Bismarck, ND -The Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC) has awarded continuing accreditation to the bachelor's degree program in respiratory therapy at University of Mary/St. Alexius Medical Center. The recent accreditation recognizes the program's compliance with nationally established accreditation standards and is valid for 10 years. CoARC will regularly monitor the program's compliance with the Accreditation Standards for the Profession of Respiratory Care and CoARC Accreditation Policies and Procedures, with the next comprehensive evaluation of the program, including an on-site review, scheduled to be conducted no later than July 31, 2021.

The U-Mary/St. Alexius RT program has been continuously accredited since its beginning in 1972. "The program must be accredited for its graduates to be eligible to sit for the licensure and national board examinations leading to the Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) credential," explains Dr. Will Beachey, PhD, RRT, FAARC, Respiratory Therapy Program professor and director. "Our program received a glowing review from the CoARC site visitors for exceeding all accreditation Standards and for its high quality students and faculty."

The Respiratory Therapy Department is one of the six nationally accredited programs within the School of Health Sciences at the University. According to Dr. Jodi Roller, dean of the School of Health Sciences (SHS), "Respiratory therapy adds to the comprehensiveness and excellence of the SHS offerings and is a vital part of the overall school. Because it is a dual offering with St. Alexius, the RT program is another strong bridge in the health sciences between St. Alexius and the University of Mary."