Renown and Great Basin College Welcome Students to Apply for Respiratory Therapist Training Program

Train to become a respiratory therapist and work with the healthcare team to help diagnose, treat and manage conditions to help restore or maintain lung and breathing function. Applications due May 1 for Fall Program

Great Basin College and Renown Health are partnering to offer the first Respiratory Therapy training program to the area and to educate new healthcare professionals to meet the growing needs of the community.

With the generosity of grant funders, the Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust and the Health Resources and Services Administration, Great Basin College offers the only available program of its kind in support of several rural northern Nevada communities. According to project leads, the program and the trained respiratory therapists will bring great value to the community and healthcare system.

“Great Basin College is thrilled to join forces with Renown Health to launch this new program and be a critical contributor to advancing the respiratory care profession for our community,” says Interim GBC President Dr. Amber Donnelli. “The accelerated 18-month program results in an Associate of Applied Science in Cardio-Respiratory Care Science degree. It's incredibly high-tech, uses leading-edge training equipment, and provides real-world experience to students.”

In-person classes are offered at GBC campuses in Elko and Winnemucca and at Renown Health in Reno. Applications are open now and are due by May 1 for the Fall 2025 program. There are very specific prerequisites for the program and prospective students can visit the program page for more information.

“Investing in the training of new respiratory therapists is crucial to meeting Renown’s mission of providing essential services for our community,” says Jason Farnsworth, MBA, who serves as GBC Respiratory Therapy Program Director, course instructor and Director of Respiratory Care Services for Renown Health. “Respiratory Therapy professionals help patients manage respiratory conditions and their expertise makes a difference in the lives of others. By teaching and equipping them with the latest knowledge and hands-on experience, we can ensure that patients receive the best possible care during their most crucial moments. Respiratory therapists are important members of the critical care team, which is why we are proud to partner with Great Basin College to establish the first training program for our region."

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the “employment of respiratory therapists is projected to grow 13 percent from 2022 to 2032.” GBC sees the incredible potential for growth and has worked hard to bring this opportunity to Nevada’s health care workforce.

Great Basin College's Associate of Applied Science in Cardio-Respiratory Care Science program (CoARC program number 200672) at the Elko, Winnemucca, and Reno locations holds Provisional Accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC). This allows the program to admit students and is recognized by the National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC). More information at gbcnv.edu/programs/health_sciences/aas_respir.

About Great Basin College

Great Basin College, "The Gold Standard in the Silver State,” offers associate and baccalaureate level education in academic, career and technical fields. Welcoming over 4,000 students annually from all corners of the country, both online and at our various campuses and centers, GBC's presence extends across two time zones and spans more than 86,000 square miles throughout Nevada. A leader in rural higher education, GBC takes pride in developing students who are well-prepared to meet the demands of industry and who contribute to the success and prosperity of the local economy.

About Renown Health

Renown Health is the region’s largest, locally governed, not-for-profit integrated health care network serving Nevada, Lake Tahoe, and northeast California. With a diverse workforce of more than 8.000 employees, Renown has fostered a longstanding culture of excellence, determination, and innovation. The organization comprises a trauma center, two acute care hospitals, a children’s hospital, a rehabilitation hospital, a medical group and urgent care network, and the locally owned not-for-profit insurance company, Hometown Health. For more information, visit renown.org.

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