Fanshawe College has a long and proud history of producing outstanding graduates. Sometimes Fanshawe is one of many important steps in a long educational journey, as was the case for one of Fanshawe's distinguished graduates John Davies.

Davies attended Fanshawe for the Respiratory Therapy program after earning a Bachelor of Science from the University of Western Ontario. "Getting my (Bachelor's degree) from UWO helped me identify what specialty to pursue. The (degree) in and of itself encompassed a broad range of anatomy and science but lacked career specialization," explained Davies of his time at Western.

When Davies made the decision to come to Fanshawe to pursue a specialty field, "my career path did not change," he said. "I knew I wanted to be involved in working in the hospital setting and the field of repiratory therapy suited me perfectly."

Davies' time at Fanshawe proved to be enlightening and yet sometimes tense. When speaking about his favorite professor, Ivan Dupuis, Davies told of both the good and bad. "He was very flamboyant and I didn't always agree with what he said, but the man knew the field and was passionate about it."

Following graduation from Fanshawe, Davies got straight to work. "I started at a small hospital in Windsor to begin with," he explained, but soon, "(I) realized I wanted more critical care experience and came back to London." Davies remained in London for a number of years until becoming "more and more interested in 'cutting edge' technology and research within the Respiratory Therapy field." This meant relocation to a larger city centre with bigger facilities. "Ultimately, I ended at Duke University Medical Center in Durham, North Carolina," noted Davies.

Davies continues to live and work as a Respiratory Therapist in North Carolina, but he hasn't left behind the lessons learned at Fanshawe. Davies offered advice to current Fanshawe students: "Use all the tools and faculty that Fanshawe has to offer to prepare for your career." He added, "I found, in particular, that faculty was very proactive in helping students get the most out of their education."

As for those looking to follow Davies' footsteps and pursue the Respiratory Therapy career path, "I would recommend that potential students investigate what a Respiratory Therapist's responsibilities consist of. Working with diseased and trauma patients is not for everyone. Being 'book smart' is one thing, but working with patients and their families can be quite challenging."

For graduates like John Davies, Fanshawe was a pivotal point in the educational journey. For students currently at Fanshawe, those like Davies serve as an inspiration for what they can achieve with the help of Fanshawe's excellent programs and exceptional staff.