Vicki Kimberlin has seen a lot of changes since joining the eye care industry. From paper charts to electronic health records to switching to a career in academia and navigating the COVID-19 pandemic, Kimberlin says one thing consistently inspired her through it all—seeing the difference made in the lives of both patients and students.
FINDING HER PLACE
Kimberlin earned a degree through MATC’s Optometric Technician program in Madison, Wisconsin, in 1982. Ready to escape the Midwest snow, she mailed resumes to various practices in “warmer areas of the country,” she says, “in the days before electronic resumes or job boards.” She heard from a practice in Mesa, Arizona, and stayed in the area for the next 22 years, spending most of that time at a private practice owned by the late Donald Jarnagin, OD, in Glendale.
Dr. Jarnagin moved his practice to Midwestern University’s new Arizona College of Optometry (AZCOPT) to be a potential rotation site for students. When the Eye Institute opened in 2010, Kimberlin became its first clinic manager.
“We started with one technician, two front desk staff and one optician,” she says. By the time she left, the clinic had grown to include ophthalmology services, a surgery scheduler, a contact lens technician, additional technicians and expanded optical and front desk teams.
A LASTING IMPACT
Kimberlin remained hands-on whenever she could. She often stepped in wherever help was needed—working in the optical, answering phones or assisting as a technician. As the clinic evolved, so did her role, shifting more toward teaching and administration.
“In the clinic, we serve the patients and the students,” Kimberlin says. “It was an adjustment to come from private practice and learning how to effectively support both parties. Getting to know the students and what we could do to improve their experience became a big part of my job.”
Some of her most memorable moments are helping patients find clarity—literally. She remembers young children realizing they couldn’t see until they put on glasses for the first time. “They’d see leaves on trees or their mom’s face,” she says. Another patient, unaware they were losing vision due to a brain tumor, stands out as well.
“Getting to know each patient was such a privilege—not just helping with vision needs, but hearing their stories and getting to know their families. Those are the most endearing to me,” Kimberlin says.
COVID-19 brought new challenges, but the team found ways to continue serving patients. “We were open for emergencies only. The optical did drive-by dispenses and repairs,” she says. “I was grateful for that opportunity to serve patients, because some people had no other option.”
REMAINING GRATEFUL
Kimberlin says as she heads into retirement, the relationships she has built with colleagues and students will stay with her.
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“I had the honor of working with some truly amazing people,” Kimberlin says. “The doctors at AZCOPT are among the most amazing professionals I have had the privilege of working with. They are so dedicated to ensuring that both students and patients receive the very best. The clinic staff genuinely care about each patient who walks through the doors. The Deans and Directors work tirelessly to make AZCOPT the premier optometry program it is today. These people have helped shape me and my career in ways I could never have imagined.”
She also says that she’s made countless memories over the years. “I am honored to have remained friends with many of our students. On two separate occasions, the staff and I played a behind-the-scenes role in marriage proposals that took place in the clinic.” For Kimberlin, it is moments like these and the people who have touched her life that made it all worthwhile.
NEXT STEPS
Now living in Grand Junction, Colorado, Kimberlin is adjusting to retirement—and cooler temperatures—with her husband and son.
“We moved to get out of the heat and to have a quieter lifestyle,” she says. Her husband is working remotely while they look for a permanent home, and she’s looking forward to reading, hiking and traveling.
“Optometry is a huge part of my life,” she says. “ I would love to stay involved in some capacity. Right now, I think I am failing at retirement because I don’t know what to do. When you have been part of something so wonderful and then move away from it, it is difficult to know where to go from here,” she says. But she’s following the advice she used to give to students: “Go out there and get involved!”
