MEDEX and Military Schooling

[Friction]

This is mostly directed at MEDEX military students, however, if you have any experience or advice regarding the matter please feel free to chime in. So I'm applying to the Interservice Respiratory Therapy Program (through the Navy) which is now held at the Medical Education and Training Center (METC) in San Antonio, TX. Upon completion of the program you are awarded an Associate's degree in applied science with an emphasis in respiratory care.

 

The classes listed below are those that encompass the entire curriculum and those which I would receive credit for through Thomas Edison State College. I'm just curious if anyone attending MEDEX, currently or in the past, has been able to transfer credits of this type to the University of Washington for matriculation into the Bachelor's option? The reason I ask is because TESC is an entirely online university and I'm not entirely sure how administrators will take/view these transfer credits. Will they view these differently since I will actually be taking the classes in a brick and mortar learning environment? Will any of these science classes (ie Cardiopulmonary Anatomy and Physiology) count towards the additional science classes that are now required?

 

Joel

 

 

GENERAL MEDICAL EDUCATION (4 Weeks)

 

BIO 101 Introduction to Anatomy and Physiology

Course Description: This course introduces the student to the anatomy and physiology of the cardiovascular, respiratory, musculoskeletal, digestive, genitourinary, endocrine, and nervous systems.

 

GEC 101 Medical Terminology

Course Description: This course introduces the student to the unique vocabulary and abbreviations commonly used in the health care environment.

 

GEC 102 Health Communication

Course Description: This course is designed to introduce students to a variety of issues related to communication in health care settings and about health issues. The field of health communication is a diverse one, spanning across traditional subdisciplines of communication. This course will introduce students to theory and application of health communication strategies for use with patients, family members, coworkers, and other healthcare professionals.

 

BIO 121 Introduction to Microbiology

Course Description: This course introduces the student to concepts pertaining to microbiology, to include cell structure and function, laboratory techniques, bacteria, viruses and other microorganisms. Also included are infections of body systems caused by microorganisms and the physical and chemical methods of control.

 

BIO 131 Growth and Development

Course Description: This course provides introductory coverage of growth and development throughout the lifespan. The content emphasizes normal aspects as well as the unique problems and health promotion needs of each age and stage of development.

 

GEC 103 Basic Patient Assessment

Course Description: This course provides the knowledge and skills necessary to perform basic patient assessment, to include blood pressure, respirations, and pulse, as well as breath sound recognition. Students will perform assessments on each other during practical exercises.

 

GEC 104 Basic Life Support

Course Description: This course will provide students with the knowledge and skills necessary to respond appropriately to a situation where a patient requires cardiopulmonary resuscitation. It will also instruct in the proper techniques used to manage a choking victim. The patient age range is from infant to adult. Upon completion of this course, the student will receive a BLS for Healthcare Providers card.

 

GEC 106 Equipment and Facilities Familiarization

Course Description: This course will provide an opportunity for the student without a medical background to gain a basic familiarization with commonly used respiratory therapy equipment and supplies as well as tour a medical treatment facility and respiratory therapy department in order to better understand their function and purpose.

 

RESPIRATORY CARE DIDACTIC PHASE (16 Weeks)

 

RESP 112 Introduction to Research

Course Description: An introduction to research methods, experimental inquiry and naturalistic observations. This course is designed to acquaint the student with the necessary skills to conduct research in respiratory care. The primary purpose is to provide a foundation from which the student will critique, develop, and apply multiple research strategies.

 

RESP 101 Respiratory Therapy Fundamentals I

Course Description: This course provides the new respiratory therapy student with lessons in the history and evolution of the profession of respiratory care, the legal and ethical implications of the profession, as well as the application of physical laws and principles to respiratory therapy modalities. Also included are the meaning and importance of infection control practices while working in a health care environment.

 

RESP 102 Cardiopulmonary Anatomy and Physiology I

Course Description: This course highlights the fundamental principles and concepts of anatomy and physiology as they relate to the practice of respiratory therapy.

 

RESP 122 Cardiopulmonary Anatomy and Physiology II

Course Description: This course highlights the fundamental principles and concepts of the physiology of breathing, chemistry and gas exchange as they relate to the practice of respiratory therapy.

 

RESP 103 Respiratory Therapy Fundamentals II

Course Description: This course provides instruction on the use of medical gases, humidity, and aerosol therapy. It also introduces lung expansion and bronchopulmonary hygiene.

 

RESP 104 Respiratory Pharmacology

Course Description: This course offers students a detailed understanding of the basic factors involved in the field of pharmacology for the respiratory therapist and the application of this field to pulmonary diseases.

 

RESP 204 Advanced Pharmacology

Course Description: This course instructs students in advanced drugs, drug actions, delivery methods and ACLS drugs.

 

RESP 105 Physical Assessment

Course Description: This course provides the information and skills necessary to physically examine a patient with cardiopulmonary disease, to include inspection of the chest, percussion, palpation, auscultation, written and computerized medical record documentation, nutritional considerations, laboratory data analysis and basic chest radiographic interpretation.

 

RESP 106 Airway Management

Course Description: This course introduces the student to the skills, equipment and techniques required to obtain and maintain a patent airway in critically ill patients. It also provides an overview of the bronchoscopic procedure.

