Duke Ophthalmic Technician Program CELEBRATING 35 YEARS
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uke Eye Center is proud to have offered the Duke Ophthalmic Technician Program in partnership with Duke University School of Medicine for 35 years. The 51-week accelerated, affordable program strives to provide an exceptional education that prepares students for the certification exam for ophthalmic technicians and to excel once on the job.
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Those interested in the program should feel at ease knowing they have many career options after receiving a certified ophthalmic technician (COT) certification. Program graduates have become team leads, clinical operations managers, ophthalmic photographers among other eye care and leadership roles. Facts about the Duke Ophthalmic Technician Program:
DUKE EYE CENTER
2021
Accelerated Program. A two-year program condensed into less than a year. One of only two programs in the country that can be completed in 51 weeks. Teaching Hospital Setting. Duke is a highly ranked teaching hospital and students are able to learn from some of the leading ophthalmologist in the country. Comprehensive Multispecialty Education. OpTech students attend many educational lectures with our ophthalmology trainees, their clinical rotation schedules include every sub-specialty in ophthalmology where they spend time with world-renowned physicians known for expertise and innovative techniques. High employment rate. More than 90% of Duke graduates are working in the field as Ophthalmic Technicians within a month of graduation, with many having secured their future positions prior to graduation.
What Students Will Learn:
Technical skills to complete an eightpart eye exam, capture imaging studies, perform diagnostic testing, and assist in surgical procedures, as well as the importance of competence and accuracy. Gain an uncommon depth of knowledge of ocular anatomy, pathology, pharmacology, and medical and surgical treatment of eye disease. Rotating through their twelve clinical rotations, our students learn to be responsible, contributing members of an eye care team. Importance of reliably gathering infor mation to support the ophthalmologist, using their resources in support of their team of staff members, and gaining the knowledge and confidence to effectively educate and advocate for the patients.
WHAT FORMER STUDENTS ARE SAYING What is your favorite thing about this career? The Duke OpTech program opened my eyes to the careers available in ophthalmology and there are many different Lee Ann McKinney, COT pathways that you can take. I have experienced this first hand, starting out as a tech on the floor and progressing to Team Lead. From there, there was an additional opportunity to be clinic manager for the entire clinic. There is a lot of job security with becoming an ophthalmic technician because the field has grown so much. -Lee Ann McKinney, COT, Health Care Administrator for Duke Eye Center of Winston-Salem
