This November, three people from the respiratory care department were honored and inducted as fellows of the American Association of Respiratory Care. It is rare that more than one fellow come from a single facility or institution, so to have three inducted in one year is an achievement itself.
The fellowship program honors association members who have achieved outstanding accomplishments in respiratory care and consistently demonstrate the highest level of professionalism and expertise. Megan Koster, chair of the Department of Respiratory Care, Kristen McHenry, director of the Master of Science in Respiratory Care program and TJ Wing, director of the Registered Respiratory Therapy – Bachelor of Science Degree Advancement online program, had the distinct honor of being inducted to the fellowship at an award ceremony during the 2024 AARC Congress conference in Orlando, Florida.
Fellows must be an expert in their field and have had a major impact on the profession. To achieve fellowship, two things must happen. Two association members must nominate the fellow. Then a stringent review process occurs to determine who will receive the honor of fellowship designation. This year, only 25 people were selected for this honor, with three awarded from Boise State.
“It’s an honor to be, not only nominated for induction, but to be selected and recognized as impacting the field of Respiratory Care in a significant way,” Koster said. “Additionally, it’s really special that three of our faculty were nominated in the same year. To have an institution with three inductees is unique and I am so thrilled to share this honor with such amazing colleagues and friends- it’s made it really, really special.”
McHenry said that she was still in a bit of shock from the news.
“I work hard because that is who I am, but it is always encouraging and motivating to be recognized for one’s efforts,” McHenry explained. “I am honored that my peers nominated me for this distinction and thankful to the selection committee for considering me for induction. This recognition would be meaningful no matter what, but the fact that I get to experience this with colleagues who I dearly admire and respect for their contributions is momentous.”
“It means the world to me to be recognized nationally by peers for contributions I have made after dedicating my entire professional career to advancing Respiratory Care. I am humbled beyond words,” Wing said.
Koster emphasized Boise State’s Department of Respiratory Care faculty and staff have a habit of remaining hyper-focused on the work at hand.
“We work tirelessly to make sure our programming is accessible to students, relevant to the profession, and creates a sense of community within the profession that is unparalleled,” Koster said. “Occasionally, we forget to look up and see how far we’ve come. So, this has been a great opportunity to take a moment and reflect on all of the amazing work that has gone into making our programming the best in the nation.”
As the department continues to innovate and elevate respiratory care education, these honors solidify its position as a leader in the field. Six out of 11 Boise State faculty members currently hold fellowship status within the field of respiratory care.
Boise State has three respiratory care programs: On Campus Bachelor of Science in Respiratory Care Program, Registered Respiratory Therapy-Bachelor of Science Degree Advancement Online Program and Master of Science in Respiratory Care.