What Do You Do?
When people ask me what I do, my first thought is always that I am an ophthalmic technician, and then I am also; a coder, a biller, a quality improvement, a revenue integrity manager, consultant, educator, etc. A tech first, that is where it all started in ophthalmology for me. Being an ophthalmic technician and helping physicians take care of patients is the foundation of my career and who I am. Here are a few tips that I learned so far in my ophthalmic career journey.
Tip: Connect to Your Why and Commit to Stay
I started my career as an ophthalmic medical specialist six months after completing my bachelor of science degree.
I was an optician at my local retail store as an undergraduate, enjoying fitting and fixing glasses and loving patient interaction in performing the pretesting services, autorefraction and air puff tonometry (aka reflex checker), as well as teaching patients about contact lens insertion and removal. I did not enjoy selling glasses but was fortunate that my compensation was not directly tied to my sales performance. I came to realize during my optician years that I wanted to go into the business of helping people see better.
One of my last credits as an undergraduate involved hands-on experience running a 3D OCT machine for a clinical study. It was then that I was first exposed to the world of ophthalmic medical assisting. I was amazed by the full-time ophthalmic imagers and technicians that I observed while studying and waiting for the clinical studies patients. They were the lifeblood of the clinic and seemed to be everywhere and doing everything.
After graduation and a brief job helping an academic ophthalmologist become established with another academic institution in a nearby state, I applied for and then accepted a position as an ophthalmic medical assistant at the Moran Eye Center in Salt Lake City. That day almost 15 years ago was the beginning of what will be a life-long career in ophthalmology. I have worn several different hats along my journey and was offered opportunities to branch out to other departments and specialties, but I am here to stay.
Tip: Lifelong Learning Adds to Your Marketability
After a year of working in clinics as an ophthalmic medical assistant, I passed the certified ophthalmic assistant (COA) test, which was required by my employer. It boosted my confidence and was something that I was certainly proud of achieving. Fast forward a year, and a new pediatric satellite clinic needed a technician a few times a week. I jumped at the chance to learn more about that specialty (I had two small children of my own) and to have a shorter commute on those days.
It was hard to leave that position just months later when I was offered an opportunity to supervise the technician team at the main location. I enjoyed being a working supervisor and leading by example. However, the work/life balance was starting to become a challenge with an hour commute each way and managing the scheduling of 25+ technicians and 20+ physician schedules.
The additional supervising responsibilities connected me with administrators and the business side of ophthalmology. I asked superiors for their advice after a clinical management meeting about what my next steps should be. One advised that I did not need to jump through any of the educational hoops to just keep working hard and opportunities would present themselves. Another suggested I would be able to excel in ophthalmology with more hard work, certification as a certified ophthalmic technician (COT) and additional education (MBA or MHA). That plan would take longer than expected with a few speed bumps along the way, but I decided to continue pushing my goals.
I took and passed the COT exam a few months later and then started an online MHA program a year after. Each of these steps built upon the foundation and satisfaction I had found in being an ophthalmic technician.
Tip: Never Pass Up an Opportunity to Learn and Grow
Call it coincidence, luck or divine intervention (I choose the latter), it was during this time that I met the then coding executive at the Academy, Sue Vicchrilli. She was accompanying a relative who required the expertise of the physicians that I worked with, and I “happened” to be working in that clinic and was fortunate to meet and work with the relative. Sue’s reputation as a technician, coder and ophthalmology enthusiast preceded her, and after the examination, I asked her how I did. That started a correspondence and after a few weeks, I was offered an opportunity to learn more about ophthalmic coding and become an ad hoc chart auditor for the Academy.
I remember deliberating that with school, family and more than a full-time job, I was too busy but after counseling with my wife, we decided that we should never pass on an opportunity to learn and grow. Sue’s enthusiasm for ophthalmology and life was (and still is) contagious. Following her lead, my commute times became productive for school, work and checking in on the family. The opportunity to work with the Academy expanded as I volunteered at the annual meeting and became a co-presenter at Codequests. The decision not to pass up an opportunity to learn and grow was a pivotal moment in my life and career.
Tip: Increase Your Circle of Influence
During the last course of my online MHA program, a management position became available at the Moran Eye Center. Thanks in a large part due to my experience with the Academy, I was offered the job. Additional responsibility, higher compensation and a deeper dive into the business / financial side of Ophthalmology was exciting but it also meant little to no time working in the clinic and leaving the team that I had worked with for eight years. I went from helping patients and physicians in the clinic to helping patients and physicians understand the revenue cycle while always jumping at the chance to get back in clinics, when possible, for one-on-one interaction with patients.
A few years later, I took the opportunity to formally add quality improvement to my responsibilities. Implementing ways to increase efficiencies, reduce waste, and increase patient, physician, and employee satisfaction with continuous improvement principles was another challenging and rewarding experience. In spring of 2022, with Sue’s pending retirement news, I graciously accepted a position to join the Academy full-time as one of the coding and reimbursement managers.
In addition to the prospect of joining an incredible membership, service-oriented, organization and team, one of the major selling points that facilitated this leap of faith, was the opportunity to increase my circle of influence and extend a helping hand to those members across the nation who need support navigating this complex world of coding and reimbursement. I am excited to be in a position to discover and share what I am learning every day.
This article was inspired by the many incredible physicians, administrators, and front-line staff that I have been privileged to work with throughout my career. It is my story about why I love ophthalmology.
What is your story and what do you love about ophthalmology? For inspiration from AAO physicians, visit "
Why I Love Being an Ophthalmologist."