Breathe a Little Easier: Respiratory Therapy Degree Programs

When you work in the field of respiratory therapy, your goal is wonderfully simple--help people breathe better. In that sense, an online degree in respiratory therapy may prove a breath of fresh air not only for you, but for the patients you serve.

Online Degree Options for Respiratory Therapists

Respiratory therapy is a highly specialized profession, and online education options reflect that. In most online degree programs, you take some general classes, but mainly focus on job-related courses such as anatomy, physiology, pharmacology, and cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
You can obtain a job as a respiratory therapist with an associate's degree. However, a bachelor's degree, which you can earn online, may be desirable if you want to be competitive. While you pursue an online degree, you can still work in a hospital or other care facility during the day and study at night. This can result in double the learning, without any added time.

Respiratory Therapy Job Options

Typically, respiratory therapists work with doctors who are respiratory specialists, conducting interviews with patients, running tests, and helping to implement treatment plans. The work of a respiratory therapist is a combination of human and technical work and you must be proficient at both. You must be able to speak to patients and relate to their human condition one minute, and then operate complex diagnostic machines the next.
Respiratory therapy degree programs provide a valuable foundation for the on-the-job training that can solidify your workplace skills. Job growth for this profession is projected to be strong. Median annual pay for respiratory therapists in 2007 was $50,070. Home health care is projected to be a particular area of growth as the Baby Boomer generation enter their golden years.
Source:
Bureau of Labor Statistics, Respiratory Therapists

Andrew Freiburghouse is a writer and businessman. As a partner at Los Angeles tax preparation firm Pronto Income Tax of California, Inc., Andrew learned the fine art of growing a small business into a not-so-small business. Currently, Andrew lives in Brooklyn, NY.