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Dr. Kristin White ‘13 shares her journey from NECO student to Community Health Center Director. She credits her experience during clinic rotations within community health centers as the catalyst for her career in community health and advocacy.

As part of the 50th Anniversary celebration of NECO and Community Health Center partnerships, we will be honoring NECO faculty, students, and community members for their dedication and perseverance in providing eye care for all.

NECO celebrates the First 50 Years of Partnerships with Community Health Centers in delivering healthcare for all. In cooperation with the Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers.

Dr. Moy received her Doctor of Optometry Degree in 2003, and now serves as an Adjunct Associate Professor of Clinical Optometry at NECO as well as Director of Health Center Network and Chief Compliance Officer. In addition to her NECO roles, Amy is also an Attending Doctor at the Martha Eliot Health Center.

The clinical training model that many optometry schools, NECO being the first, have integrated into their curriculum is thanks in large part to Dr. Jack Geiger and Dr. Count Gibson, who established the country’s first community health center.

In 2022, New England College of Optometry recognizes 50 years of training students and serving patients in community health centers throughout the region. As the first optometry school to conceive and create such a clinical training model, NECO has influenced thousands of optometrists and optometry itself. Here’s the story of how it all began.

NECO celebrates 50 years of affiliation with community health centers (CHCs), yet the focus remains firmly on the future.

“Two of the most valuable things students learn here are culturally competent care and multidisciplinary care,” Dr. Xu says.

Who knows if the catalysts for change at NECO 50 years ago thought about whether its graduates would embrace what they experienced, but many have. Read how some NECO alumni were inspired by their experiences training in community health centers.