Pediatric Ophthalmologist Jobs & Partnerships

Written by Drew Caldwell
Founder & President, OjO Recruitment Agency
Last updated: October 2026

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For the surgeon you are today, and the one you’re becoming.

Search OjO’s Pediatric Ophthalmologist Jobs & Partnership Positions

Where You Practice Can Make a Lasting Difference

Pediatric ophthalmologists are very special people. They’re also among the rarest specialists in medicine- roughly 1,000 practicing in the entire United States, about one for every 130,000 Americans. Nearly 90% of U.S. counties don’t have a single one. If you’re reading this, you’re part of one of the smallest, most geographically scarce subspecialties in ophthalmology, which means the choice of where you practice can shape a whole region’s access to children’s eye care.

The importance of that work becomes clear in a child’s life. Your work calls for precision, patience, and an ability to earn the trust of children and the parents who worry about them. You’re often the doctor who catches amblyopia early enough to actually reverse it, before a child’s brain permanently favors one eye over the other. You manage retinopathy of prematurity in the NICU, where a missed visit can mean the difference between a baby keeping their sight and losing it. You correct a congenital cataract before it can block the visual development a child only gets one chance to build. You straighten a child’s eyes so they stop being teased at school and start making eye contact with confidence. And for the adults who come to you with lifelong strabismus, you offer a kind of correction no one else in their care team is trained to give.

Career changes are deeply personal, and the ideal role looks different for every physician reading this. Some of you are finishing AAPOS training and imagining your first practice after fellowship. Others have been practicing for years and are quietly wondering whether there’s a better fit elsewhere. Wherever you’re starting from, the question underneath it is the same: what does the work actually need to look like for you to build the career you’re imagining?

What kind of practice do you want?

Would you enjoy a practice centered on general pediatric eye care and routine strabismus? How much complex or adult strabismus, pediatric cataract, or ROP work do you want? Is academic teaching or research part of the career you’ve imagined, or work you’d rather leave to others?

Think about the setting too: a multispecialty group offers familiar colleagues and internal referrals; a dedicated pediatric ophthalmology practice may give you partners who share your surgical interests and a built-in referral network for complex cases; a children’s hospital or academic center brings more complex disease, teaching, research, and NICU access — along with the demands that come with them; and a physician-owned practice versus a larger organization differ in how decisions get made and how a new service grows.

Some pediatric ophthalmologists want a degree of general ophthalmology in their work week; others want their schedule devoted entirely to pediatric and strabismus care. That distinction matters most in a multispecialty group still building its pediatric service- the practice may have patients to send you right away, but referrals from local pediatricians and other ophthalmologists can take time to grow. A steady base of general ophthalmology patients in the meantime may give you a fuller schedule and stable earnings. Ask how much pediatric volume exists today, what the group is doing to grow it, and how your schedule might change as it does.

Where will your cases come from?

“Strong referral base” sounds reassuring, but it’s worth exploring what it actually means for your schedule — practices say this in good faith, but “strong” can mean very different things depending on who’s counting.

How many pediatric patients does the group currently see or refer elsewhere, and for which conditions — routine strabismus, amblyopia, ROP, congenital cataract? Are colleagues ready to refer those patients to you, and how will the handoff happen? Is an established pediatric ophthalmologist in the practice or region retiring or reducing work — and if so, which patients and referring relationships could realistically transition to you?

Look beyond the practice’s own doctors, too. Referrals may come from pediatricians, family medicine physicians, neonatologists, comprehensive ophthalmologists, optometrists, and school vision screening programs. Find out which of these relationships already exist and which you’d be expected to cultivate and nurture. If the group talks about untapped demand; a region with no pediatric ophthalmologist within an hour’s drive, for instance- ask what they’ve actually observed or tracked to legitimize their need for this opportunity.

