ACET focuses on next generation of eye care technicians
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Key takeaways:
- The American College of Eye Technicians focuses on recruitment of new talent into the field of ophthalmic assisting.
- Students receive assistance with job placement in eye care practices.
More tasks in ophthalmology practices are being delegated to eye care technicians, but technicians are becoming harder and harder to find.
“There’s always been a shortage of ophthalmic assistants. However, the scarcity has become magnified since the pandemic,” Cynthia Matossian, MD, FACS, told Healio. “We have more pieces of equipment. We have more ways to diagnose, image, record and enter information into the electronic medical record. All of these are critically important steps in a patient’s journey within the office, and often, they are completed by our trained technicians.”
To help satisfy this unmet need, Matossian and Patricia M. Morris, MBA, COE, cofounded the American College of Eye Technicians (ACET) to raise awareness of this career opportunity and to teach the next generation of ophthalmic and optometric staff.
“We pronounce it ‘asset,’” Matossian said. “It’s a play on words because every technician is truly an asset to every practice and to every physician with whom they work.”
ACET is a nonprofit organization that focuses on recruitment of de novo talent into the field of eye care assisting. ACET provides an 8-week online course for aspiring eye care technicians to ensure greater success with the transition of its graduates into a practice.
“It’s fully facilitated, so students are investing about 2 hours a week just in the live lecture session,” Morris said. “Then, there are homework and quizzes along the way.”
Matossian said the content of the course mirrors what is offered by the American Academy of Ophthalmology Ophthalmic Medical Assisting course and is taught by a certified ophthalmic trainer. Students then have the opportunity to become a certified ophthalmic assistant, a springboard they can use to advance their career.
“We are exposing our students to different concepts of certification through the Joint Commission on Allied Health Personnel in Ophthalmology and additional training through other programs,” Matossian said. “We are at the widest part of the funnel. We siphon these people into the world of ophthalmic or optometric technicians and bring them into the fold.”
Training prospective technicians is only part of ACET’s mission; through a strategic partner and at no charge to students, the organization can help them find employment and introduce them to eye care as a career. People may not understand the opportunities available, Morris said.
“At a recent presentation, I asked how many people in the group wanted to be in ophthalmology when they grew up,” she said. “No hands are ever raised because unless you’re the son or daughter of an ophthalmologist, you’ve never heard of it before. What’s amazing about ACET is that it brings awareness to this industry, and it allows people to really plan a career.”
Morris said the course is open to anyone. Recruits include high school graduates, people coming out of the military and individuals returning to the workforce.
Once students complete the course, Matossian and Morris work on getting them placed in a job at an eye care practice based on their geographic and career preferences.
“Depending on that person’s initiative, drive, interest and passion, the sky is the limit,” Mastossian said.
Even when students enter on the tech side of a practice, Morris said there are a lot of opportunities for them to advance and transform their career.
“You could stay in the clinic if you love patient care, but there’s also an opportunity to branch off into clinical application specialists with medical device companies,” she said. “You can go in the pharmaceutical direction. You can go in the research direction. There are so many places to go when you have sure footing and a great foundation. That’s really what we provide.”
For more information:
Cynthia Matossian, MD, FACS, founder of Matossian Eye Associates, can be reached at cmatossianmd@icloud.com.
Patricia M. Morris, MBA, COE, founder and principal consultant for PMCOE/Excellence in Eye Care, can be reached at pat@4pmcoe1.com.
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