RT jobs expected to grow 21% by 2018

So you're considering the profession of respiratory therapy and are wondering what this job is like. What are the job prospects?

Perusing the Internet I found this article which does a very good job of summing up this profession. I pretty much agree with most of what the article says about this profession. However, I do take exception to the statement, "RT is a well paying and stable career."

While it is a stable career and a good career at that, it is definitely not well paying. While this may be true in some parts of the country, it is not the case in Michigan. In fact, I would have to say the pay scale for RTs is almost close to the top of the poverty line.

Yet if you need a job and you love working with people, particularly people with respiratory complications, then this is the ideal job for you. It's also a good job for people who are in their later 20s, 30s or 40s and are looking for a new career. I find a lot of former housewives have turned to this profession.

This profession is also a good stepping stone for anyone who wishes to become a nurse practitioner, physician's assistant, or a doctor. What a better way for you to get experience than to be an RT. I highly recommend it.

One of the things I found very interesting in this article was the following:

Employment of respiratory therapists is expected to grow by 21 percent from 2008 to 2018, 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.

The RT profession is one that is expected to grow. This is good news for aspiring RTs because it will assure there will always be some job placement.

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