Lillian Kalaczinski

Dr. Lillian Kalaczinski is a Professor and Chief of Primary Care Services at the University Eye Center within the Michigan College of Optometry, Ferris State University. She teaches Public Health, Clinical Ocular Pharmacology, and co-instructs advanced courses in General Pharmacology, Advanced Ocular Disease, and Clinical Problem Solving while mentoring optometry students across all clinical years. Her career spans clinical practice, academic leadership, and national advocacy in optometric public health.

Her educational qualifications include:

• OD from Michigan College of Optometry at Ferris State University (1998)
• Primary Care Residency at Illinois College of Optometry (2000)
• MPH from Ferris State University

Dr. Kalaczinski's research centers on public health optometry with emphases on health equity, diversity initiatives, and community-based care models. She investigates disparities in vision services for underserved populations, develops cultural competence frameworks for optometric practice, and pioneers specialized clinical approaches for vulnerable groups including transgender patients and human trafficking survivors. Her work bridges clinical optometry with systemic healthcare access solutions through community health centers.

Her publication trajectory reveals a strategic evolution from foundational community health research (2009) toward contemporary diversity and inclusion scholarship, culminating in a 2025 book chapter on equity in optometric education. Recent presentations demonstrate urgent engagement with emerging public health crises like human trafficking identification and gender-affirming eye care, reflecting her commitment to expanding optometry's role in holistic patient wellbeing.

As a clinical educator, Dr. Kalaczinski directly supervises optometry students in the University Eye Center while previously building a seven-optometrist team serving 12,000+ annual patients at a Grand Rapids community health center. Her professional leadership includes Past Presidency of the Michigan Optometric Association and committee service for the American Optometric Association and National Association of Community Health Centers.

She directs integrated vision services within academic and community settings, currently leading primary care operations at Ferris State's University Eye Center while completing a fellowship focused on diversifying the optometric student pipeline through evidence-based recruitment and retention strategies.