Marilyn Harrington, Ph.D., dean of the School of Allied Health Sciences, (right) presents David Shelledy Ph.D., R.R.T., associate professor and founding chairman of the respiratory care department, with the David C. Shelledy Scholarship in Respiratory Care. The Health Science Center’s respiratory care program was ranked as the second best program in the nation, according to the American Association for Respiratory Care Education Newsletter.
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The respiratory care department in the School of Allied Health Sciences celebrated its 10th anniversary with a dinner and program on June 25.

“As a busy department, we often do not have the chance to celebrate our successes,” said David Shelledy, Ph.D., R.R.T., associate professor and founding chairman of the respiratory care department. “We felt that reaching our 10th year would be a great reason to celebrate and recognize our alumni and faculty for all of their accomplishments.”

The program began in April 1994 when area hospitals approached the dean of the School of Allied Health Sciences requesting a respiratory care program. Together, University Hospital, the Audie L. Murphy Veteran’s Affairs System, the Santa Rosa Hospital System and the Baptist Hospital System, pledged more than $500,000 to start the Respiratory Care Program. In August 1994, the program enrolled its first 12 students.

“The greatest challenge was getting the educational program started and successful, obtaining continuing funding, while at the same time developing research and service activities in the department,” Dr. Shelledy said.

Today, 9 classes and more than 100 students have graduated from the program. The program has seven full-time faculty, 15 adjunct/clinical faculty and two medical directors, Jay Peters, M.D., and Juan Garcia, M.D., both from the division of pulmonary and critical care medicine.

For the past three years, the program has offered a distance education program for students in Laredo. The students are able to receive all of their education through video conferencing and interactive video and audio. They perform their clinical activities at Mercy and Doctor’s hospitals in Laredo. Three students have graduated from that program and eight more are currently enrolled.

“Our students have consistently performed better than the national average on the board exams, often achieving a 100 percent pass rate,” Dr. Shelledy said.

In a survey of respiratory care program directors from around the nation, published in the American Association for Respiratory Care, Education Newsletter last year, the Health Science Center’s program was ranked as the second best program in the nation.

The program continues to grow and will implement a post-baccalaureate advanced certificate and a Master of Science degree next year. However, Dr. Shelledy is turning over the reins to the program’s interim chairman, Terry LeGrand, Ph.D., as he moves on to accept a position as associate dean at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock.

“I have enjoyed my time at the Health Science Center and I am going to miss my many friends and colleagues, “ Dr. Shelledy said. “I am confident, however, that the respiratory care department will continue to be among the best in the nation.”