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Thread: NC licensure to change effective immediately

  1. #1
    Master OptiBoarder pseudonym's Avatar
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    NC licensure to change effective immediately

    Just got a rather unsettling e-mail from The NC Board of Opticians. Apparently, our state board is no longer going to be responsible for giving the licensure exams. They are handing it off to the National testing agency: ABO-NCLE. The new tests will be NOCE, ABOP, CLRE, NCLP.

    Anyone care to comment and/or speculate on what these changes might mean? Because everyone I know who became licensed in NC worked pretty darned hard to get that much respected license. Will these new licenses be easier to obtain? Will a slew of newly (national) licensed opticians flood the North Carolina job market?

    Feeling a bit queasy here.

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    No, the board had to evolve, based on recent changes in the law. The folks in the legislature reduced the apprenticeship (should have eliminated it completely, in my view, but that is another topic) to 2.5 years versus 3.5, and left the 6 month internship in place.......overall a 1-year reduction in training. My research indicates little "training" actually takes place, so it is not a big issue in my view. Also important to note......most state boards are ill-equipped to be in the testing business in the first place, and NCs was no exception. The board will still have to evaluate each individual to assure they meet the standards. I do not really see it as a problem. The real problem would have been losing the license, and it almost happened, had it not been for some correctly placed political influence. So when you consider this new exam structure, I hope you also wrote your local legislator, and even made a contribution to his/her campaign. In the end, be glad the license is still in place.

  3. #3
    Master OptiBoarder pseudonym's Avatar
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    Yes, I wrote our house and senate reprentatives Verla Insko, Valerie Foushee, as well as the sponsors of the SB-525 bill: Curtis, Hartsell, and Rabon.

    I just didn't see this change coming.

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    ...

  5. #5
    Master OptiBoarder
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    My ABO is old, what does the letters stand for on the 4 tests?

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    Master OptiBoarder pseudonym's Avatar
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    NOCE is National Opticianry Competency Examination, CLRE is Contact Lens Registry Examination, and no information available on the ABOP (ABO-practical) or NCOP (NCO-practical) because the sitemap on the ABO page is currently giving a file 404 error message.

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    Thanks!

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    Quote Originally Posted by pseudonym View Post
    Yes, I wrote our house and senate reprentatives Verla Insko, Valerie Foushee, as well as the sponsors of the SB-525 bill: Curtis, Hartsell, and Rabon.

    I just didn't see this change coming.
    The leaders in the legislature felt it needed to be revised. Know that Senator Wells, a strong advocate for the John Locke foundation is after us once again. He is a leaders in the state Senate, so please contact them again. I appreciate your initial contact very much, and we will need you again, I am afraid. And it will continue if we do not change. If all the majority of Opticians do is take PD and measure a seg height, which is the case, we are vulnerable. I have been shouting it loudly for years, and now the time is upon us. Stay close to your legislators, and ask them for you support. Know that a contribution to their campaigns will go way further than just a letter. One Optician, who is a manager at a local corporate organization (not sure what the salary is for them, but it is not low) indicated Opticians could not afford to make contributions, and that may be your take on the issue as well, but I can tell you now.........we can't afford not to at this point or we are done. If our license falls, others will follow. Also know that some see no value in the license from within. Many on this board......most from unlicensed states, will tell you it is not needed. I for one want to keep it in place, and it is up to use to work hard to assure that happens. Any and all help is appreciated.
    Last edited by wmcdonald; 12-05-2016 at 10:32 PM.

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    Master OptiBoarder pseudonym's Avatar
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    You shouldn't have been the target for anyone's anger, Warren, and I'm sorry to hear that you were. The State Board could have been more forthcoming about this fundamental change in the testing structure.

    I don't want to say anymore on the subject until I find out more about the testing criteria that will replace the gauntlet we had to run through.
    Last edited by pseudonym; 12-05-2016 at 10:57 PM.

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    Redhot Jumper indicated Opticians could not afford to make contributions .........................

    Quote Originally Posted by wmcdonald View Post

    If all the majority of Opticians do is take PD and measure a seg height, which is the case, we are vulnerable.

    One Optician, who is a manager at a local corporate organization (not sure what the salary is for them, but it is not low) indicated Opticians could not afford to make contributions, and that may be your take on the issue as well,
    but I can tell you now.........we can't afford not to at this point or we are done.

    next question on this subject: Who has deeper pockets, one optician or the largest optical corporation on the map, who is most interested in deregulation ? , and the steamroller is going back and forth, to flatten the ground.

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    I hear you, Chris, but in my experience, a contribution coming from a small business or local constituent to a legislator means something.......even if small. We just can't stop trying and give up, but you may be right. Is it too late? Time will soon tell.

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    Does anybody know if or how this will affect opticians from other states applying for licensure by exam waiver?

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    It will not have any effect on that issue. The ONLY thing this describes is a change in the test. In fact, it may help in the long run with portability across state borders.

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    It will be interesting to see how this plays out. Someone from an unlicensed state with an Abo/Ncle and 3 years experience applies for a license. They already meet the criteria, other then the experience was outside of NC, and may not count as a legit apprenticeship. Time will tell.

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    Master OptiBoarder OptiBoard Gold Supporter Judy Canty's Avatar
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    This is just one more very good reason to become active with your state and national organizations. There is real strength in numbers.

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    I believe Nevada is enacting similar legislation.

