There are a slew of vocational schools available to would-be optical medical assistants, many offering online training. Making the best choice of an online school depends on a variety of factors, including cost, the school's reputation and the amount of time the would-be student has to dedicate to studies.
Specialized guides, also available online, provide lists and reviews of schools offering online training courses. One such offering is www.GuidetoHealthcare Schools.com, which has general information about an optical medical assistant's career and salary. This site lists schools and also reviews of various training courses. Another important source of information is www.GuidetoOnline Schools.com, which showcases a variety of online training programs, including those for optical medical assistants.
Some background research is required before committing to any particular program. Guides such as Guide to Online Schools can make research easier by providing information on a variety of training programs, general information about optical medical assisting, and reviewing colleges. These guides may lead to a direct course choice, or they may be a steppingstone for further research.
Online courses are so convenient because students can pick up their studies on their own time, even with a full-time job, and study for a new career at their own pace, wherever they may be. Online courses negate the need to find a nearby school, when the best school for courses in optical medical assisting may actually be several states away, or even across the country.
Courses often consist of virtual online labs in topics relevant to optical medical assisting, such as how to use specific equipment and instruments necessary to that particular field, basic clinical tasks and how to interact with patients.
Coursework also most often consists of using a textbook, CDs, and perhaps even flash cards, to learn basic medical law, medical terminology and the anatomy of the eye.
Certification to work as an optical medical assistant comes after successfully completing the required coursework assigned by a licensed vocational school or college and earning a degree. Often the college will assist students in certification efforts, as well as job hunting with services such as resume updating and job leads.