See yourself as an eye care professional? Ophthalmologists in hospitals and private practices all over the United States employ ophthalmic medical technicians to assist in caring for patients with eye disease or injury. They initiate patient exams, measure and record visual status, perform diagnostic procedures, assist in clinical and surgical settings, and are valuable members of the eye care team. Duke Eye Center, a top-five ranked ophthalmology facility, recognizes the need for well-trained ophthalmic medical technicians, and has sponsored this accredited, one-year, technician-level certificate course for more than 20 years.

 

Students enroll for 51 weeks of full-time instruction. The first three months are devoted to a core curriculum of classroom work with practical laboratories and hands-on experience under the guidance and supervision of skilled clinical staff and Duke physicians. In subsequent months, students continue to attend classes and workshops and rotate through the Eye Center’s clinics. Students become active members of the patient care team. Upon successful completion of the one-year Ophthalmic Medical Technician Training Program, graduates receive a certificate from Duke Medical Center and are qualified to apply for the Certified Ophthalmic Technician national examination administered by the Joint Commission on Allied Health Personnel in Ophthalmology (JCAHPO).

 

 

2008 OpTech Graduates
Summer Stevens (right), OpTech student, administers an eye exam to Karen Clemmons of anesthesiology on October 29 during the LIVE FOR LIFE health fair in the Searle Center.