Respiratory therapists must, at the very minimum, complete their associate degree in respiratory therapy at a school accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC) or the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP). Accreditation status of schools offering respiratory therapy programs is constantly being updated on the CoARC website. Accredited programs may be at colleges and universities, medical schools, vocational-technical institutes, and/or the armed forces.
If you live anywhere in the United States, you must obtain your license before you can start working as a respiratory therapist. In order to be licensed, you must first meet the eligibility requirements provided by the National Board for Respiratory Care. Once you have graduated from a CAAHEP- or CoARC-accredited entry-level or advanced program and pass the exam, you may then receive your Certified Respiratory Therapist (CRT) credential. After passing two separate examinations, you may be awarded the Registered Respiratory Therapist credential. (BLS)
The entry-level CRT exam consists of 160 multiple-choice questions and will take three hours to complete. In order to prepare for the exam, you must be familiar with the knowledge, skills, and abilities required of all entry-level respiratory therapists. Also, many employers of respiratory therapists require employees to hold active cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) certification.