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    Master OptiBoarder OptiBoard Gold Supporter Judy Canty's Avatar
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    I don't see any legislative activity per se. I do see and understand that state boards are not test makers and probably shouldn't be. The adoption of a standardized set of exams will allow for the portability that so many of us have asked for. That being said, licensure is always a target and we should never forget that. As I said in my earlier post, this is exactly why we need to come together as professionals to protect and then expand licensure for the good of the public. We need to stop our in-fighting about whose test is tougher or whose laws are more stringent. It makes us weak and an easy target for larger more well-funded organizations. State associations and our national organizations need to stop begging for support from vendors who do not have our best interests at heart. That will take all the time, energy and money we can muster. I believe strongly that it is not yet too late.

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    Redhot Jumper There is real strength in numbers. ............................

    Quote Originally Posted by Judy Canty View Post

    This is just one more very good reason to become active with your state and national organizations. There is real strength in numbers.

    .............yes Judy there is.

    However when the right lobbyists working for the large corporations, are getting involved into the game, the numbers are getting translated into Dollars

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    Quote Originally Posted by obxeyeguy View Post
    It will be interesting to see how this plays out. Someone from an unlicensed state with an Abo/Ncle and 3 years experience applies for a license. They already meet the criteria, other then the experience was outside of NC, and may not count as a legit apprenticeship. Time will tell.
    Asked and answered in an email this evening. Also, no one brought up who's test is harder or laws are more stringent, not sure where that came up. Just trying to protect what we worked hard for.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Judy Canty View Post
    This is just one more very good reason to become active with your state and national organizations. There is real strength in numbers.
    If the state and national organizations did their job, the membership would be there, Judy. An example: OAA is finally doing a good job, and you see positive things happening. In NC, less than 25% belong to the NCOA. The same tired leadership that has controlled that organization for many years just will not let new blood, nor new ideas, in. They indicate that no one wants to step up, but I suspect that is not the case. They shout to the rooftops about the good work they do, and I am pleased they finally worked with the board, and a few others with political influence to save NC's license. Now if that will continue in the future you will see that organization begin to grow. As a former president, I hope so.

    As to legislation related to this change.........it is entirely based upon recent legislative activity in the NC General Assembly, specifically the Senate. As usual, the only change Opticians will ever make is based upon someone else doing it! The legislature wanted the reduction of apprenticeship time, and wanted a new test. But the state board had already been looking at tests, and I for one am pleased that this group is now out of the testing business. They chose the right test that should be the standard in the country.

    The times they are a changing.........and I am OK with the change here.

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    What do I have to do to become a licensed optician in North Carolina?
    I have 18yrs in the optical field as a lab technician and was on the apprenticeship program for about a year and a half. I never went to college or got any study materials. With these new changes what would be my best course of action, I am still employed at an optical.

    Please list steps I must take and also any best-recognized study courses to take to prepare myself for testing and licensure.(books, DVDs, online etc)

    Thanks for your help!

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    Blue Jumper What do I have to do to become a licensed optician in North Carolina? ...............

    Quote Originally Posted by drako

    What do I have to do to become a licensed optician in North Carolina?

    I have 18yrs in the optical field as a lab technician and was on the apprenticeship program for about a year and a half. I never went to college or got any study materials. With these new changes what would be my best course of action, I am still employed at an optical.

    At 18 years of working in the practical optical field, you should have no problems learning the rest, to become a fully licensed top class optician.

    Furthermore you are living in Fayetteville NC, the same place as Warren Mcdonald one of the most respected members here on OptiBoard, and a active promoter of properly qualified opticians. Just look at the post No 20, the one just before yours.

    Contact him and see if he can give you all the information you need:

    Warren G. McDonald, Ph.D.
    https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-warre...donald-129aa35

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    The entire field is being watered down by large corporations that own retail locations as well as insurance companies. I would suspect that these corporation would love nothing better than the ultimate elimination of a license requirement for Opticians. It suits their purposes just fine. Lower salaries no organizations so they can do what they please. The consumer will suffer in the end.
    I have been licensed in NY and NJ for 43 years, this is along time coming.
    Howard

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    Master OptiBoarder rbaker's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by HOWARDP View Post
    The entire field is being watered down by large corporations that own retail locations as well as insurance companies. I would suspect that these corporation would love nothing better than the ultimate elimination of a license requirement for Opticians. It suits their purposes just fine. Lower salaries no organizations so they can do what they please. The consumer will suffer in the end.
    I have been licensed in NY and NJ for 43 years, this is along time coming.
    Howard
    Afraid you are right Howard. And now, all the usual suspects are wondering what happened.

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    Blue Jumper They are not gambling with hundreds of millions of Dollars ..........................

    Quote Originally Posted by HOWARDP View Post

    I would suspect that these corporations would love nothing better than the ultimate elimination of a license requirement for Opticians. It suits their purposes just fine.

    Actually if you would have used the words "are doing their utmost to get changes done", you would hit have the nail on its head. These corporations have already succeeded in several USA States and Provinces in Canada.

    The optical retail market as it used to be in the last 200 years or more, is bound to go the way of the car mechanic with his added gas station.

    They just about have all disappeared into oblivion on this continent and others, while the gas station, owned by the oil companies, has now 8 or more pumps with a mini supermarket, open 24 hours per day added, out of which the whole system is operated.

    The largest part of the population that needs glasses are the elderly, of which the not computer savvy ones are bound to leave this earth in a very foreseeable time. There will be a considerable boost in optical internet sales from then on, induced by the new wave of fresh elderlies that have used computers and the internet for years.

    The few largest corporations have it all figured out, and if you follow the international news scene of the optical trade you probably know that the largest European online optical has been purchased by Essilor a couple of month ago.

    The latest to join the optical purchasing corporations is Hoya out of Japan, also interesting to watch how they will progress.

    They are not gambling with hundreds of millions of Dollars to make such purchases, without deep ranking studies. They are banking on the future, while lobbying to change the present.

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