CCHC Offers Opportunities in Respiratory Therapy to CHS Students

Published Jan. 19, 2022

CONCORDIA, KS: Cloud County Health Center staff along with Hutchinson Community College (HCC) today met with students at Concordia High School to showcase opportunities for Respiratory Therapists.

Brandy Cavozos, a 2nd year student at HCC, told the group of 25 students that respiratory therapists can work in a variety of environments with varying schedules. She explained what prerequisite courses were needed to apply for the program at HCC and what the total cost would be. Including pre-requisite courses, the total program would take 3 years to complete.

Denise Baumann with CCHC explained that when working in a smaller hospital, respiratory therapists have a multi-faceted workday. “In a hospital the size of ours, each day you will get to work with inpatients, then spend time with cardiac rehab patients and any E.R. patients that need assistance,” said Baumann.

Dave Garnas, CCHC Administrator, let the CHS students know that they were working on efforts to provide scholarship opportunities and loan payoff opportunities to students who would commit to working for CCHC for two years after graduating from the program. The Respiratory Therapy program is not only offered by Hutchinson Community College, but also by Johnson County Community College, Kansas City Kansas Community College, Labette Community College, Newman University, Northwest Technical College, University of Kansas and Washburn University.

Dustin Bender, a science teacher at CHS, attended the presentation. “Most of the students in the room today are in a Career Technical Education Pathway,” he said. “The most in-demand field for these students is in healthcare. Today shows them that there are opportunities here and that we want them to return home.”

CHS principal Kale Katt expressed his appreciation for the presenters, “Partnerships between industry and education are crucial to fulfilling workforce needs in our community. I am pleased to offer this exploratory day for our students and hope to see more like it moving forward.”