A respiratory therapist specializes in treating and diagnosing patients with different health conditions in their airways. They usually perform chest exams to evaluate the patient’s respiratory system and prescribe a treatment plan.

This guide will walk through the career paths, salaries, and requirements for this profession. If you’re wondering how to become a respiratory therapist, you’re in the right place.

A respiratory therapist is a healthcare professional responsible for evaluating a patient’s lung condition and providing them with the proper treatment. They work with different
lung diseases and disorders.

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This professional also checks blood oxygen levels to ensure there are no concerns. As a respiratory therapist, you will also prescribe medication and provide respiratory care services to your patients.

If you want to become a respiratory therapist, you will have to go to college and obtain an Associate or Bachelor of Science in Health Science, specializing in respiratory care. A career in respiratory therapy requires a couple of years of study and experience to get licensed.

To become a respiratory therapist, you can choose different educational paths. These include community college, a traditional bachelor’s degree, and specific courses to complement your career training. Keep in mind that they all vary in duration and costs.

Community college is one of the career paths you can take to become a respiratory therapist. Most community colleges offer respiratory therapy programs that last up to two years.

The main differences between community colleges and universities are the duration and curricula. While the former offers programs that last around two years, traditional university programs last four years. The first two years of a university program include general education topics such as math and biology.

According to a recent report by The College Board, the average annual tuition for community college is $3,770. This is significantly lower than $10,560, the average annual in-state tuition for public four-year universities. If this type of education matches your lifestyle and financial means, you can pursue a career as a respiratory therapist via community college.

One of the most common education requirements to work as a respiratory therapist is to earn an Associate or Bachelor’s Degree in Respiratory Care. These programs will give you the necessary tools you need to get certified and work in an entry-level position.

Gaining either of these degrees will allow you to take the NBRC Respiratory Therapist Multiple Choice Board Exam and, subsequently, the NBRC Clinical Simulation Examination. Once you’ve completed these steps, you will be eligible to obtain a Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) credential. This is the gold standard for respiratory care professionals.

Another great way to complement your education is to take respiratory therapy courses, such as those offered through the continuing education division of the American Association for Respiratory Care (AARC). Most of these short-term courses specialize in certain areas of study such as pulmonary anatomy and critical-care techniques.

To become a licensed respiratory therapist, you must follow a couple of steps stipulated by the government and the healthcare industry. These are included in the list below.

Respiratory therapists must have a mix of technical and soft skills. Some of the competencies you should demonstrate include drug administration for lung diseases, measuring lung health, and oxygen administration.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the average salary of a respiratory therapist is $62,810. There is a high demand for respiratory therapists, with the number of jobs expected to grow by 19 percent by 2029. This is a significantly higher rate compared to the national average.

This demand is due to the drastic increase in patients suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). In addition, COVID-19 has caused a spike in demand for respiratory therapists during 2020 and 2021.

According to the BLS, you must possess an Associate Degree in Respiratory Therapy for an entry-level job. Most companies usually require candidates to have at least a bachelor’s degree for other positions.

A respiratory therapist must perform multiple tasks during the day, depending on their patients’ conditions. These include oxygen administration, diagnosis, CPR, and drug prescription.

The National Board for Respiratory Care provides industry-recognized certifications. The third-party non-profit organization is validated by renowned institutions in the healthcare community. These include the American Association for Respiratory Care (AARC). Below, you can discover key certifications that this organization offers.

This is the basic certification you need to work as a respiratory therapist. It validates that you have the fundamental skills it takes to diagnose, monitor, and provide treatment for respiratory diseases.

The RRT certification is the highest credential in the respiratory therapy industry. It demonstrates that you can administer respiratory treatments at an advanced level. Although it is an optional qualification in most states, some other states, including Ohio, New York, and California, require specialists to have this certification before they can get licensed.

Pediatric respiratory care is a specialty level of education in the respiratory therapy field. You will still need to obtain a CRT credential if you want to get the CRT-NPS certification.

Certified respiratory therapists that want to specialize in treating patients with sleep disorders can go for this certification. Like the previous one, it is mandatory to have CRT certification before applying for this credential.

Professionals with this certification can perform tests on cardiovascular and respiratory systems. This credential has two classes. If you score above a certain threshold on the exam, you will receive a CPFT certification. If you score below the threshold, you will obtain an RPFT certification.

There is a high demand and low supply for respiratory therapists, which means there is little competition in the job market. However, this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try to ace your job interview. Consider practicing with the following questions before the interview day.

It might take you from two to five years to become a certified respiratory therapist, including your education process and clinical experience. However, it will also depend on whether you obtain a bachelor’s or associate degree.

An associate degree program takes around two years, while a bachelor’s degree program takes up to four years. You will also need to gain clinical experience to get licensed, which might take another year of your time.

The demand for respiratory therapists was already high before COVID-19, but the pandemic accelerated this trend. This means there are a lot of vacancies and possibilities for salaries to increase in the upcoming months.

If you’re interested in providing healthcare services like this one, you should consider becoming a respiratory therapist. However, you should know that this is a very demanding job, and you will need to consistently deliver the best professional care.