IUP's Respiratory Care degree program will be celebrating Respiratory Care Week 2021 (October 24–30). These first responders are vital to our community, especially during the COVID-19 national pandemic.

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, respiratory therapists interview and examine patients with breathing or cardiopulmonary disorders. From chronic respiratory diseases, such as asthma or emphysema, to acute conditions, such as premature babies with underdeveloped lung or adults with heart attacks, respiratory therapists are on the front lines to treat people with breathing problems, which is really the core issue with the pandemic. Their essential role of treating breathing ailments and mastery of the ventilator has brought them a new level of recognition for what has been an unfamiliar job.

The IUP Respiratory Care program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care.