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Assistant Professor, Ophthalmology

University of Wisconsin-Madison · Madison, WI · Full time

Posted Sep 11, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Oct 6, 2026

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Likely interview questions for this role

Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.

About your past

Describe how you give feedback to a resident whose surgical skills are behind where they should be.

What they are checking: Whether they can coach a struggling trainee honestly and supportively, since they help train three residents.

Tell us about a time a client was upset with an outcome, such as a lost eye or a failed surgery. How did you handle that conversation?

What they are checking: Communication with grieving or angry owners, which affects hospital reputation and referrals.

You are joining a team of four ACVO Diplomates who already work well together. How do you fit in while bringing something new?

What they are checking: Collegiality and whether they will add to an established group instead of disrupting it.

What would you do

The service usually runs with one or two faculty, house officers, fourth-year students and technicians. How do you run a busy clinic day while still teaching?

What they are checking: Whether they can keep patient flow moving without letting teaching drop off on busy days.

What kind of scholarly work would you pursue here, and how does it fit the track you are applying for?

What they are checking: Whether their research or scholarship plan matches the clinical or tenure track expectations they would be held to.

How would you work with referring veterinarians across Wisconsin to grow access to ophthalmology care?

What they are checking: Whether they see outreach to referring vets as part of the job of expanding access.

About the work

Walk us through how you work up a dog presenting with acute vision loss, from history to the diagnostics you would run first.

What they are checking: Clinical reasoning in comparative ophthalmology under the time pressure of a referral hospital emergency.

How does your approach change when the patient is a horse, a cat or an exotic species rather than a dog?

What they are checking: Whether they truly practice comparative ophthalmology across species, which this service covers.

Which ophthalmic surgeries are you comfortable doing independently, and which would you want to grow into?

What they are checking: An honest picture of surgical range and whether they know where their limits are.

How do you teach fourth-year veterinary students the eye exam so it sticks once they are in general practice?

What they are checking: Whether they can teach practical skills that most students will use as generalists, not specialists.

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The full job description

As published by University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Current Employees: If you are currently employed at any of the Universities of Wisconsin, log in to Workday to apply through the internal application process. Job Category: Faculty Employment Type: Regular Job Profile: Assistant Professor Job Summary: The Department of Surgical Sciences of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, School of Veterinary Medicine invites applications for a full-time, faculty position as an Assistant or Associate Professor of Comparative Ophthalmology. Appointment may be made in the Clinical or Tenure track as appropriate to the candidate’s background, experience, qualifications and career goals. The successful candidate will join an internationally recognized team comprising four other veterinary ophthalmologists (all ACVO Diplomates, two of whom are also ECVO Diplomates recognized by the European Board of Veterinary Specialists), providing clinical care to patients within the UW Veterinary Care hospital. The Ophthalmology service is typically staffed with 1-2 faculty members, 1-3 house officers, fourth-year veterinary students, and 1-2 dedicated veterinary technicians and a veterinary technician assistant. Together, the Comparative Ophthalmology faculty support the training of 3 veterinary ophthalmology residents. This position will add to our existing team, to enhance access to ophthalmology care for veterinary patients, advance scholarship in ophthalmology and vision science, and support student and house officer education. Major responsibilities of this position include clinical service, classroom, laboratory and clinical teaching, research, and service. Participation in emergency and after-hours clinic duty, didactic and laboratory teaching of veterinary students, house officer training and service to the department and school is shared amongst the Comparative Ophthalmology Team as appropriate. Key Job Responsibilities: Tenure track faculty in the integrated case in our department are assigned 20-22 weeks (with appropriate request for extension of timeline for consideration of promotion and tenure to reflect these clinical responsibilities). Participation in classroom lecture and laboratory to be equitably distributed across the section. Clinical duties include leading resident-based or student-based rounds that involve approximately 3-5 hours per week. Student case based rounds are conducted by faculty in conjunction with residents when the faculty are assigned to clinic duties. Tenure track faculty are expected to demonstrate excellence and impact through integration of their activities that includes basic, translational and/or clinical research that advances their field. Excellence in clinical service is an expectation for Comparative Ophthalmology faculty in either track. Distribution of time in clinical practice, teaching, research and service is expected to be in the range of: 40-50% clinical responsibilities, 10-20% non-clinical teaching, 20-30% research and up to 10% service. Department: University of Wisconsin - Madison, School of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Surgical Sciences Compensation: Negotiable based on experience and qualificiations Required Qualifications: DVM or equivalent degree, with eligibility for licensure to practice veterinary medicine in Wisconsin required by start date. American College of Veterinary Ophthalmology Board Certified Diplomates or ACVO board-eligible after completion of residency training in Ophthalmology at the time of appointment. Candidates who are European College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists Diplomates, or ECVO board-eligible at the time of appointment, will be considered. Education: DVM or equivalent degree How to Apply: Please upload a CV, cover letter, and names and contact information for three professional references. Please note that this position is being listed simultaneously with JR JR10014966 but only one opening exists. Contact Information: For questions regarding the application process, please contact Laura Hess, LHess4@wisc.edu Institutional Statement on Diversity: Diversity is a source of strength, creativity, and innovation for UW-Madison. We value the contributions of each person and respect the profound ways their identity, culture, background, experience, status, abilities, and opinion enrich the university community. We commit ourselves to the pursuit of excellence in teaching, research, outreach, and diversity as inextricably linked goals. The University of Wisconsin-Madison fulfills its public mission by creating a welcoming and inclusive community for people from every background - people who as students, faculty, and staff serve Wisconsin and the world. The University of Wisconsin-Madison is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to, including but not limited to, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, pregnancy, disability, or status as a protected veteran and other bases as defined by federal regulations and UW System policies. We promote excellence by acknowledging skills and expertise from all backgrounds and encourage all qualified individuals to apply. For more information regarding applicant and employee rights and to view federal and state required postings, visit the Human Resources Workplace Poster website . To request a disability or pregnancy-related accommodation for any step in the hiring process (e.g., application, interview, pre-employment testing, etc.), please contact the Divisional Disability Representative (DDR) in the division you are applying to. Please make your request as soon as possible to help the university respond most effectively to you. Employment may require a criminal background check. It may also require your references to answer questions regarding misconduct, including sexual violence and sexual harassment. The University of Wisconsin System will not reveal the identities of applicants who request confidentiality in writing, except that the identity of the successful candidate will be released. See Wis. Stat. sec. 19.36(7). The Annual Security and Fire Safety Report contains current campus safety and disciplinary policies, crime statistics for the previous 3 calendar years, and on-campus student housing fire safety policies and fire statistics for the previous 3 calendar years. UW-Madison will provide a paper copy upon request; please contact the University of Wisconsin Police Department .

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