Tim McMahonMS, RRT-NPS, RRT, LPC

I build the tools that teach critical care.

Respiratory therapist, licensed counselor and educator. I design simulation, assessment and learning technology for respiratory care, including a live classroom simulation platform, a simulated electronic health record, interactive physiology modules and question-level assessment reports.

Areas of focus

  • Clinical simulation
  • Instructional design
  • Assessment and feedback
  • Educational technology
  • Critical care education
  • Interprofessional education
See the work Contact
Portrait of Tim McMahon

Tim McMahon

MS, RRT-NPS, RRT, LPC

Respiratory Therapist · Educator · Counselor · Developer

Work

Four projects I designed and built for respiratory care education: a classroom simulation platform, interactive physiology modules, a simulated health record and an assessment reporting system. Select any screen or animation to view it full size.

Selected work · 01

Stridor

One instructor console drives patient cases, a ventilator waveform trainer, lecture decks and live polls that students answer on their own phones. A physiology engine moves the monitor as orders are given, and every answer feeds reports by NBRC content area and course outcome.

Ventilator. Eight modes, live waveforms and loops.
ECG. Dual-lead strips on calibrated paper.
Reports. Results by NBRC content area.
Lectures. Slide decks with live polls on students' phones.

Oxygen Journey

Follow a breath from the air to the cell, in 3D.

Airways. Bronchial tree to the alveolar sacs.
Gas exchange. Across the alveolar-capillary membrane.
Delivery. From the aorta to the capillary bed.
Internal respiration. Oxygen unloads to the mitochondria.

Selected work · 02

Respiratory Lab

Interactive oxygen, humidity and aerosol modules.

Students change the device, the flow or the particle size and see the result: aerosol travelling to the lungs, where particles deposit, how bland aerosol reaches a trach collar, how a Venturi mask entrains room air, and how the oxyhemoglobin curve shifts.

Aerosol delivery, the complete path. A 3D airway with labeled branches and adjustable breathing rate.

Particle deposition. Change particle size and breathing pattern; watch where particles land.
Bland aerosol delivery. Droplets from the nebulizer through the tubing and water trap to the trach collar.
Venturi mask. Pick the FiO₂ adapter; watch room air entrain against demand.
Oxyhemoglobin curve. Choose lung, resting or active tissue and shift the curve.

Selected work · 03

StridorEHR

A simulated electronic health record.

Built for chart-based learning: 43 patient records across ICU, step-down, sleep lab and outpatient settings, each with chart review, results, imaging and ECG, notes, medication administration, orders and RT flowsheets. Students work from the chart; the answer key is kept in a separate faculty build.

Inside the chart
Imaging and ECG. Radiology, rhythm strips and hemodynamics.
Results review. Trended labs with ranges and flags.
Medication MAR. Time-based administration by order.
RT flowsheets. Device, settings, vitals and assessment.

Selected work · 04

Beyond the Grade

Question-level assessment reports.

An assessment system that turns exam results into a Student Learning Report for every student, a faculty cohort analysis, and structured reflection and development plans. Every question is tagged by content area, cognitive level and NBRC domain, so each student can see where they stand and what to study next.

How the reports work
Student Learning Report. Results, strengths and a priority learning plan.
Performance by category. Content group, cognitive level, NBRC domain.
Faculty cohort analysis. Score distribution and results by content group.
Reflection and development. Students' written reflections and action plans.

Sample reports generated from fictional test students.

Experience

  1. 2026 – present

    Faculty, Respiratory Care

    Malcolm X College, Chicago

    Courses taught

    • Basic Respiratory Care
    • Ventilatory Mechanics I
    • Respiratory Care Lab I
    • Respiratory Care Lab II
    • Clinical Practice II
    • Clinical Practice III
  2. 2024 – 2025

    Owner and Lead Analyst

    QuantRails LLC. Data-driven analytical systems and visualization tools.

  3. 2023 – 2024

    Registered Respiratory Therapist

    Edward-Elmhurst Health. Advanced cardiopulmonary monitoring and arterial lines.

  4. 2021 – 2023

    Respiratory Clinical Educator

    Advocate Aurora Health. Clinician training and competency education.

  5. 2019 – 2021

    Registered Respiratory Therapist

    Rush University Medical Center, Generations at Regency and Advocate Aurora Health. Critical care and long-term care.

  6. 2015 – 2016

    Career Advisor and Transition Program Instructor

    Northeastern Illinois University

Credentials, education and skills

Licenses and credentials

RRT

Registered Respiratory Therapist

National Board for Respiratory Care

RRT-NPS

Neonatal-Pediatric Specialist

National Board for Respiratory Care

RCP

Licensed Respiratory Care Practitioner

States of Illinois and Wisconsin

LPC

Licensed Professional Counselor

State of Illinois

Education

Master of Science, Rehabilitation Counseling

Virginia Commonwealth University

Associate in Applied Science, Respiratory Care

High Honors

Bachelor of Arts, Communication, Media and Theatre

Northeastern Illinois University

Skills

Clinical Simulation & Education

  • Clinical Simulation Design
  • Scenario Development & Facilitation
  • Simulation-Based Learning
  • Instructional Design
  • Competency-Based Assessment
  • Clinical Reasoning & Critical Care Education

Technology & Development

  • HTML, CSS & JavaScript
  • Python
  • Interactive Learning Tool Development
  • Simulated Electronic Health Records
  • Learning Management Systems (Brightspace)
  • Epic
  • Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)

Assessment & Analytics

  • Educational Data Analysis
  • Assessment Analytics & Reporting
  • Data Visualization
  • Learning Outcomes Mapping
  • Student Performance Evaluation

About Me

Teaching approach

  • Constructivism
  • Experiential learning
  • Scaffolding
  • Humanistic

I am a respiratory care educator, registered respiratory therapist and licensed professional counselor. I serve as tenure-track faculty in the Respiratory Care Program at Malcolm X College, where I began my own respiratory care education.

Preparing students for clinical practice takes more than technical information. They need clinical judgment, professional accountability and the confidence to make safe, evidence-based decisions. I teach through patient-centered case studies, simulation, hands-on practice and purposeful feedback, grounded in constructivism, experiential learning and scaffolding.

My background in counseling shapes how I teach. Well-being, motivation and self-efficacy are tied to academic success, so I work to create an environment where students are supported, challenged and held to meaningful professional standards.

I also build the tools I teach with: browser-based clinical simulations, interactive learning resources and assessment reports that help students see where they stand and what to work on next.

My goal is to prepare respiratory care practitioners who understand the reasoning behind their decisions, recognize when their approach needs to change, and enter clinical practice ready to provide safe, thoughtful and compassionate patient care.

Get in touch

Simulation, assessment, instructional design or respiratory care education.

Email me LinkedIn