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The vision for the College of Dental Medicine is to be known and respected for service, innovation, clinical excellence and interprofessional education.
We are practitioners of the healing arts defining the standard for excellence in optometric education and vision care.
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Located in the heart of the Appalachian Mountains, the Kentucky College of Optometry (KYCO) is the only college of optometry in Kentucky. Become part of a community of medical professionals providing vision care to those who need it most, and learn in an environment built with the future of optometry in mind. At KYCO, faculty, staff and administration embrace the expanded scope of optometric practice in Kentucky with unique clinical experiences and a challenging curriculum. KYCO students are afforded an abundance of rewarding clinical opportunities serving patients in need.
All equipment, textbooks and technology are provided at no additional cost to students.
Students serve patients from the blindest region in the U.S. in community clinics and hospitals.
Practice with new and advanced equipment and technology in KYCO’s innovative 103,000 square foot facility.
The Kentucky College of Optometry (KYCO), in partnership with leading eyewear company Zenni Optical, recently awarded first-year optometry student Grace Skarohlid with the Zenni Eyecare Access Scholarship. The $2,500 annual scholarship is awarded to an incoming optometry student dedicated to providing eye care to an underserved community after graduation. Zenni partners with optometry schools to […]
As the University of Pikeville-Kentucky College of Optometry (KYCO) welcomed its new class of incoming students in mid-August, third-year students are building on their education by practicing their skills in clinical settings. KYCO Class of 2022 valedictorian Brittany Varney, O.D., has taken on the role of optometrist at Big Sandy Health Care, where she is […]
The University of Pikeville-Kentucky College of Optometry (KYCO) congratulates Elijah Riffe, recipient of the 2023 VSP Vision of Hope Scholarship. The scholarship is funded by VSP Vision™ and awarded annually to an excelling, first-year KYCO student who intends to practice in the rural Appalachian region. Riffe, a native of Ripley, W.Va., received $5,000 toward his […]
Three students from the Kentucky College of Optometry (KYCO) recently earned a full-ride scholarship through the Air Force Allied Health Professions Scholarship Program (HPSP). James Morrison, Mitchel Taylor and Isabel Virgille were commissioned by Captain Logan Gentry, 30th CSSB Operations Officer, Tennessee Army National Guard, on August 28. The HPSP program is a service scholarship […]
An industry partner of the University of Pikeville-Kentucky College of Optometry (KYCO) has graciously pledged $6400 toward the Optometry Admissions Test (OAT) grant fund that began in 2020. The grant project started as a way for KYCO to help remove financial barriers and increase diversity in the optometry profession. MyEyeDr., a private equity company that […]
More than 400 University of Pikeville (UPIKE) students celebrated their achievements by earning their degrees during the spring commencement ceremonies for undergraduate, graduate and health professions on Saturday, May 6, at the Appalachian Wireless Arena. Graduates and their families were able to attend the in-person ceremonies or watch virtually via livestream. Read more here Kentucky […]
More than 400 University of Pikeville (UPIKE) students celebrated their achievements by earning their degrees during the spring commencement ceremonies for undergraduate, graduate and health professions on Saturday, May 6, at the Appalachian Wireless Arena. Graduates and families were able to attend the in-person ceremonies or watch virtually via livestream. The twenty-third commencement of the […]
The University of Pikeville – Kentucky College of Optometry (KYCO) held its awards luncheon honoring the Class of 2023 in the Health Professions Education Building on May 5. Jessica Johnson, O.D., of Clarkson, Ky., received the Dean’s Award. The award is presented to a graduating student who has shown outstanding leadership while maintaining high academic […]
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