1. Respiratory Therapy Careers
Are you consumed by a passion to help people? Do you thrive for working under pressure? Do
emergency situations bring out the best in you? Do you get an adrenalin rush every time you
think about a “code blue” call? Do you want to be at the forefront of using cutting edge technology
for the delivery of health care?
If your response to all the above questions is yes, then you are an ideal fit for the role of a
Respiratory Therapist.
Respiratory Therapists (RTs) are also known as Respiratory Care Practitioners. They evaluate,
treat, and provide care to patients with breathing or other cardiopulmonary disorders. Their work
involves practicing under the supervision or direction of doctors. They also work closely and often
supervise respiratory therapy technicians.
What does an RT do?
The American Association of Respiratory Care describes a day in the life of a Respiratory
Therapist including activities like:
1. Diagnosing lung and breathing disorders.
2. Recommending treatments for respiratory disorders.
3. Conducting chest examinations on patients.
4. Analyzing breath, tissue, and blood samples of patients.
5. Managing ventilators and artificial airway devices for patients.
6. Educating patients and their families about lung diseases.
Respiratory Therapists provide care to patients ranging from premature babies with under
developed lungs to older people suffering from lung diseases. They also respond to emergency
situations like heart attacks, strokes, or shock.
How do I become an RT?
The minimum qualification to become a Respiratory Therapist is an associate respiratory therapy
degree. Although an associate’s degree in respiratory therapy may be enough to enter the
profession, RTs need to earn a bachelor’s or master’s degree in respiratory therapy for career
advancement.
In addition to the degree, all U.S. states except Alaska and Hawaii require RTs to have a valid
license from the National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC). The board confers the Certified
Respiratory Therapist (CRT) credential to students who graduate from entry-level or advanced
respiratory therapy program and pass a licensure exam.
CRTs that complete advanced respiratory therapy programs and pass two separate exams are
eligible for a Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) certificate from NBRC. However, students
must ensure before enrolling in a respiratory therapy program that it is accredited by a recognized
accrediting body like the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC) or
Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC).

2. What Will I Learn?
As part of their education, students of a respiratory therapy degree learn topics such as cardiac &
renal anatomy & physiology, cardiopulmonary pharmacology, pulmonary anatomy & physiology,
pulmonary function testing, respiratory care protocols, polysomnography, and many more.
In addition to these clinical concepts, respiratory therapy graduates also learn management
principles that respiratory care practitioners need to perform supervisory roles. These subject
areas include management planning, psychology of motivation, business law, organization design
and change, etc.
At the end of their program, graduates have the skills and knowledge to meet the everyday
challenges that the work of an RT throws up – be it at a hospital treating patients with chronic
breathing problems or responding to emergencies or at a patient’s home providing preventive
care.
If you want to stand shoulder to shoulder with the best brains in medical science and assist them
in the delivery of health care, if you want a career that is both fulfilling and rewarding, and if you
want a job with multiple advancement opportunities, then respiratory therapy is just what the
doctor ordered for you!