November 5, 2018
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A new master’s degree from The Ohio State University’s School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences is addressing the respiratory care needs of tomorrow, today.
The new Master of Respiratory Therapy degree program is the first advanced practice clinical master’s degree for respiratory care in the nation. The innovative program will welcome new students in autumn 2019. Applications are now being accepted.
The Ohio State Master of Respiratory Therapy (MRT) is designed to prepare advanced respiratory care practitioners as clinical specialists in a variety of settings, including: adult critical/emergent care, pediatric critical care, neonatal critical care, pediatrics, primary respiratory care, neuromuscular respiratory care and sleep disorders.
“The foundation for the program was built on the evolution of respiratory therapy education and practice. This evolution has paralleled the rapid changes in the healthcare environment, where the respiratory therapist is increasingly needed to provide and manage patient care through independent supervised practice,” said Georgianna Sergakis, program director for the Division of Respiratory Therapy.
The degree will position graduates for career opportunities as an “advanced respiratory care practitioner” that will better align them with other existing healthcare practitioner functions, without the need to leave their profession. These practitioners will then be able to manage and facilitate patient care using clinical protocols, and direct and coordinate respiratory care.
The highly-selective MRT program is seeking candidates with a history of strong academic performance, competitive GRE scores, proven clinical aptitude and critical thinking skills. Teamwork and leadership experience from undergraduate institutions, internships and the candidate’s current professional position are necessary to be successful in the program.
The two-year program will provide 47 credits and a minimum of 1,000 hours of supervised practice by a licensed physician or advanced care provider in a clinical specialty of the candidate’s choosing.
Students will gain clinical experience at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center and Nationwide Children’s Hospital, as well as other clinical sites. The School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences is in Ohio State’s College of Medicine.
Graduates of this program will be prepared to successfully obtain specialty credentials offered by the National Board for Respiratory Care, which includes the adult critical care specialist, neonatal/pediatric specialist and sleep disorders specialist examinations.
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Media contact: Eileen Scahill, Wexner Medical Center Media Relations, 614-293-3737 or Eileen.Scahill@osumc.edu