Tom Barnes

Tom Barnes is a distinguished figure in the field of respiratory therapy education and leadership. He served as the President of the Coalition for Baccalaureate and Graduate Respiratory Therapy Education (CoBGRTE) from January 2012 to December 2017.2 Currently, he holds the position of Executive Director at CoBGRTE.34

Professional Background

Dr. Barnes is a Professor Emeritus of Cardiopulmonary Sciences in the Department of Health Sciences at Northeastern University's Bouve College of Health Sciences. He is also the Lead Faculty Member and consultant for the Master of Science in Respiratory Care Leadership Program at the College of Professional Studies.1

Academic Contributions

With over 29 years of experience as a tenured Full Professor and Director of the BSRT Program at Northeastern, Dr. Barnes has made significant contributions to respiratory care education. He has published more than 100 research articles, abstracts, textbooks, and book chapters.1

Professional Associations

Dr. Barnes has held several prominent positions in professional organizations:

• Past-president of the American Association for Respiratory Care (AARC)
• AARC Life Member and Fellow
• Jimmy A. Young Medalist
• AARC representative to the American Heart Association Emergency Cardiovascular Care Committee for 16 years
• AARC representative to the National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC) for 9 years
• AARC representative to the Joint Review Committee for Respiratory Therapy Education (JRCRTE) for 8 years1

Awards and Recognition

In 2010, Dr. Barnes was selected as Practitioner of the Year by the AARC Education Section, recognizing his outstanding contributions to the field.1