How to Get an PhD in Respiratory Therapy

Respiratory therapists do everything they can to help their patients breathe easier. For those committed to the profession, the work offers fascinating challenges and daily rewards. If you're considering taking the next step in your respiratory therapy education, you already know the benefits of the career.

In this guide, you'll learn more about your graduate degree options, Web resources that can help you compile and sort your potential respiratory therapy schools, and more. Think of this guide as a starting point in your educational journey toward a graduate degree in respiratory therapy.

Master's Degrees in Respiratory Therapy

The most popular terminal degree in respiratory therapy is currently the Master of Science in Respiratory Therapy. Though respiratory therapists can practice with an associate's degree plus licensure, a master's degree is often recommended for supervisory, management, and administrative positions. The respiratory therapy master's degree is most commonly found in one of two categories:

• MS in respiratory therapy: This degree offers a combination of clinical study, practice, and classroom coursework.
• MS in respiratory therapy leadership: This management-heavy degree is more likely to offer online master's degree options.

A master's degree in respiratory therapy offers graduate-level coursework and lab requirements in clinical areas such as cardiopulmonary pathophysiology, principles of respiratory care, mechanical ventilation, and perinatal and pediatric respiratory care. A leadership degree may include some clinical coursework, but focuses on health care management as it pertains to respiratory therapy. Your individual career goals help determine the type of master's degree in respiratory therapy that benefits you.

PhD Degree Programs in Respiratory Therapy

As the health care profession grows and continues to evolve, schools may begin to offer PhD programs in respiratory therapy. Though it would likely be years before such a degree becomes a professional requirement for clinical practitioners or educators in respiratory therapy, hiring managers in academia and high-level research groups may consider it evidence of the highest-possible level of commitment to the field.

As with any doctoral degree, a PhD in respiratory therapy would require years of required coursework, exams, and a period of research and dissertation. As a result, graduates would be prepared to teach, research, and consult at the highest levels of the field.

Earning a PhD in Cardiovascular Science

Looking for a degree that goes beyond the professional training of a master's degree in respiratory therapy? The research-based PhD in cardiovascular science offers students the option to focus their research on respiratory therapy, cardiovascular physiology, pharmacology, pathology, endocrinology, metabolism, or molecular biology.

Graduates of cardiovascular science doctoral programs go on to teach or research in higher education, or consult or serve in an administrative capacity in hospitals or pharmaceutical companies. Because the PhD in the sciences is generally considered a research-based degree, graduates would feel comfortable in high-level research careers in academia, governmental organizations, or private corporations.

Education Leadership EdD in Health Policy or Health Education

If your interests mix both respiratory therapy and education, a general doctor of education, or EdD, degree in health policy or health education may offer the training you need. Doctoral programs in health education are generally most helpful to students with previous experience in health care management or a related health care concentration. Graduates of these research-based, in-depth doctoral degrees often go on to teach at the college or institutional level.

Campus-Based Versus Online Graduate Degrees in Respiratory Therapy

Earning your degree online is possible from a number of online colleges and universities. Completing your coursework online might be an attractive option for you out of convenience and flexibility, or you may prefer a more traditional campus-based approach. When making the choice between a campus-based and online master's degree in respiratory therapy, it's important to understand the difference between the two types of degrees. Additionally, hybrid programs may exist, combining aspects of both campus-based and online master's degree programs.

• Online master's degree programs in respiratory therapy eliminate campus attendance and travel requirements, giving you the freedom to study when and where you choose. One-on-one communication with instructors is common, though this communication typically happens via phone or Web applications.

• Campus-based degree programs in respiratory therapy have the benefit of hands-on research, laboratory access, and face-to-face communication with professors and peers. Students must meet classroom requirements of attendance up to a certain number of required coursework hours.

• Hybrid degree programs offer both online courses as well as on-campus labs and other coursework. Students may have the flexibility to choose which times to attend physical labs, or they may be held to a required number of campus-based coursework hours per semester.

No one type of program is inherently better than the others; your own requirements as a student help determine the type of respiratory therapy MS program that's ideal for you. After you make the choice among types of programs, you can begin to create a list of your potential terminal degree programs in respiratory therapy.

Creating Your Respiratory Therapy Degree Program List

Get started on the terminal degree research process by compiling a list of specialized respiratory therapy and general health care degree programs. These resources may be helpful as you create a basic list of options:

• U.S. News and World Report ranks health care graduate degree programs using factors ranging from faculty to alumni. Create an initial list of schools or see where your potential programs stack up.
• WorldWideLearn.com offers a listing of campus-based and online degree programs in respiratory therapy. Use the site to discover even more schools and easily contact your favorites.

Create your initial list of potential respiratory therapy degree programs, and then begin to consider programs based on location, rankings, and other factors. The first step toward narrowing down your potential list is to determine the accreditation of each individual program.

