Northern Essex Community College has created an ophthalmic assistant certificate program through its iHealth@NECC program on the Lawrence campus next door to Andover.
This nine-month program will be offered beginning in the fall of 2013.
Ophthalmic assistants gather medical histories, conduct vision tests, coordinate patient schedules, and assist eye doctors with various procedural and clerical duties. They work in a variety of health care settings including ophthalmologist’s offices, hospitals and clinics.
The program integrates classroom theory, laboratory experience, and clinical practice to prepare students for employment in an ophthalmic clinical setting.
Per accreditation standards, students must complete a minimum of 80 hours of course work and 480 hours of supervised, full-time clinical experience.
Students enrolled in the Ophthalmic Assistant Program complete most of their course work in online courses and come to the iHealth@NECC facility on the Lawrence campus once or twice a week for in-class meetings and laboratory sessions.
For more information, contact Nancy Garcia at ngarcia@necc.mass.edu or 978-738-7493.
