“I always wanted a career where I could help people but also enjoy it,” said Omar, whose career has bloomed as quickly as he can keep up with himself. Omar works full-time at The Brooklyn Hospital Center, but he also serves as a respiratory therapist for Electromed, Inc., the company that makes SmartVest®, a device that helps keep airways clear for patients prone to illnesses such as pneumonia.
Omar has also launched two side businesses – Blend on Canvas (an online art retailer) and Automated Charge (a cell phone charging kiosk). “I think a lot of people my age have an entrepreneurial spirit,” he explained. Omar also partnered with a friend to launch the upcoming non-profit, Utopia Health Corporation, which will support the homeless population in the Miami-Dade area.
After obtaining his associate’s degree at a school in New York, Omar transferred to GMercyU for several reasons. He knew GMercyU’s pass rates would help ensure he’d pass the necessary exams to become a registered respiratory therapist. He also wanted a change of scenery and to live on campus. A recipient of our Kathleen and Alan Owens Scholarship, he found GMercyU more affordable than other options.
The Respiratory Care Program at GMercyU is small, so there’s more one-on-one time with the professors. It’s more of a family-oriented school – everyone’s really close and the teachers really care about you and want you to succeed.
As a GMercyU respiratory care student, Omar participated in clinical rotations at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and Magee Rehabilitation Hospital. He was also named to the Dean's List and was a member of the Alpha Eta National Honor Society for the Allied Health Professions.
“[After graduation], I feel like I had an advantage compared to my New York counterparts, the students coming from New York schools. My clinical work at HUP and at Magee made me see many different types of patients – and some of the equipment I used I haven’t even seen yet at my current hospital.”
