The Ophthalmic Medical Personnel Program prepares individuals to perform ophthalmic procedures under the supervision of a licensed physician specializing in Ophthalmology.

Course work includes lecture, laboratory, and clinical training in ocular measurements; ocular testing; lensometry; administering topical and oral medications; eye care; and caring for instruments.

Graduates are employed in medical institutions, clinics, or physician practices. Graduates may qualify as candidates to take the Joint Commission on Allied Health Personnel, Ophthalmology National Certification Exam. Diploma graduates may be eligible for Certified Ophthalmic Medical Assistant certification, while associate degree graduates may be eligible for Certified Ophthalmic Medical Technician certification.

Admission to Program

Prerequisites

Curriculum students should be ENG/MAT “ready” to enter ECC Health Sciences programs. For clarification, students must be eligible to take ENG-111 and/or MAT-110 with or without the RISE co-requisites by the program start date.

Prerequisite Coursework:

• BIO-094 or Test Out
• ENG-002 P2
• DMA 010-050 or MAT-003

ATI/TEAS

• Scores must be within five years of application date.
• Applicants must score 58% or higher on the Test of Essential Academic Skills (ATI/TEAS).
• If testing occurred at a site other than ECC, test results are delivered to the College through official means by the agency that administered the test. Contact atitesting.com or (800) 667-7531.
• Students must take all four sections of the ATI/TEAS.
• No more than two ATI/TEAS scores per year (July 1 - June 30), at least 28 days apart, will be eligible.

GPA

Admission GPA

• Minimum GPA of 2.5 on Ophthalmic Medical Personnel curriculum general education courses that have been completed through the fall semester.
• Highest grade attained in general education courses is used in the GPA calculation for admission.
• Overall 2.0 GPA on all attempted courses at ECC is required.

Ranking GPA

The grades in all attempted Ophthalmic Medical Personnel curriculum general education coursework will be used in the GPA calculation for ranking, including courses with grades below a “C” from any college.

Ranking Point Score

• Applicants who earn an overall ATI/TEAS score of 55% or higher are ranked based on a point score from their ATI/TEAS score, their BIO and MAT GPA, and quality points on all attempted general education coursework in the curriculum.
• The Biology and Math GPA carries greater weight in the point score than other general education courses.

Admission Steps

Step I: Application process (Due March 15, 2019)

• Complete an Ophthalmic Information Session by March 1, 2019.
• Submit all by March 15:
  • Online ECC Application for Admission
  • Official high school transcripts or equivalency
  • Partial transcript if currently enrolled in high school (final transcript must be submitted at the time of graduation)
  • Official transcripts from all colleges attended
  • Ophthalmic Medical Assistant Program Application
  • ATI/TEAS score(s) (if within the last five years) to Student Services if testing occurred at a site other than ECC results must be delivered to the College through official means by the agency that administered the test. Contact atitesting.com or (800) 667-7531.

Step II: Ranking (March 30, 2019)

• Eligible applicants are ranked according to their point score. The highest ten (10) ranked applicants who have a 2.5 Admission GPA or higher will move to Step III.
• Applicants who have a 2.5 Admissions GPA but do not have a point score high enough to move to Step III initially will remain at Step II and receive notification that they are on a waiting list (approximately three (3) weeks after letters of conditional acceptance letters go out to the top-ranked applicants). Many applicants will give up their seat for a variety of reasons, which opens up places for applicants on the waiting list.
• All applicants who remain at Step II at the end of the spring semester will have their Point Score recalculated with spring semester grades and will be re-ranked. Ranked applicants with a 2.5 Admission GPA will move to Step III as seats become available over the summer.

Step III: Conditional Acceptance (April 16 - May 16, 2019)

• The highest-ranked applicants will receive a letter of conditional acceptance and a medical form.
• Accept or reject the seat in writing to the Ophthalmic Medical Personnel Admissions Counselor by the due date.
  • Attend the mandatory Health Science Orientation.
  • Students should complete the medical form, background check, and drug screen by the due dates.
  • Applicants must maintain a 2.5 admissions GPA or higher through spring and summer terms.

Step IV: Final Acceptance

Applicants who meet the clinical agencies’ employee health standards, background, and drug screen requirements will be notified of final acceptance. The cost of meeting these requirements can be significant and final acceptance is dependent on meeting the due dates listed in the conditional acceptance letter.

Extended Admissions

If all available seats are not filled with Step III applicants, additional ATI/TEAS testing times will be posted on the Ophthalmic Medical Personnel website and in Student Services by June 1. Current applicants may retake the ATI/TEAS test for a higher score (if they have taken ATI/TEAS only once in the previous year). Ineligible applicants due to an ATI/TEAS below 55% or students who have received a waiting list letter should check the website Ophthalmic Medical Personnel by June 1 if interested in retesting. New applicants must meet with the Program Chair, complete an Ophthalmic Medical Personnel Program application, and meet all admission requirements to be eligible to fill any remaining seats in June.

Other Admission Information

Students who plan to apply for a scholarship, loan or a Pell grant should check with Financial Aid to determine eligibility after applying for FAFSA.