The Mizzou Respiratory Therapy program has been recognized among the best in the nation. The program has received several competitive awards, including the American Association for Respiratory Care’s (AARC) elite Apex Award for 2023–24.

According to the AARC, “An Apex designation for [a] respiratory care program exemplifies best practices in the professional education of respiratory therapists and demonstrates that [the] organization enhances the quality of care and elevates the respiratory therapy profession. As an Apex recipient, [a] program is a member of an elite group of respiratory care organizations from across the U.S. who have met the stringent quality and educational criteria of the award.”

The program also received the 2022 CoARC President’s Award for Excellence in Credentialing Success and the 2022 CoARC Distinguished RRT Credentialing Success Award. Graduates of the Mizzou RT program consistently score well above the national average on board exams. These awards recognize the program’s continued success in preparing graduates to deliver patient care that is safe and effective.

Program Director Jennifer Keely, M.Ed, RRT, RRT-ACCS, was pleased by news of these awards. “We are incredibly proud to continue the tradition this program has had since its inception in 1967 of preparing students to function at the highest level of respiratory care,” she said. “These awards are a testament to the hard work and dedication of our faculty, clinical preceptors and students. Our goal has always been to provide the best education and training for our students, and this recognition confirms that we are achieving that goal.”