slideshow widget

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Is a bachelor's degree in respiratory therapy useful?

Your Humble Question:  I often receive in the mail letters from various universities to get a bachelor's degree.  I wonder if it would be useful to get a bachelors degree in respiratory therapy.  Yet then I think:  What's the point?  What do you think?

My humble answer:  Ironically, today I received in the mail an "Opportunity" to enter into a bachelor's degree program in respiratory therapy at Siena Heights University.  I'm going to do with it what most RTs do, and pitch it into file cabinet 13, which is the trash.  I'm doing this for two reasons:

  1. I have no idea where Siena Heights University is
  2. I already have a Bachelor's Degree
My degree isn't in respiratory therapy, it's in business and marketing.  Yet the same principle applies.  If you want to make a career advancement in the medical field you almost always need some form of an advanced degree.  If moving up the chair of command is something you're interested in, I most certainly would recommend furthering your degree.

Besides, it can never hurt to get better educated.  Furthering your career in this way will most certainly make you a better RT.  It will make you better aware of the ins and outs of hospital life, particularly how the administration runs.  

Now you don't have to get a bachelor's degree, it's just an option.  You can also further your career by chasing other degrees too, such as computer skills.  I know of n nurses who specialized  in IT services and now they are in charge of IT services (computers).  I also know of nurses who specialized in quality assurance and are now in that department, and getting paid better.  

So it never hurts to advance your education.  If you have the opportunity I'd recommend going for it.  

No comments: