Respiratory Therapy

Respiratory Therapy Frequently Asked Questions

• Who are respiratory therapy practitioners
  • Respiratory therapy practitioners (also known as respiratory therapists) are considered the go-to experts in their facilities for respiratory therapy technology. But their high tech knowledge isn’t just limited to the equipment they use in their jobs. They also understand how to apply high tech devices in the care and treatment of patients, how to assess patients to ensure the treatments are working properly, and how to make the care changes necessary to arrive at the best outcome for the patient.
  • The combination of these skills-hands on technical know-how and a solid understanding of respiratory conditions and how they are treated-is what sets respiratory therapists apart from the crowd and makes them such a crucial part of the health care team.
• What is the nature of their work/what do they do?
  • Diagnosing lung and breathing disorders and recommending treatment methods.
  • Interviewing patients and doing chest physical exams to determine what kind of therapy is best for their condition.
  • Consulting with physicians to recommend a change in therapy, based on your evaluation of the patient.
  • Analyzing breath, tissue, and blood specimens to determine levels of oxygen and other gases.
  • Managing ventilators and artificial airway devices for patients who can’t breathe normally on their own.
  • Responding to Code Blue or other urgent calls for care.
  • Educating patients and families about lung disease so they can maximize their recovery.
• Where do they work? Where are job opportunities available?
  • In hospitals giving breathing treatments to people with asthma and other respiratory conditions.
  • In intensive care units managing ventilators that keep the critically ill alive.
  • In emergency rooms delivering life-saving treatments.
  • In newborn and pediatric units helping kids with conditions ranging from premature birth to cystic fibrosis.
  • In operating rooms working with anesthesiologists to monitor patients’ breathing during surgery.
  • In patient’s homes providing regular check-ups and making sure people have what they need to stay out of the hospital.
  • In sleep laboratories helping to diagnose disorders like sleep apnea.
  • In skilled nursing facilities and pulmonary rehabilitation programs helping older people breathe easier and get more out of life.
  • In doctor’s offices conducting pulmonary function tests and providing patient education.
  • In asthma education programs helping kids and adults alike learn how to cope with the condition.
  • In smoking cessation programs assisting those who want to kick the habit for good.
  • In air transport and ambulance programs rushing to rescue people in need of immediate medical attention.
  • In case management programs helping devise long-term care plans for patients.
  • Respiratory therapists held about 105,900 jobs in 2008. About 81 percent of jobs were in hospitals, mainly in departments of respiratory care, anesthesiology, or pulmonary medicine.
  • Most of the remaining jobs were in offices of physicians or other health practitioners, consumer-goods rental firms that supply respiratory equipment for home use, nursing care facilities, employment services, and home healthcare services.
  • Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
• How much money could I make as a respiratory therapist?
  • Median annual wages of wage-and-salary respiratory therapists were $77,960 in 2023.

  U.S.Bureau of Labor Statistics

• What is the job outlook?
  • Much faster than average growth is projected for respiratory therapists. Job opportunities should be very good.
  • Employment change. Employment of respiratory therapists is expected to grow by 13 percent from 2023 to 2033, much faster than the average for all occupations. The increasing demand will come from substantial growth in the middle-aged and elderly population—a development that will heighten the incidence of cardiopulmonary disease. Growth in demand also will result from the expanding role of respiratory therapists in case management, disease prevention, emergency care, and the early detection of pulmonary disorders.
  • Older Americans suffer most from respiratory ailments and cardiopulmonary diseases, such as pneumonia, chronic bronchitis, emphysema, and heart disease. As the number of older persons increases, the need for respiratory therapists is expected to increase as well. In addition, advances in inhalable medications and in the treatment of lung transplant patients, heart attack and accident victims, and premature infants—many of whom depend on a ventilator during part of their treatment—will increase the demand for the services of respiratory care practitioners.
  • Job prospects. Job opportunities are expected to be very good, especially for those with a bachelor’s degree and certification, and those with cardiopulmonary care skills or experience working with infants. The vast majority of job openings will continue to be in hospitals. However, a growing number of openings are expected to be outside of hospitals, especially in home healthcare services, offices of physicians or other health practitioners, consumer-goods rental firms, or in the employment services industry as a temporary worker in various settings.
  • Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• Is respiratory therapy right for me?

  Check out the AARC’s information on what it means to Be an RT in order to find out!

• What are the prerequisites for the program?

  The prerequisites are now split into two categories, to reflect the importance of science and math in preparing you for the program. First, there are the two in which you are required to earn a 2.5 to be considered. They are:

  1. BIO 132 (Human Biology) OR BIO 253 and BIO 254 (Human Anatomy and Physiology)
  2. MAT 130 (Quantitative Reasoning ) or higher
  3. ENG 131 (Writing Experience) or higher

  RES 101 is strongly recommended before beginning the program. HOC 130 is recommended if you have no health care background. Both courses will count for a point each in the application process.

• How are decisions made about who is accepted into the program?

