12-01-2009

Pima Medical Institute Sends Three Teams to National Sputum Bowl Championship

Student teams from Albuquerque, Denver, Tucson head to national respiratory therapy academic bowl championships

MESA, Ariz. (Dec. 1, 2009) - Each year, medical career colleges that offer respiratory therapy programs have the chance to compete against other colleges from across the nation in the National Student Sputum Bowl, a Jeopardy-style academic bowl competition that tests students on their knowledge of the respiratory care field. Teams from Pima Medical Institute campuses in Albuquerque, Denver and Tucson will test their knowledge of respiratory therapy care at the national level Saturday, Dec. 5 through Monday, Dec. 8 in San Antonio, Texas, during the International Congress of the American Association for Respiratory Care (AARC).

In order to compete at the national level, school teams must compete against other schools at a state-level competition, usually hosted by the state Society for Respiratory Care, and place first. Students answer questions in 13 different categories related to respiratory therapy, such as respiratory therapy equipment, physics, pediatric and neonatal care.

"We are thrilled to have three student teams competing against the nation's best at the 2009 National Student Sputum Bowl Championships in San Antonio," said Mark Luebke, president of Pima Medical Institute. "These students have been preparing for months, studying anatomy and physiology, terminology and related respiratory therapy topics. We know their preparations will pay off and hope Pima Medical Institute will take the top three spots this year."

The student teams, who all competed and took first place in their respective states, are comprised of three students, and often one alternate. The teams will travel to Texas to compete in preliminary elimination rounds on Saturday, Dec. 5. Teams who make it through to the final round will compete in the championship on Monday, Dec. 7. Teams from Pima Medical Institute's Denver campus have been national champions three of the past five years.

"It is tremendously exciting to see students compete," said Amy Brown, respiratory therapy program director for Pima Medical Institute's Denver campus. "These students walk in to the classroom on the first day with little knowledge of the respiratory therapy profession, and in a year or two they are competing on a national stage answering questions effortlessly."

About Pima Medical Institute

Established in Tucson in 1972, Pima Medical Institute (PMI) is one of the premier medical career colleges in the western United States. PMI is a privately owned, accredited school dedicated to providing students with a well-rounded education that offers theoretical classroom studies coupled with real world training on-site at medical facilities. Pima offers a wide range of certification and associate's degree programs, such as medical assistant, radiography, veterinary assistant and pharmacy technician.

PMI operates a total of 11 campuses in six western states, with locations in Albuquerque; Tucson and Mesa, Ariz.; Denver and Colorado Springs, Colo.; Seattle and Renton, Wash.; Las Vegas; Houston; Chula Vista, Calif.; in addition to online offerings. For more information and a complete list of programs offered at each of our campuses, visit pmi.edu or call 1-888-442-5998.

Media Contacts:

Beth Glick
480-610-6068
bglick@pmi.edu