Certification Scholarships

 

Certification Scholarships: 16 scholarships ranging from $100 to $275 and totaling $3,325 were awarded in 2009 to ophthalmic medical personnel writing winning essays titled, "Certification: A Stepping Stone to My Future." Scholarships are for assistance with examination fees for those wishing to advance in the field.

 

2010 guidelines, application, and release form are available from these links. Applications must be postmarked by April 23, 2010.

 

Applications for 2011 Scholarships will be available by January 31, 2011.

 

2009 Winners and Excerpts

Why Certification is Important to Me

• "I pride myself in being a diligent worker and a good role model for my family. I have worked very hard to provide for my family and have impressed upon them the importance of education. Working in ophthalmology has opened up new doors for me and has created an urge for me to want to learn more. By becoming certified, I know that I will be able to do just that."
  Maria Lara Juarez - San Jose, CA
• "Over the past few years, I've realized that getting my COT certification is important because this is not just a job that I come to every day. I truly enjoy what I do. I love working with the patients and making a difference in their lives. I feel I owe it to myself, my employer and our patients to move forward with my education."
  Melanie Travis, COA - White, GA
• "Education is a vital key to life; without it one's mind goes into a dormant, ineffectual state. As I mature, I am learning that life tends to be one lengthy exam. I feel that advancing my education by earning ocular certification will help me in the 'everyday' tests that life has to offer."
  Paige Rahe - Prescott, AZ
• "The possibilities are endless into which specialty field you can get into in this industry, and I personally would love the opportunity to have credentials to go along with a great career opportunity."
  Patricia Burghardt - Toledo, OH
• "COA shows patients, and myself that I have more than just an ordinary job. I want to have the knowledge and confidence to give an answer when a patient asks me a question. I want to be able to answer patients in a way that they can easily understand what I explain to them. I want to give patients the feeling that they are in good professional care."
  Amy Flynn - St. Mary's, PA
• "I have not felt as passionate about a job as I do ophthalmology. Being that sight is the most dominant of the senses, people come into our retinal specialty practice in a fragile emotional state when this sense is compromised. It feels good working with these patients, to be able to support them, and most importantly provide the best quality service I can provide. Being certified helps me achieve this."
  Tina Grember, COA - Las Vegas, NV
• "My commitment to my education is strong and I will earn my certification with the skills and experience to build a successful career. I feel such relief and gratitude to know that I have found my calling, I am eager to begin this new stage of my education."
  Jennifer Hewitt - Rochester, MN
• "The reason why Ophthalmic Certification is important to me is primarily because I want to represent the practice with the pride and dignity of being certified."
  Francine Kelley - Winter Park, FL
• "The greatest reason that certification is important to me is that I want to be exceedingly good at my job. Certification gives me the knowledge and tools that I need to be successful in my position and also allows me to provide better than patient care. This enthusiasm for ophthalmology and the desire to be as qualifies as I can be in my position is the reason certification is so valuable to me."
  Bethanie Hulbert - Charleston, SC
• "Obtaining certification will be the truest testament of my personal pride in the field and will be a reflection of my achievement, because it displays and confirms my competence in the field by meeting the standards and requirements established by the JCAHPO board. It will give me the confidence to provide exceptional patient care, improve my skills and knowledge, prepare me for enhanced job satisfaction, and future career success."
  Abel Perez - Abilene, TX
• "One of the rare opportunities available to me because I work in a military teaching facility has been to assist during ocular surgery. Although I am new to the OR, it has grabbed a hold of my enthusiasm as nothing else has and solidified the reason for me to achieve my certification." Briana Seeley - Bellevue, NE
• "In my eyes, being certified gives the patients more confidence that you know your job and you are giving them the best care possible. The patients are what makes my job complete. There are no two patients that are the same. They all have different complaints and different diagnoses. That is why I feel it is crucial to go for another certification."
  Diana Smith, COA - Cartersville, GA
• "Being in the ophthalmology department has taught me how complex the eye actually is. I have had many other opportunities to transfer into other departments, but the eye is too appealing to me to leave. I know I am ready to take the next step and further my skills and knowledge."
  Lazantriel Nelson - Milpitas, CA
• "I feel certification is important to me because I want to go to the next level of my proficiency. I feel enthusiastic about furthering my knowledge and skills. With the explosion of new technology in ophthalmology, I know there will be lots to learn. I am very excited and willing to utilize these skills to the fullest."
  Melissa Loomis - San Jose, CA
• "I have had the benefits of being a Certified Ophthalmic Assistant (COA) for many years and look forward to earning my COT level certification soon. I am honored to be able to help patients, as well as, teach and inspire new employees about this fascinating field."
  Sally Ellen Scanlon, COA - Fort Meyers Beach, FL
• "I really do want to get my COA certification and then hopefully get to the COT next. Being certified helps me feel more confident in giving great patient care. In addition it is letting my doctor know he has a qualified person in him employ. I like the idea that the certification is an ongoing commitment and you have to be recertified every three years. This means I will continue to be on the cutting edge of ophthalmology."
  Jodie Martinelli - San Jose, CA