MU’s Respiratory Therapy Program Nationally Recognized
Millersville University’s respiratory therapy program will be recognized by the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC) to receive the Distinguished Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) Credentialing Success Award on July 13. CoARC accredits first professional respiratory care degree programs in the United States and internationally. Millersville’s respiratory therapy program is one of the longest continuously accredited respiratory care schools in the nation.
This award is presented as part of the CoARC’s continued efforts to value the RRT credential as a standard of professional achievement. From a program effectiveness perspective, the CoARC views the RRT credential as a measure of a program’s success in inspiring its graduates to achieve their highest educational and professional aspirations.
In order to be eligible, programs must meet a number of criteria including having three or more years of outcomes data; holding accreditation without a progress report; meeting or exceeding established CoARC thresholds for Certified Respiratory Therapy credentialing success; positive job placement and maintaining an RRT credentialing success rate of at least 90 percent. Millersville’s rate is 100 percent. There are currently 437 respiratory therapy programs in the country; out of those, 32 met this criterion and are being recognized.
“I am absolutely delighted that our respiratory therapy program is being given this national recognition. We have known for a long time that we have an exceptionally strong, unusually successful program, with a 100 percent pass rate for those who have registered for the national credentialing exam. Still, it’s wonderful to receive this recognition from our national accrediting body,” said Dr. Robert Smith, dean of science and mathematics.
Millersville University will receive the 2011 CoARC Distinguished RRT Credentialing Success Award at the CoARC national meeting in Santa Fe, N.M. on July 13.
This kind of consistent success doesn’t come from thin air. The efforts of the students in the program are to be recognized, but to be enthusiastically acknowledged are the hard work and dedication of several faculty and administrators, Mr. John Hughes, the program director, leading the pack. Allied Health coordinators, Dr. Timothy Ladd and almost 20 years ago, Dr. Larry Reinking, follow closely behind along with present and past Deans of the School of Science and Math and chairs of the department of Biology. Congratulations to you all!