It’s 2024!!! What will this year bring for you and your students?
Hello all,
I want to take this time to THANK YOU for everything you do for your students, your organization and our field. I know many of us have such a passion for eyes. Over the years we have seen so many changes in patient care; new medications, new treatments, new equipment and the list keeps going. What will this year bring for you and students? Are you planning new competencies? Are you starting a new program? Did you find a new resource for instruction? Let’s all work together to be innovative and communicate our successes.
Our college opened our very own eye clinic on campus. We see patients every Wednesday with the help of faculty, volunteer opticians, and physicians. The students apply their skills as they learn them in their didactic and lab classes. We use the on-campus clinic as a practicum site as well. Our patients consist of uninsured, low income individuals in the community as well as our college students in need. We partner with local nonprofits including domestic abuse shelters, homeless shelters, transition housing, recovery centers and other free clinics. This service provides a free comprehensive exam and one free pair of glasses. Through donations from the community the patient has no cost. Our students run the clinic eventually under the supervision of faculty and physicians. We are so proud to provide services to the community and provide our students with one on one training.
As your President, I am honored to be in this leadership role for another year. I encourage everyone to get involved in COTP.
As we go along, we would love to hear about all your student’s success so please email [email protected] with your stories.
I wish everyone the best of times.
Kathleen Rodgers Thompson, COT
2024 COTP President