seeking a medically trained Optometrist committed to comprehensive patient care and long-term professional growth in a rewarding clinical environment.
Career Support Resources
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June 2026 May 2026 April 2026 February/March 2026 January 2026 November/December 2025 September/October 2025 August/September 2025 July/August 2025 May/June 2025 April/May 2025 Feb/March 2025 January 2025
December 2024 October/November 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024