Reports issued by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics show that the need for respiratory therapists is expected to increase by as much as 26 percent after the year 2009. According to the American Association for Respiratory Care, respiratory therapists can earn more than $56,000 per year, with additional opportunities to branch out into home care, teaching or equipment sales. Respiratory therapy programs in Georgia are available from the associate to the master's level.
Respiratory therapists often deal with problems in the lungs
Function
Accredited respiratory therapist programs in Georgia are intended to provide students with the skills and knowledge needed to work with other health-care professionals to care for people with respiratory disease or other problems with the cardiopulmonary system. Educational programs in Georgia must comply with the guidelines set forth by the American Association for Respiratory Care (AARC), which is the national organization for the field of respiratory therapy.
Types
In Georgia, there are typically three different types of qualifications available through respiratory therapy programs. A two-year associate of science (A.S.) is usually given by technical or community colleges, but is also available at larger universities, such as Macon State College in central Georgia. Bachelor of science (B.S.) degrees in respiratory therapy are generally four years long and are offered by Georgia State University and the Medical College of Georgia. Finally, many universities also run master of science (M.S.) programs, such as the M.S. in health sciences with a major in respiratory therapy offered by Georgia State). These M.S. programs tend to last about two years.
Considerations
Acceptance into respiratory therapy programs are often very competitive, and are based on an applicant's academic record. The B.S. in respiratory therapy at Georgia State University requires a GPA of at least 2.5, based on grades achieved during general education courses. The actual degree program in respiratory therapy does not begin until junior year, and requires a separate application than general admission to the university.
Potential
In order to work as a respiratory therapist in the state of Georgia, graduates must successfully complete a number of accreditation exams. First, graduates must take the Certification Respiratory Therapy (CRT) exam. Second, they must pass the Registered Respiratory Therapist exam. Finally, an application must be lodged for state licensure from the Georgia State Composite Medical Board, which will allow the applicant to work as a licensed respiratory therapist in the state of Georgia.
Warning
After completing a program in respiratory therapy, graduates are advised not to accept any job offers until they have their Georgia medical license. The Georgia Medical Board suggests applying for the license no earlier than sixty days before the end of the program. Only qualified applicants who have been formally trained in respiratory care will be granted a license to work as a respiratory therapist in Georgia. Applications for the license generally take six to eight weeks to complete, after which a successful applicant will be granted a permanent license.
Tags: respiratory therapy, Georgia State, respiratory therapist, programs Georgia, American Association