  Decisions are made strictly on the point system.

• I understand that acceptance is based on a point system. What are the criteria to earn points?
  • Allied Health Degree or Certification
  • Grades received in pre-requisite classes
  • Information Sessions
  • Military Service
  • Previous degrees earned (Associate, Bachelor, or Masters)
  • Previous Allied Health Experience
• How does the admission process for the program work?

  The first step is to submit an application to Jackson College (this can be done on-line). Once accepted, you will want to have official transcripts from other colleges sent to Jackson College for evaluation. You are encouraged to contact your Student Success Navigator, who will assess what prerequisites courses you will need. The application deadline is November 15. Once applications are received and evaluated, qualified applicants are offered acceptance in the program in December. The program begins in January and runs two years.

• Do I need to complete all of the prerequisites before my application will be considered?

  Respiratory Therapy applications can be submitted at any time, however the following steps are recommended:

  1. Complete pre-requisite courses
  2. Apply to program

  If you are enrolled in courses that are used for determining points in the admission process you can still apply, but you will need to complete the courses with the required grades before you can be considered for acceptance.

• When will I be notified if I have been accepted to the program?

  Because some applicants will be enrolled in prerequisites they will not complete until December, then all applicants must wait to be notified until the grades for Fall term are submitted in December.

• Should I do job shadowing in the field of respiratory therapy? Is job shadowing the same as the hospital tour on the application?
  • Job shadowing gives the candidate an opportunity to see if the medical field is a good fit for them, and if the field is one toward which the student wants to devote time and education. The student can job shadow as much as needed to learn whether Respiratory Therapy is a good “fit.” It is worth no points in the application process.
  • The student is responsible for finding a job shadow site.
• How do I know if courses taken at other colleges will transfer to Jackson College to fulfill prerequisite requirements?

  Your official college transcripts must be mailed directly from each of your prior colleges/universities to the Registrar’s office at: Jackson College, 2111 Emmons Rd., Jackson, MI 49201. They will then be evaluated for transfer. You are encouraged to contact a Jackson College Student Success Navigator, who will assess what prerequisites courses you will need.

• When does enrollment take place?

  Applications are due by November 15. Accepted students will be notified in December and would begin the program in January.

• What methods are used to teach students?
  • Accredited schools require you to participate in lecture, lab, clinical and didactic settings. Some of these courses are provided in an online format.
  • Normal course work includes two years of didactic lectures, class work and labs. Each lab course is followed by an internship in the related clinical setting(s).
• Would I be allowed to work while I am in the program?

  The program is a full time commitment. Most students work part-time or full-time while in the program. You are required to be on-campus one day per week while in the program. If it is a clinical semester, you will be required to be at the clinical site two twelve hour days per week.

• How much does the program cost?

  Tuition & Fees

  Tuition and fees are subject to change by the Board of Trustees. Total costs are determined by tuition based on the number of billing contact hours, the Student fee, and any course fees.

• How long is the program?

  After completion of the pre-requisites, the program is a two year program.

• Is the program accredited?

  The Jackson College Respiratory Care program is accredited through the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC).

• How many hours a week must I attend clinical?

  During a clinical semester, the requirement is two 12 hours days per week.

• Can I go to clinical at night or on weekends?

  Clinical schedules are determined by the partnering clinical site and may vary based on their availability. While some sites may offer evening or weekend shifts, they are not guaranteed. Students must be flexible and prepared to attend clinicals during the days and times assigned by the site.

• Where do I go for my clinical education?

  Available hospitals are within an approximate 80-mile radius from Jackson College. The hospitals include:

  • Ascension – Kalamazoo
  • Bronson (Multiple Locations)
  • CareLinc
  • Henry Ford Jackson Hospital
  • Hickman Hospital
  • Hillsdale Community Health Center
  • McLaren – Lansing
  • Mott Children’s Hospital
  • Oaklawn Hospital
  • Sparrow Health System
  • Specialty Select
  • Trinity Health (Chelsea, Ann Arbor, Livingston)
  • University of Michigan Health System

  You will be required to attend rotations at several of these hospitals in order to acquire a complete and well-rounded clinical education. Different points in the program require different types of experiences, so the number and types of clinical rotations available will vary as well. There will also be rotations in respiratory care subspecialties, such as pulmonary function testing, home care, pulmonary rehabilitation, and many more.

• If I were to complete the program, would I be eligible to become registered

  YES! Completion of the Respiratory Therapy Program at Jackson College would prepare you to sit for the CRT and RRT (National Board for Respiratory Care) board exams. When both exams are passed, you will be an RRT (Registered Respiratory Therapist).

• Will completing the program allow me to acquire a Michigan license?

  Yes, you’d be eligible for licensing in any of the 49 states (including Michigan) where licensure is required. In Michigan, in order to become licensed, you’d need to graduate from an accredited program (like this one!), pass the CRT exam, pass a criminal background check, and pay your licensing fee. The requirements vary somewhat from state to state.