Resident Class of 2022: Dr. Kevin Feng

Although Kevin Feng, OD ‘21, ‘22Resident, always knew he wanted a career in healthcare, he didn’t consider the optometry profession right away. After high school, the Long Island, New York, native enrolled in pharmacy school, completing a year before deciding pharmacology wasn’t the right direction for him.

While Dr. Feng was researching other educational pathways to healthcare careers, the idea to pursue optometry was inspired by Dr. Feng’s aunt, who is also an optometrist. So, Dr. Feng applied and was accepted into a seven-year optometry program, starting at the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (MCPHS) where he earned his Bachelor of Science in premedical health studies before completing his Doctor of Optometry (OD) degree at the Pennsylvania College of Optometry (PCO) at Salus in 2021.

Today, as one of PCO’s current residents whose specialty is cornea and contact lens, it’s a decision he doesn’t regret.

“What I love about optometry, for me more specifically, is that I can improve one's vision through specialty contact lenses,” he said. “Not only can they see great, but also, I can change their livelihood, meaning that sometimes they can go from being illegal to drive, to being legal to drive, or doing the things they love to enjoy.”

During his residency, which started in early July, Dr. Feng spends three days a week at The Eye Institute (TEI), the main clinical facility of PCO/Salus, and three days a week at the private office of the corneal/anterior segment disease specialist, Dr. James Lewis, a PCO/Salus consulting ophthalmologist in Elkins Park, Pennsylvania. At TEI, Dr. Feng gets the added value of honing his contact lens skills in an academic setting while working at the private practice gives him a lot of exposure to a variety of corneal cases, cataract surgery and anterior segment disease. 

Since Dr. Feng is a recent graduate of PCO/Salus, he knew what to expect from the residency program.

“I want to become as good as I can in both specialties,” he said. “Also, I love learning from the best. So, we have some of the best faculty here.”

Dr. Feng is also excited about the precepting portion of his residency. “I love being able to teach. It helps me understand the material even more,” he said. “Helping them learn helps me learn as well.”

Teaching is a passion that could even inspire Dr. Feng’s future plans as his current professional interests surround research and academia. However, as an Asian American, Dr. Feng also wants to use his optometric knowledge and skills to make a difference in his community.

“I also really enjoy myopia, or nearsightedness, control because I'm Asian and it’s rampant in our community,” he said. “So, I want to be able to give back to my community and help a younger Asian, or any one in general.