An existing patient need is encouraging. So is a practice whose belief in that unmet demand is strong enough to invest in building the service from scratch. They’re different starting points, and knowing which one you’re walking into changes what your first few years will feel like. Ask what your clinic and surgical volume might realistically look like in the first twelve months, and who will be in your corner helping you get there- in other words, how will the group keep the pediatric service a priority as it grows?

Will you have the space, staff, and surgical access to do the work?

Think through a real patient visit. Pediatric exams take longer and require staff who have a heart for children- who helps you with that, and how is the office actually set up for it? Who handles orthoptic testing, patching compliance, and ongoing communication with parents, schools and pediatricians?

Then look at where you’d operate. What OR access do you have for pediatric cases, including the pediatric anesthesia support that’s essential and sometimes hard to secure? If you want to do complex strabismus or pediatric cataract surgery, ask about privileges, equipment, and the other specialists — pediatric anesthesiologists, geneticists, neurologists you may need beside you.

If the group wants you to develop new work, ask what it’s prepared to invest, who will make that decision, and when. A promise to build ROP call coverage or add pediatric OR block time is only as reassuring as the plan and budget behind it. Ask what’s already been approved versus an idea in early development. You want to know in advance, that the patients are there as well as the necessary infrastructure to provide exceptional care.

How will the job fit the life you want?

Work-life balance is one of the top priorities for the candidates we work with, and for pediatric ophthalmologists, call deserves particular scrutiny — ROP and NICU coverage can mean nights, urgent same-day visits, and travel between sites in a way general ophthalmology call doesn’t. Does the position include ROP call, hospital call, or urgent postoperative coverage? How often, and who shares that load with you- a 1-in-2 rotation feels very different from 1-in-4. What happens when you take vacation or need time for your family?

Spend time with the people you’d work beside: ophthalmologists, optometrists, orthoptists, technicians, surgical coordinators, administrators, and, if possible, referring pediatricians. How are cases shared? Can colleagues talk through a difficult case together? Do they understand the extra time pediatric visits and complex strabismus consultations require?

For many surgeons we work with, location isn’t a secondary consideration, it’s the first box that has to be checked. Good schools, proximity to family, climate, cost of living, a partner’s own career: these aren’t extras layered on top of a great offer, they’re often the biggest driver of making a move. A beautiful practice and a generous package can’t answer every question about where you and your family will actually feel at home, and that feeling matters as much as anything on the term sheet.

How should you compare compensation and partnership?

Compensation conversations can feel a little unnatural- even intimidating, but the best ones reveal how a practice actually thinks about supporting your work- both now and as your caseload grows. Start with the guaranteed pay, but ask what sits behind it: how and when productivity incentives begin, and whether they’re based on collections, RVUs, or another measure. Pediatric eye care often requires additional time for examination, alignment measurements, and conversations with families. Reimbursement may not fully reflect that work, so realistic scheduling and thoughtful clinical support matter — so ask directly how the compensation model accounts for that difference.

If pediatric ophthalmology will be a new service line for the practice, ask how you’ll be supported financially in the early months or the first year while the specialty is still building volume — a guaranteed base period or a ramp-up structure are all reasonable things to ask for specifically. Look at the full offer: benefits, time off, CME, relocation or sign-on bonuses, loan repayment, call responsibilities, stipends and any resources promised for building the service. If the group projects your future income, ask which patients and procedures already exist today and which depend on growth that hasn’t happened yet.

If partnership interests you, ask what you might own and when — the medical practice, an ASC, real estate, or other assets — and whether you’d be a minority shareholder or full equity owner. How would a buy-in be valued (a multiple of earnings, a fixed formula, an independent appraisal), and what decisions would you actually have a voice in once you’re a partner? Ask what happened for the practice’s last associate who came up for partnership; a concrete precedent, with real numbers and a real timeline, is worth more than a description of “a path to ownership.” Some excellent positions are employed roles without ownership; others offer a meaningful path to it. What matters most is that the arrangement fits your goals and is put in writing plainly. Our ophthalmology partnership guide can help you dig deeper into how buy-ins typically work.

