Responding to the requests of Mecklenburg County ophthalmologist groups and practices, Central Piedmont Community College will open a new diploma program to train ophthalmic medical assistants in August 2013. Kathleen Rodgers, formerly of Horizon Eye Care in Charlotte, will serve as program chair and instructor.

The one-year program will prepare students for positions in ophthalmologist and optometrist offices. Upon completion of the program, students will take the national Certified Ophthalmic Assistant exam. CPCC’s program will be only the third ophthalmic medical assistant program offered by a North Carolina community college.

Officials say that given the Charlotte region’s aging population, eye physicians have a growing need for ophthalmic assistants. According to U.S. Dept. of Labor information, ophthalmic medical assistant is of the 30-most rapidly growing occupations in the nation.

North Carolina high school students can help fight prescription drug abuse and overdose deaths by entering a video contest sponsored by Attorney General Roy Cooper and the NC Department of Justice.

To educate young people about the dangers of prescription drug abuse, Cooper is partnering with the National Association of Drug Diversion Investigators, the North Carolina Parent Resource Center, and the Governor’s Institute on Substance Abuse to sponsor a student video competition.

Cooper is asking students to create public service announcement videos on the topic of teen prescription drug abuse.  All students enrolled in grades nine through 12 in North Carolina are eligible to enter.