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IUPUI, Ivy Tech Sign Statewide Respiratory Therapy Articulation Agreement

The IU School of Allied Health at IUPUI and Ivy Tech State College have signed a statewide articulation agreement that allows for graduates of Ivy Tech's Respiratory Care program to transfer to and complete the Bachelor's program at IUPUI.

The agreement marks the first "statewide" program articulation agreement between the two schools. Respiratory therapists are involved in the evaluation, treatment, education, and rehabilitation of patients of cardiopulmonary disease.

"This agreement is important for several reasons," said Ivy Tech President Gerald Lamkin. "First of all, it continues the great progress IUPUI and Ivy Tech have made in recent years to increase transfer opportunities of Ivy Tech students and graduates into IUPUI programs."

"Second, it addresses a critical shortage facing the state of Indiana in terms of the number of credentialed Respiratory Therapists available to serve the citizens of Indiana. This agreement will not only open statewide opportunities for two-year graduates to transfer into a four year degree program, but should ultimately move more qualified Respiratory Care professionals into the state's health care system," Lamkin said.

"The statewide articulation is the latest result of an effort we undertook with Ivy Tech more than a decade ago to develop academically sound transfer and articulation agreements, so that Hoosiers have the best lifelong opportunities through a seamless system of postsecondary education," said IUPUI Chancellor Gerald Bepko.

Bepko noted that Ivy Tech's Central Indiana region is the top external feeder of transfer students to IUPUI, with 204 students transferring from Ivy Tech to IUPUI this fall. All told, there are over 1,100 students at IUPUI who were formerly at Ivy Tech, and their cumulative average GPA is 2.69.

Many of the transfer students enter IUPUI through an articulation agreement called Passport, which now has more than 175 transferable courses between Ivy Tech and IUPUI and 24 associate-to-bachelor degree options. Among the newer "2 + 2" options include Ivy Tech associate degrees in Design Technology and Visual Communications that transfer into bachelor of science degrees in the School of Engineering and Technology in the areas of Computer Graphics Technology, Manufacturing Graphics, Technical Animation, and Interactive Multimedia Development.

Under the respiratory articulation agreement, Ivy Tech graduates who have earned an associate degree in Respiratory Care will be able to transfer and complete the Bachelor's program at IUPUI in approximately 2 program semesters, or after earning 34 credit hours.

In addition to the courses in respiratory therapy, the student will take five to seven courses in general education and prerequisite courses. These courses may be taken at IUPUI or Ivy Tech. Seventy-six credits from the student's Ivy Tech associate degree program will be transferred to IUPUI. Ivy Tech currently offers the associate degree program at four of its 23 campuses: Indianapolis, Lafayette, Michigan City and Fort Wayne. The agreement will extend to future campuses when the program is expanded to other Ivy Tech sites.

Joe Koss, Associate Professor and Director of Respiratory Therapy Clinical Education at IUPUI indicated that, "the bachelor's program builds on the skills and knowledge attainted in the Ivy Tech associate degree program. The bachelor's degree graduate will have additional in-depth knowledge in neonatal/pediatric respiratory care, diagnostic studies in sleep disorders, pulmonary rehabilitation, home care, smoking cessation programs, asthma patient education, pulmonary diagnostics, geriatrics management and research skills."

Current and impending shortages of qualified personnel in the health care field pose challenges for hospitals and other health care providers as an aging population creates greater demand for services. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, the allied health professions are among the decade's fastest growing occupations. Present projections are that the allied health programs will grow by the following percentages by 2008.

Registered Nurses - 22%
Respiratory Therapists - 43%
Surgical Technicians - 42%
Practical Nurses - 20%
Radiologic Technicians - 20%
Medical Assistants - 56%

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