Emily Greenstein, RRT

Current Position: Respiratory Therapist at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania

Story Posted: Summer 2024

My favorite part of GMercyU was how easy everything was. All of my classmates were amazing to talk to and get to know; my professors were incredible; admission and administration were easy to get a hold of and were responsive.

Emily Greenstein, RRT, a Franklin Towne Charter High School 2015 graduate, discovered GMercyU at a time in her life when she couldn’t seem to find her direction.

“After reading about Gwynedd a bit, I knew I could find my place there,” Emily said. She liked GMercyU's small class sizes, but after visiting campus for her Respiratory Care interview, she was hooked.

“My first visit to campus was exciting. It was for my Respiratory Care program interview, and I thought the campus was beautiful and not too confusing to navigate,” Emily said. “My transfer advisor was so communicative and she really helped make my decision, transition, and adjustment so easy.”

Experience in the Respiratory Care Program

“I always have been someone who loves to help people and try to make lives better. I was originally interested in Nursing, but when I read about Respiratory Care, did some research, and really saw what RTs do, I fell in love and knew that was the career path I could be successful in,” Emily said.

She found her new environment easy to navigate and she loved each of her professors, including Professor Randy Solly, MS, RRT, RPFT, AE-C; Melissa Thornborough, RRT, RRT-ACCS, AE-C; Melissa Ash, BS, RRT-ACCS, RRT-NPS, RRT-SDS, RRT-CPFT, RRT-AE-C; and Barbara Schuster, MSEd, RRT.

“Randy Solly, our coordinator and professor for multiple courses, was a person I could confide in and was always fun to joke around with. He made it feel more like a family than a program class. Melissa Thornborough was my rock through some pretty tough mental blocks, and I probably would not have succeeded without her guidance. Melissa Ash is a very accomplished RT and someone I loved to learn from. She also made lectures so much fun and always loved to see us smile. And finally, Barb! Barbara Schuster was amazing, and she truly was a gift to learn from. I am so grateful to have had such amazing faculty,” Emily shared.

Clinical Experience

Emily completed her clinical rotations at several area hospitals, including Jefferson Torresdale Hospital, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Penn Presbyterian Hospital, Temple University Hospital, and Abington Memorial Hospital. She was primarily responsible for ensuring patient safety and learning how to be the best RT she could be post-graduation.

My biggest takeaway was that one mistake could cost a person their life, literally. I learned to be thorough and utilize the knowledge I gained from my lecture and clinical to protect my patients and do the best by them.

Post-Graduation

After graduating from GMercyU in 2024, Emily began her dream job at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and hopes to return to graduate school when the time is right.

“I am just excited to give my son the life he truly deserves while also being in a career that I love. I would not have any of these things had I not come to Gwynedd,” Emily shared. “I’d like to think GMercyU made my non-traditional experience possible by being flexible and transparent.”