Respiratory therapy program in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia conducts graduation ceremony
 Dr. Hopp poses for a photo with the graduates and General Ketab Al Otaibi (far right), head of medical services department, Ministry of Defense and Aviation, Saudi Arabia. |
The completion ceremony for the associate's degree in respiratory therapy ended a 15-year educational program conducted at the Prince Sultan Cardiac Center in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Graduating on June 20, 2001, the nine students brought the total number of graduates to 75, each of whom is serving in the health-care arena of Saudi Arabia.
The program, initiated in 1986 as a follow-up to the work of LLU's heart team in Saudi Arabia, has met its goal of bringing respiratory care services to the country.
One graduate, Abdulaziz Al Shehri, now serves as director of respiratory care services at King Fahd National Guard Hospital, with 120 therapists in his department. Another, Khalid Al Awam, who completed his MPH degree at LLU's School of Public Health, was clinical coordinator of the program in Riyadh for the past year and a half. He is now educational director of the Prince Sultan Cardiac Center.
Richard Nelson, MD, the respiratory therapist faculty member who assisted in forming the program, was guest of honor at the final completion ceremony. Both he and Joyce W. Hopp, PhD, MPH,
dean, School of Allied Health Professions, emphasized to the graduating students that they form the cadre of leaders for the future of the profession in Saudi Arabia. Dr. Nelson and Dr. Hopp counseled with both recent and former graduates in ways they could forward the growth of the profession and maintain professional standards of practice in the many health-care institutions of Saudi Arabia.
Dr. Hopp also publicly recognized the services of Richard Wettstein, program director at the Riyadh campus, for the past three years. The Wettsteins are now relocating to San Antonio, Texas, where Mr. Wettstein will join the faculty of the University of Texas.