'Should I become an RT?'

I get all sorts of questions from high school students who want to become respiratory therapists.  Among the most common from students here in Michigan over the past year is whether they should pursue the profession in light of efforts to deregulate the profession.

I recently received the following question from a follower of the RT Cave on Facebook.  I do know his name, but for the sake of this post I will keep it anonymous.  He wrote:

Hello, I am hoping that you could help me out. I am worried about my choice too go into respiratory care. Respiratory care is the career I want the most,but I am always reading that respiratory care is going too be deregulated in Michigan, and that I will never find a job after respiratory school. I was wondering if you might look into these things for me since you are actually an respiratory therapist and tell me what you think. I am going too start volunteering in etheir the emergency room or respiratory care department too just learn some things and help my decision on respiratory, nursing or radiology. Hopefully you can give me some honest information and help guide my decision. Thank you:)

I humbly responded:

Don't let that kind of talk sway you one way or another. First of all, such is just talk and more than likely won't succeed. Second, even if it did succeed it would have no effect on our profession. We existed just fine prior to regulation, and since regulation there have been no changes. So, don't worry about it. We need people like you in this profession. So Go for it!

Surely there are flaws with our profession as there is with any other, but whether or not we are regulated or deregulated is not one of them.  The profession makes for a decent career, especially if you love to work with people, and you like to help people "breathe better."