Curriculum

The first three months of the program are held in the classroom onsite at Duke Eye Center in Durham, NC.  It is a full-time experience and students must be available to be fully dedicated to the program.

• Classes are held Monday through Friday from 8am - 5pm with occasional lectures at 7 a.m. and 6 p.m.
• In depth curriculum of lectures and practical workshops.  
• Provides students with the fundamentals to begin clinical rotations. 

In the final nine months of the program, students advance their knowledge and skills through clinical rotations under the guidance and supervision of experienced ophthalmic technician staff and Duke Eye Center ophthalmologists.   

• Students must complete 1000 hours of clinic time.
• Clinical rotation sites from 8am - 4:30pm each day.
• During clinical rotations students will be required to stand for up to eight hours each day with some light lifting. 
• Reliable transportation is required in order to travel to satellite locations in the Raleigh-Durham area.

Students apply skills and gain a greater understanding of complex ophthalmic conditions while also becoming essential and valued members of our Duke Eye Center eye care teams.  

Upon successful completion of the Duke Ophthalmic Technician Program, graduates receive a certificate from the Duke University School of Medicine and are prepared to pass the IJCAHPO certification exam for ophthalmic technicians. 

To learn more about the program admissions, see the Duke University School of Medicine Bulletin.