Academics

• Overview
• Accreditation & Licensure
• Program Effectiveness
• Program Requirements
• Physical Demands
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Career Information
• Paying for College

Program Effectiveness

The Opticianry Program conducts a comprehensive annual review of its mission, goals, and program learning outcomes to evaluate overall program effectiveness and support continuous quality improvement. The review process begins each fall and involves collaboration among program faculty, staff, and the clinical supervisor. Program personnel assess the extent to which the program is achieving its mission and educational goals through the analysis of multiple outcome measures, including national certification examination pass rates, state licensure examination pass rates, employer/preceptor survey results, and other relevant assessment data.

The Faculty conduct a systematic review of the curriculum, including both didactic and laboratory components, to ensure that course content remains current, relevant, and aligned with program learning outcomes and industry standards. Clinical education experiences and patient care interactions are also evaluated by program personnel to ensure that students are provided with effective experiential learning opportunities and that multiple stakeholder perspectives are incorporated into the review process.

Following the internal program review, assessment findings and recommendations are presented to the Program Advisory Committee. The Advisory Committee reviews program outcomes, including certification and licensure examination results, employer/preceptor feedback, and graduate satisfaction survey data. Committee members provide valuable input regarding program strengths, areas for improvement, workforce needs, and the program’s effectiveness in meeting its stated mission, goals, and learning outcomes.

The faculty, staff, administration, and Advisory Committee collectively engage in an ongoing evaluation process to monitor program quality and effectiveness. This process includes the identification of program strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and challenges, as well as the development of action plans designed to enhance student success and program outcomes. The results of these evaluations are used to support evidence-based decision-making, foster continuous improvement, and ensure alignment with institutional priorities and strategic objectives, including the goals of Miami Dade College.

Mission Statement

The Mission of the Opticianry Program is to provide high-quality education that prepares students for competent, ethical, and professional practice in the field of opticianry. Through excellence in teaching, clinical training, and community engagement, the program promotes lifelong learning and contributes to the delivery of quality eye care services to the communities it serves.

The Mission of Medical Campus is to provide students with affordable, accessible, quality education in health care careers. Faculty and staff strive to respond to the changing needs of students, health care providers, and health care consumers in the community at large through collaboration with health care and business communities. The Campus provides an environment that is conductive to learning by recognizing and responding to the diverse learning styles, cultures, and resources of its students.

The Mission of the School of Health Sciences is to provide excellent, affordable, accessible health care education and promotes quality health care services in our community.

Goals

The Opticianry program is designed to prepare students with the necessary knowledge and understanding of the specialized skills required for their vision care careers and to provide them with a foundation in general education.

The Miami Dade College program acknowledges the interdependency of the three Os: Opticianry, Optometry, and Ophthalmology. A multi-disciplinary approach recognizes that ophthalmic health care professionals do not work in isolation from one another. This educational concept fosters mutual respect among the various vision care providers and is directed toward providing graduates with marketable skills so they can become productive members of the community.

Traditionally, Opticianry, Optometry, and Ophthalmology have developed separate training programs as independent, rather than cooperative, endeavors to educate opticians, optometric technicians, and ophthalmic medical assistants at the community college level. A review of the educational requirements of these three professional groups demonstrates many shared areas of instruction.

The goals of the Opticianry program include the student, faculty, institution, and community.

1. Student goals:
   1. Accomplish the educational objectives of each course, meet and exceed established course competencies, and fulfill the criteria used to evaluate student success.
   2. Develop professional attitudes and the discipline necessary for success in the vision care professions.
   3. Demonstrate effective written, oral, and reading communication skills with patients/clients, other health care providers, and the community as a learning outcome.
2. Faculty goals:
   1. Provide teaching/learning experiences for students which develop specific knowledge of concepts and skills pertaining to the community served by the institution.
   2. Develop and define the objectives of each course, including laboratory and clinical experiences.
   3. Faculty goals also include developing methods and tools to measure students' achievement.
3. Educational institution goals:
   1. Maintain accreditation of the Opticianry Program.
   2. Prepare the students to successfully pass the American Board of Opticianry National Exams and the Florida Board of Opticianry License state examination.
   3. Provide a vision care professional with a broad educational background to protect the health, safety, and welfare of the public.
   4. Provide the graduates with a sound background for their future education, life pursuits, and to compete in today's global economy.
4. Community related goals:
   1. Provide the ophthalmic community with a skilled graduate qualified by academic and clinical training to fulfill the duties and responsibilities of a vision care technician or optician.
   2. Promote cooperation among the vision care industry that will utilize and recognize the graduates' skills.
   3. Eliminate hazardous waste and reduce non-hazardous waste to the minimum levels economically and technically practical, and to be in full compliance with all federal and state environmental regulations.

Opticianry Program Learning Objectives:

Upon successful completion of the Opticianry Program, graduates will be able to:

1. Perform ophthalmic dispensing procedures, including frame and lens selection, fitting, adjustment, and verification, in accordance with professional standards.
2. Interpret and apply ophthalmic prescriptions accurately and safely.
3. Utilize ophthalmic instruments, equipment, and technologies competently in the provision of vision care services.
4. Demonstrate effective communication skills when interacting with patients, healthcare providers, employers, and members of the community.
5. Apply ethical, legal, and professional principles in the delivery of patient-centered care.
6. Demonstrate critical thinking and problem-solving skills in optical dispensing and patient care situations.
7. Adhere to safety, infection control, and regulatory requirements applicable to opticianry practice.
8. Exhibit professionalism, accountability, and lifelong learning behaviors consistent with the expectations of the optical profession.