Your First Job—or Your Next Chapter?

Coming out of fellowship, it’s natural to pay close attention to salary. But an experienced pediatric ophthalmologist who owns her own practice recently reminded us how much a talented, accessible mentor can matter in those first years.

As an illustration, she described the nuanced decisions involved in strabismus surgery; which muscles to operate on, how much to adjust, and how to approach each patient’s particular situation. In her experience, developing a deeper sense of surgical confidence can take three years or more in practice. If she were advising a fellow choosing a first job, she would encourage them to look beyond the paycheck and give serious consideration to the surgeon they would be learning from.

That’s a useful lens for your interviews. Who would help you think through a challenging surgical plan? Could you review cases together or operate alongside an experienced pediatric ophthalmologist? Does that physician enjoy teaching, and will there be time for it? Ask what mentorship would actually look like during an ordinary week. Your first position should give you room to contribute and experienced support as you continue to grow.

Our ophthalmology interview guide offers more questions worth bringing to a visit.

If you’ve been practicing for years, you bring a clearer sense of what you enjoy—and what you’d like to change. What would make leaving your patients and colleagues worthwhile? Perhaps it’s more time for the work you love, greater influence over your schedule, or a chance to build something with people you respect. A move can make sense even when your current job is going well. Take time to understand what you’d be moving toward.

A Quick Recap: Questions to Bring to Your Interviews

We’ve covered a lot. Here are a few of the key questions gathered in one place for your next conversation with a practice:

• Could you walk me through a typical clinic and surgical week?
• Which patients and referral relationships are already established, and what would I help develop?
• What staff, pediatric anesthesia, and OR support would be available?
• What would ROP, NICU, and hospital coverage involve, and who would share it?
• How would compensation work while I’m getting established?
• If partnership is available, what are the timeline and financial terms?
• What would a successful first year look like to the group?

You don’t need to ask everything at once. Let the conversation develop, and spend more time on the answers that matter most to your decision.

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Frequently asked questions about pediatric ophthalmologist jobs

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Do I need AAPOS-approved fellowship training for every pediatric ophthalmology job?

Most positions expect one year of fellowship training in an AAPOS-approved program, since this is the primary training pathway in the subspecialty.

Will I be expected to take ROP or NICU call?

It depends on the job. Some practices need a surgeon to take on ROP screening and treatment; others focus on general pediatric and strabismus care without NICU responsibilities. Ask directly what call would involve and how it’s shared among physicians.

Can I build a pediatric ophthalmology practice within a multispecialty ophthalmology group?

Yes. Colleagues may already see patients who need your care, and a group can help introduce you to its patients and referring pediatricians. Find out how many cases are currently referred out, how internal referrals would work, and what support the group can provide beyond its own patient base.

Do pediatric ophthalmologist jobs offer partnership?

Some do. Partnership may involve ownership in the medical practice, an ASC, real estate, or other interests, and the timeline and buy-in vary by practice. Ask what happened for previous associates and get the written terms — a clearly defined, transparent ownership path should be presented to you, not just implied.

Let’s talk about the jobs and partnerships that fit you as a person and as a provider.

Maybe you’re nearing the end of fellowship. Maybe you’ve built a good practice and are wondering what the next chapter could look like. Either way, we’d be glad to hear what matters to you and help you explore opportunities thoughtfully.

Explore current ophthalmology jobs.

Feel free to reach out to Drew Caldwell at OjO for assistance in your job or partnership opportunity search: Drew@ojorecruiting.com All inquiries are confidential and there is no cost to candidates.

About the Author

Drew Caldwell is the Founder of OjO Recruitment Agency and has spent more than 17 years specializing in ophthalmology and optometry recruitment. OjO works with ophthalmologists, optometrists, private practices, private equity backed organizations health systems, academic centers, and other eye-care employers nationwide.