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To better support clinics and their teams, the Ophthalmic Medical Technician (OPMT) Program at Alexandria Technical & Community College now offers a new flexible training: individual ophthalmic courses that can be taken out of sequence.

The OPMT program is delivered in a hybrid online format, allowing students to complete didactic coursework remotely while gaining hands on clinical experience in their local ophthalmology practices. This structure makes the program accessible to students across the United States in states that accept the program, expanding workforce development opportunities beyond a single geographic region, while maintaining strong clinical partnerships.

What Does This Mean for Clinics? 

Rather than enrolling staff in a full degree program, clinics can now select targeted coursework that aligns with their immediate training needs. This allows practices to focus on specific skill gaps or onboarding priorities, without waiting for staff to complete a traditional academic sequence. 

Whether you are:  

• Training a newly hired technician 

• Cross training staff for expanded responsibilities 

• Reinforcing foundational ophthalmic knowledge 

• Enhancing clinical proficiency for current technicians 

This flexible structure offers a practical, efficient solution to ophthalmic staffing needs. 

Built for Real-World Ophthalmic Clinics 

OPMT program courses are designed by experienced ophthalmic educators and aligned with IJCAHPO and industry expectations. Content emphasizes technical skills, theoretical knowledge, and clinical applications, helping staff not just perform tasks, but understand the ‘why’ behind them. 

Clinical course topics may include areas such as: 

• Ophthalmic anatomy and physiology 

• Ophthalmic imaging 

• Physical and clinical optics 

• Ocular motility testing 

• Eye diseases 

• Ophthalmic triage   

Clinical courses follow a semester-long format and are each delivered through sixteen structured weekly modules within our secure Brightspace D2L platform. Offered once per year in either the fall or spring semester, this format supports consistent progression, meaningful faculty engagement, and clear competency development.

Students enroll at  Alexandria Technical & Community College as visiting students and academic credit for completing individual OPMT clinical courses. This structure allows clinics to strengthen specific clinical competencies without requiring full degree enrollment, while still preserving the option for students to transition into the complete program in the future.

Since clinical courses can now be taken out of sequence, clinics can customize training based on their workflow and staffing model. You can find our full ophthalmic curriculum here (clinical courses in the curriculum begin with the prefix: OPMT).

A Partnership Approach to Workforce Development 

This option reflects the OPMT program’s commitment to working with clinics, not just educating students. We recognize that every practice is different, and effective training should be flexible, responsive, and aligned with real clinical needs. 

By partnering with us, clinics gain access to: 

• Structured, ophthalmology-specific education 

• Flexible learning options for busy staff 

• An academic partner invested in workforce readiness 

Our goal is to support clinics as they build confident, capable teams, now and into the future. 

Let’s Talk About Your Training Needs 

If your clinic is looking for ways to strengthen staff skills, support onboarding, or invest in professional development, we would love to connect. 

Visit alextech.edu/opmt to explore the program or contact Ophthalmic Program Director Kimberly Barblock at kimberly.barblock@alextech.edu, to start the conversation, learn more about available, flexible OPMT courses and how we can support your team.