The Duke Ophthalmic Technician Program is
· A professional certificate program through the Duke School of Medicine
· Accessible: No pre-requisite college level courses are required, but it is always helpful to see an applicant with a history of successful academic performance at the high school or college level.
· Affordable: Tuition for 2019-2020 is $9000.00 plus books, student fees, and if necessary, insurance.
· Accelerated: The program is completed in 51 weeks with a program from January until December 2019, or from July 2019 until June 2020. We are one of only two, one-year COT programs in the country.
· Accredited: We are fully accredited through the International Council for Accreditation for Allied Ophthalmic Education Programs and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.
Certified Allied Ophthalmic Personnel are in demand. The most recent information from November 2017 indicates that there are a total of 25,257 certified allied ophthalmic personnel worldwide to support over 200,000 practicing ophthalmologists. This represents a significant staffing shortage and with an aging population, the demand for skilled, certified allied ophthalmic personnel will be even greater in the future.
Certified Ophthalmic Technicians enjoy a wonderful, demanding career that challenges them to seek to improve their knowledge and skills set. New technology is always on the horizon so learning is a continual pursuit and the work never becomes stale or mundane. It’s a very satisfying career as COTs are part of a team of professionals who work together to help our patients, some of whom are in desperate situations. It provides a good work/life balance, as the work schedule is typically Monday through Friday from 8:00 to 5:00, with an occasional late evening. The pay and benefits are very good and the working conditions are excellent. Being a COT is also an excellent career from which to launch into a variety of other careers in the eye care industry.
Duke-trained ophthalmic technicians are sought after because our ophthalmic technician students are trained by some of the best ophthalmologists in the world. Currently Duke Ophthalmology is ranked #6 in ophthalmology training programs nationwide. Because of our program’s rich educational resources, world renowned ophthalmologists providing weekly lectures, and our skilled technician staff mentoring our students through twelve clinical rotations, employers know our ophthalmic technician students have received quality training and will be an asset to their practice.
See the brochures below of Ms. O'Kane for more information.