Choosing an Accredited Master's or PhD Degree Program

Whether you choose an on-campus or online master's or PhD program, it's important to find out whether your degree program is accredited by one of the local or regional accrediting agencies recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. These neutral third-party accrediting boards use a set of standards to ensure that your education is held at the same high standard of any degree program.

There are many benefits to confirming the accreditation of potential respiratory therapy degree programs:

• Ensure that your respiratory therapy degree is held to the same standard as others by hiring managers and other schools
• Meet the same standard of quality enjoyed by students at accredited respiratory therapy colleges and universities nationwide
• Enjoy the confidence that your school's academics, faculty, coursework, and financial aid programs are held to a higher standard

Think of accreditation as an insurance policy for your graduate degree. It's your responsibility to determine the accreditation status of potential programs, but the rewards for your research last far beyond your educational career.

Focusing Your Respiratory Therapy Program Options

After you have determined the accreditation status of every respiratory therapy school on your list, your next step is to narrow your options down further. From admissions requirements to publishing faculty, it's easy to hone your educational future. Use the categories below as a simple way to help determine your needs and goals as a graduate student:

• Admissions: Your specific degree and program determines admission requirements in any respiratory therapy graduate degree program. Admissions requirements may include GRE or TOEFL scores, minimum GPA requirements, admissions fees, letters of recommendation, and other prerequisites. In general, more selective programs have stricter admissions requirements for potential students.

• Faculty: A publishing, active faculty is a good sign for any respiratory therapy degree program. Consider faculty publication history, and look for those that have a high level of current activity in the academic and professional community. Faculty members with research matching your own may have a particularly helpful perspective on your work.

• Program: Take a close look at major, minor, and specialization possibilities within a respiratory therapy master's degree or doctoral program. Look for coursework that suits your own research and career goals. If you're looking for a doctoral program, pay close attention to specialization possibilities; they could greatly affect your research goals.

• History: Some respiratory therapy graduate degree programs have a long history of excellence, while others may have just opened their doors. Newer programs may lack alumni and faculty achievements, but the tradeoff may be a lower tuition for students. Consider the importance of a school's reputation to your degree training and career aspirations.

• Community: Get in touch with alumni groups and admissions counselors for more information on the community around a respiratory therapy program. Some respiratory therapy schools require their students to work in the local community, while others focus on laboratory research. Your own goals determine your ideal surroundings.

• Alumni: An active alumni group is a good sign that the respiratory therapy school cares for their former students after graduation. Department representatives should have more details on alumni success within the respiratory therapy program. Details like job placement rates may speak volumes toward the quality of training you'll receive.

After you've applied these categories to each of your potential respiratory therapy degree programs, you should be able to efficiently focus your schools to a short list of the best options for you. Though this research period can be time-consuming, it's important. Applying to only the best programs for you means saving time and money in the application process and learning more about what you need as a respiratory therapy student. As a result, you'll be more likely to find a school that suits your needs perfectly.

Discovering More Resources Offered by WorldWideLearn.com

In the process of selecting an ideal respiratory therapy degree program, every piece of information helps. WorldWideLearn.com is proud to offer a number of helpful, free resources that you can use at all stages of researching your respiratory therapy degree and subsequent career. Consider the following pages:

• Guide to College Majors. Whether you're considering a different major or thinking about a minor, discover the possibilities using this guide. Take a closer look at master's and doctoral degrees in health care.
• Financial Aid. Get the facts on financing your education, including facts about government loans and grants, finding respiratory therapy scholarships, and other financial assistance.
• Education Resources. Find general information on online education here, plus details about accreditation and a general mission statement from WorldWideLearn.com.
• Career Assessment. Use this interactive resource to take a closer look at your career's future. Complete fun quizzes, read helpful articles from real-life recruiters, and get tips on boosting your career in respiratory therapy.

Joining the Respiratory Therapy Community

Earning a graduate degree in respiratory therapy is only the first step toward becoming a professional in the field. Joining professional organizations, publishing in respiratory therapy journals, and attending and presenting at academic conferences are all recommended for respiratory therapists, instructors, and students. Some graduate programs even require such participation from their students.

Take a look at the organizations and publications you can pursue as you become a part of the respiratory therapy community:

• Professional organizations: American Association for Respiratory Care, National Board for Respiratory Care, Commission on Accreditation for Allied Health Education Programs, Committee on Accreditation for Respiratory Care, and European Respiratory Society
• Respiratory therapy journals: Respiratory Care, Respiratory Therapy Magazine, and Canadian Journal of Respiratory Therapy
• Academic conferences: International Respiratory Congress, American Association for Respiratory Care Summer Forum, and Medtrade Fall

Begin your research into accredited respiratory therapy programs nationwide, and you should be well on your way to earning a degree with real benefits for your professional future. Terminal degree graduates in respiratory therapy, respiratory therapy leadership, and health education make a commitment to training at the top of their field.

Sources

• American Association for Respiratory Care
• Commission on Accreditation for Allied Health Education Programs
• Committee on Accreditation for Respiratory Care
• National Board for Respiratory Care
• U.S. News and World Report