 

RESP 107 Diagnostic Monitoring

Course Description: This course introduces students to basic pulmonary function techniques and interpretation; arterial blood gas analysis and various techniques of monitoring critically ill patients, to include performing EKGs and recognizing basic cardiac rhythms. The course also includes quality control measures used to ensure accurate diagnostic equipment measurements.

 

RESP 207 Advanced Diagnostic Monitoring

Course Description: This course introduces advanced pulmonary function studies and assessment of critically ill patients using advanced hemodynamic monitoring.

 

RESP 108 Mechanical Ventilation I

Course Description: This course introduces students to artificial mechanical ventilation, its indications and the physiologic effects of positive pressure breathing.

 

RESP 118 Mechanical Ventilation II

Course Description: This course provides students with the knowledge and skills required to understand and use mechanical ventilators, to include their clas¬sification, common modes, monitoring, and removal.

 

RESP 208 Advanced Concepts of Mechanical Ventilation

Course Description: This course introduces students to more advanced monitoring techniques in the areas of ventilation and oxygenation for the adult patient. It also introduces advanced ventilator modes.

 

RESP 109 Pulmonary Pathologies

Course Description: Pulmonary pathology provides an in-depth study of common diseases of the cardiopulmonary system, to include their etiology, pathophysiology, clinical picture and treatment.

 

RESP 110 Neonatal and Pediatric Respiratory Care

Course Description: This course discusses the embryological development, diagnosis and treatment of congenital pulmonary and cardiovascular anomalies, neonatal and pediatric pulmonary diseases, assessment and resuscitation of neonates, and principles of monitoring and mechanical ventilation for the neonatal and pediatric patient.

 

RESP 111 Community Health

Course Description: This course is designed to instruct on continuity of care for chronic cardiopulmonary disease patients. The course includes physiologic concepts and therapeutic techniques utilized in rehabilitation, subacute and home settings. It also prepares the student to deliver smoking cessation education to patients who want to quit smoking.

 

RESPIRATORY CARE CLINICAL PHASE(16 Weeks)

 

RESP 114 Clinical I

Course Description: This course provides students with an introduction to the hospital environment, the function of the respiratory therapy department, and the role and responsibilities of the respiratory therapist, to include reviewing medical charts, confidentiality and safety concerns, and orientation to the facility and equipment.

 

RESP 214 Clinical II

Course Description: This course introduces respiratory therapy students into the hospital de¬partments and situations in which they may be expected to perform the pro¬cedures applicable to this point in their education. The course includes close supervision of the performance of these procedures.

 

RESP 224 Clinical III

Course Description: This course provides students with the essential clinical skills necessary to function as competent respiratory therapists in critical care areas and focuses on airway management, mechanical ventilation, and monitoring.

 

RESP 234 Clinical IV

Course Description: This course provides students with the skills necessary to competently perform all forms of pulmonary function tests, obtain and analyze blood gasses, and apply quality control measures in a pulmonary function lab.

 

RESP 244 Clinical V

Course Description: This course provides students with the essential clinic skills necessary to function as competent respiratory therapists in neonatal and pediatric critical care areas.

 

RESP 254 Clinical VI

Course Description: This course provides students with the skills necessary to administer respiratory care to patients in alternative settings. It also introduces the student to sleep studies, pulmonary rehabilitation, and smoking cessation education. In addition, it prepares the student for the national credentialing exam.

[sartort]

If you get a letter grade I think at least some of these should work. They would have accepted my army medic A&P training had it been awarded a letter grade because it was on my military transcript (although a real class was a lot better) so the school shouldn't make a difference. I imagine you would need to take an additional A&P based on the description, but the website specifically states micro and pathophys for the science. They are prerequisites instead of typical transfer credits (as in they don't have to equal a class they have at UW). This is my understanding at least, I went with the master's option myself so it was a little easier to navigate requirements, but wanted to try to answer your question since it's been a couple of days since you asked. Since you've already committed to the program, wait until March when all of the current applicants are done being reviewed and Mariah has a break in her inbox, then send her an e-mail. She's really helpful. You could send it now, but she will probably have more time to help you once the 2015 class gets selected.

[Corpsman2PA]

Agree with sartort, send Mariah an email. She'll help you navigate that. I'm sure you'll be able to roll some transcripts over. I'm in the bachelors program, and I know of a couple guys that used some military credits. I didn't, however, because it had been a few years since I was in a classroom.

[pH_7.40]

Sorry I'm a little late on the post but I just now saw this post. I'm a graduate of the IRTP. If you're Navy, they don't award you the GME credits. The Army shows up a month before Navy students to complete that as many of them are not prior medical.

[Friction]

Sorry I'm a little late on the post but I just now saw this post. I'm a graduate of the IRTP. If you're Navy, they don't award you the GME credits. The Army shows up a month before Navy students to complete that as many of them are not prior medical.

 

Yeah, I emailed Mariah and she basically said most of the classes would not count as additional sciences. It basically became a mute point as my command said they would only send me to PMT (preventive med tech), or glorified "janitor tech" school, and not respiratory. I'm just going to bank my hours in the ED and at Phoenix Children's Hospital (MED-SURG) and hope I get an interview. If I don't make it at least they know my name and can see my year to year progress (HCE hours and classes).