Are you interested in a career in the eye-care industry? Texas A&M University-Texarkana, in conjunction with Texarkana Eye Associates, will offer a 15-week Ophthalmic Assistant/Optician training course.

According to a press release, the class will prepare students with the necessary skills to perform ophthalmic procedures in the office of an ophthalmologist or optometrist.

“We are excited to once again partner with Texarkana Eye Associates to offer this fantastic training opportunity,” said Shelley Caraway, executive director of Extended Education and Community Development at A&M-Texarkana. “This is our 3rd offering of this course, and the majority of our students have secured jobs in the growing eye-care industry.”

Caraway and Texarkana Eye Associates’ Dr. Nick McColley worked together to develop the course, which consists of 60 hours of classroom and 40 hours of lab completed at a Texarkana Eye Associates facility. This semester, Dr. Nick McColley will teach with course with Dr. Sean Summers.

The class will meet on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6:30PM-9:30PM from February, 6 to May 17 on the A&M-Texarkana campus.

Those who successfully complete the course and attain the required full-time hours of employment will be eligible to take either the Certified Ophthalmic Assistant (COA) exam or the Certified Paraoptometric exam. Confirming an assistant’s knowledge in 19 key areas, these are the entry-level nationally recognized designation for eye-care professionals.

The cost of the course and materials is $2,025.  For registration and additional information, contact Shelley Caraway at EECD@Tamut.edu or visit http://www.tamut.edu/eecd/Professional-Not-For-Credit-Courses-and-Certificates/Ophthalmic-Assistant-Optician.html

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