Gwynedd Mercy University
AY2022-2023 Undergraduate Academic Catalog
sessions are self-directed with assistance provided by the faculty as needed and / or case studies or simulations to enhance theory . The clinical courses are both observational and performance in nature . The student will first observe procedures and modalities with the intention of gaining confidence and familiarity . After exposure and observation , the student will perform procedures and modalities until competency is achieved . Competency is followed by repeated practice and skill refinement . The ultimate goal is mastery of specific respiratory care-based procedures while demonstrating a high degree of expertise . Clinical course work will entail rotations at multiple health care systems in the Greater Philadelphia area and begin in the spring semester of the second year . These rotations will take place twice per week on Tuesdays and Thursdays in the spring semester , followed by eight weeks of clinical rotations in the summer . The clinical component is competency-based which means that the student must successfully complete all designated procedures to satisfy the course requirements . Upon completion of the second year of the program , the student will continue to the third year , where credentialing-eligibility can be obtained .
Third Year Entry into the third year of the program requires acceptable academic standing and approval of the program faculty The third year consists of advanced topics in respiratory care coupled with a statistics course in the Fall and a basic communication course in the Spring . The third year of the program is modeled after the second and consists of didactic ( classroom ), laboratory , and clinical courses . The didactic classes are designed to address the advanced principles and concepts in a classroom environment while the laboratory is designed for demonstration and practice . Laboratory sessions will frequently entail presentations and demonstrations by faculty , physicians and / or other health care professionals with knowledge and expertise in a variety of advanced topics . The clinical courses are both observational and performance in nature . The student will observe advanced procedures and modalities with the intention of gaining confidence and familiarity . After exposure and observation , the student will perform procedures and modalities until competency is achieved . Competency is followed by repeated practice and skill refinement . The ultimate goal is mastery of specific respiratory care-based procedures while demonstrating a high degree of expertise . Students in the third year of the program are expected to possess a relatively high degree of expertise and mastery with the skills and modalities addressed in the second year . The clinical component of the third year will entail clinical rotations two days a week in both the fall and spring semesters . Rotations are of an advanced nature and include specialty rotations that occur in a variety of clinical sites , including large university-teaching hospitals , pediatric and neonatal centers , community hospitals , and alternate care sites .
Upon completion of the third year of the program , the student will receive an Associate degree in Respiratory Care and be eligible to sit for the National Board for Respiratory Care ( NBRC ) Therapist Multiple Choice Examination . Successful completion of the Therapist Multiple Choice Examination at a designated low cut score level grants the student the Certified Respiratory Therapist ( CRT ) credential and allows the student to apply for a license to practice in the State of Pennsylvania . Upon completion of the NBRC Therapist Multiple Choice Examination at a designated high cut score level , the student is eligible to sit for the NBRC Clinical Simulation Examination . Upon successful completion of this examination , the student is granted the title of Registered Respiratory Therapist ( RRT ) and the receipt of an exclusive registry number . The RRT is the terminal credential in the profession of respiratory care and the highest level of professional practice . All students should aspire to achieve this level of credentialing . Additional specialty examinations and credentials are available and can be addressed by the program faculty .
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