Bachelor of Science in Respiratory Therapy

About

The Respiratory Therapy baccalaureate program at The University of Akron, Akron, Ohio has continuing accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC). Our program number is 200233. To view the CoARC Outcomes please visit CoARC Outcomes Data. CoARC accredits respiratory therapy education programs in the United States. To achieve this end, it utilizes an ‘outcomes based’ process. Programmatic outcomes are performance indicators that reflect the extent to which the educational goals of the program are achieved and by which program effectiveness is documented. Comprehensive curriculum includes courses designed for respiratory therapists, such as: cardiopulmonary anatomy and physiology, diseases, diagnoses, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, function and mechanics of equipment, and treatments and rationales for treatment .A Respiratory Therapist is a health care professional who assesses, diagnoses, and treats patients with heart and lung diseases. Caring for all age groups, Respiratory Therapists work in hospitals, nursing homes, offices, sleep labs, and even patient's own homes. To assist in patients breathing, Respiratory Therapy equipment may be as simple as oxygen nasal cannulas to advanced life support equipment such as mechanical ventilators. After successfully completing the UA Respiratory Therapy program, graduates will be eligible to take the National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC) credentialing examination. Passing this examination is required to obtain a Respiratory Care Professional (RCP) license to practice in the State of Ohio. State licensure is awarded by the State Medical Board of Ohio.  

Career Path  

Graduate career path includes Pulmonary Function Technologist, Critical Care Respiratory Therapist, Sleep Disorders Specialist (Polysomnography), Emergency Room Respiratory Therapist, Home Respiratory Care Coordinator, Bronchoscopy Assistant, Pulmonary Rehabilitation Therapist, Cardiopulmonary Diagnostics Technician, Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) Specialist, Ventilator Management Specialist, Neonatal/Pediatric Respiratory Therapist, Clinical Educator (Respiratory Therapy), Respiratory Therapy Program Instructor, Hospital Department Supervisor, Infection Control Officer, Public Health Respiratory Specialist, Patient Education Coordinator (COPD, Asthma).