A Full Circle Moment: From PCO Student to Resident

Meet one of the newest residents at The Eye Institute. Rachel Brodt, OD ‘26, ‘27Resident, Pennsylvania College of Optometry (PCO) at Drexel University, is a member of the Resident Class of 2027 at The Eye Institute (TEI), where she will be specializing in Primary Care/Ocular Disease.

Dr. Brodt is originally from Adna, Washington, and moved to the Philadelphia area with her husband and many cats four years ago at the start of her education at PCO.

Dr. Brodt explains why she chose to pursue a residency at TEI, PCO’s clinical facility in the Oak Lane section of Philadelphia. “TEI is where it all started. It was one of the first places I truly saw what comprehensive, medically focused eye exams look like in practice,” she said. She detailed how her past experiences at TEI motivated her to continue further speciality training with a  PCO on-campus residency: “Early on at TEI, I was exposed to a high volume of complex ocular disease, and my preceptors (PCO faculty) emphasized thorough patient centered care.”

According to Dr. Brodt, returning to TEI for residency feels like a full circle opportunity to continue developing in an environment that set the standard for her, while taking on greater responsibility and refining her own clinical decision-making skills.

Dr. Brodt is passionate about pursuing a specialty in Primary Care/Ocular Disease because she “see(s) primary care as the foundation of optometry” and “routine exams aren’t always just routine; they are often where you first catch disease and begin further management.” In addition, Dr. Brodt also expresses the balance primary optometric care provides. “I also really value the opportunity to build relationships with patients and follow them over time, whether that’s annually or more frequently for complex cases. I like that balance of providing comprehensive care while also working through more complex cases over time.”

Prior to starting her residency in July 2026,  Dr. Brodt shared she was  looking forward to continuing to grow in an environment that really challenges her clinically. “TEI has such a high volume and variety of ocular diseases, and I’m excited to keep building my clinical decision making and management skills,” she added.

In addition to enhancing her clinical skills, Dr. Brodt also looks forward to “working more closely with the attendings and co-residents and learning from their different approaches” as well as “building strong relationships within the professional community.”

She’s excited about building a stronger foundation and taking on more responsibility in patient care.

PCO  and TEI are proud to have wonderful students and residents such as Dr. Brodt and wish all of residents well during their time here.