The Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins Medicine’s 24th Annual Technician Course was held — in person for the first time in three years — on Saturday, Oct. 15. More than 70 ophthalmic technicians convened in the Owens Auditorium on the Johns Hopkins medical campus to hear presentations from the eye institute’s ophthalmology faculty.

“It felt good being able to get together and see everyone again,” says Ashley McDougal, certified ophthalmic assistant at the Patient Access Center for the Eye (PACE) clinic.

Ophthalmic technicians were treated to presentations by Ashley Behrens, associate professor of ophthalmology and chief of the division of comprehensive ophthalmology (Current IOL Choices); Michael Carper, assistant professor of ophthalmology (Adult Strabismus — Describing What We See); Amanda Henderson, assistant professor of ophthalmology and chief of the neuro-ophthalmology division (Pupillary Responses); and Kapil Mishra, assistant professor of ophthalmology and co-assistant chief of service at the Wilmer Eye Institute’s resident clinic (A- and B-Scan Echography).

“It was great to see the technicians I know well in our own division, but I was also fortunate to meet new faces and share an aspect of the care we provide,” says Carper. “My hope is that everyone had something to gain, even if it’s simply recognizing terminology in the chart, or being able to describe what they are seeing when working up the patients.”

Mike Hartnett, ophthalmic clinical supervisor of the eye institute’s float pool and organizer of the event, says she received overwhelmingly positive feedback from participants. “I spoke to technicians of varied experience, from very new to very seasoned, and all have said they learned something beneficial,” says Hartnett.

Stephanie Graves, PACE ophthalmic technician and newly certified ophthalmic assistant, says the technician course was invaluable. “All of the speakers were very good,” Graves says. “I learned something from each of them. They made it interesting and easy to understand what they were teaching us.”

Hartnett says everyone is excited about the 25th Annual Technician Course next year, on Saturday, Oct. 21. They are already looking for presenters.