I want to do Respiratory Therapy berfore I go to PA school, but the job field seems to be saturated. Are there any RRT's or former RRT's who made the transition into PA school? Is the job market for RRT's still alive? Where are the best job prospects? Is Canada a better country to practice Respiratory Therapy?
I was an RRT for 6 years before going to PA school. New England (Boston specifically) has many RT jobs. I worked at a large university hospital fo the first 4 years on the adult side in trauma and SICU, then in the Newborn ICU and Pedi ICU my last 3 years, 1 year was part time...pa scool had started. My goal was to get into PA school, but i wanted the chance to do as much as i could as an RT.
I was trained to be one of the RRT ECMO perfusionists, as well as being on the newborn hosptial transport team, we'd go to community or outside hospitals and pick up premies or sick kidos, stabilize them and bring them back to our unit.
My experience was priceless. I loved my job as an RT, but wanted to be able to do more.
Thank you Dave, I was wondering if I was making the right choice. I know that I will like being a RRT and that it will be great preparation for PA, but with hiring freezes I was nervouse about getting a job as a new graduate. In a year things can get better or drastically worse, I'm hoping for the better!Does anyone have any information on Canada's market for RRT's? Are there any other areas where they are in need of RRT's and will accept new graduates?
I think you are making too much of it. Many hospitals have shortages and you should have no problem finding a job as a new or seasoned RT in many areas of the country.Originally Posted by PaProspectCheck
Thank you Dave, I was wondering if I was making the right choice. I know that I will like being a RRT and that it will be great preparation for PA, but with hiring freezes I was nervouse about getting a job as a new graduate. In a year things can get better or drastically worse, I'm hoping for the better!
Pediatric/Neonatal RRT & ECMO Specialist
Rush University M.S. in Health Systems Management, 2013
"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit." - Aristotle
I second ventjock as I am currently an RT and it seems like we are always hiring new grads. I live in central CA and hospitals are getting bigger everyday. I think as an RT a have gained lots of experience and I am hoping to get into a PA program myself. Next to RN's our assessment skills are top notch and I am very proud to say that. In some places we even get to intubate and definitley key players emergent situations. Good Luck!
Literally everyone hires during the winter months...go for it!
I am an RRT and I am three weeks into PA school. Like the previous post, when it gets cold, and respiratory departments get busy, they want to fill their full time positions. You may have some areas, like the one I worked in (north Georgia) that want to go to a skeleton crew and stop hiring during the slower months (warmer months for respiratory), but as soon as cold and flu season come around, they are back in business.
I think respiratory care is going to be looking at significant 10-20 year growth as the baby boomers who all smoked start to get sicker and sicker and current respiratory therapists seem to move into either sales and/or a new profession (PA, RN, NP). As well as new technology that RTs seem to be recruited to learn and manage/repair.
For 16 months of school at my husband's program the job pays incredibly well too. He'll be less than 20k in debt and the starting salary around here is $20-$30/hr. In some ways, Im wondering why I didnt just do that. lol
chris
PA-C
Was a RRT since the late 1920's before PA school. It is great experience, one of the better HCE. I worked in the NICU and PICU. Lot's of OT. Used to be slow in summer, not so much anymore. I had OT at my whim. Like a all you can eat OT buffet.
Cake (some busy nights though, esp in the PICU), kick it in the NICU, nipple and nest, study, grab some gasses, help retape a tube, flip an oscillator kid or two, set up a jet ventilator, back on break or study before you know it. Some nights (noc shift) I could get like 6 hours study in-and have all my work done and all my patients well taken care of t/o the night, no kidding. While other RTs were outside smoking or watching TV in the lounge, I was hitting my prereqs and getting paid.
Became ECMO trained, but never sat at the pump, PA school saved me before I did that.
Downside: boring mostly, and don't get to make too many decisions....
Physician "Extender"
found this funny because i was just commenting to a friend the other day about how literally EVERY respiratory therapist i know (including my brother) is a smoker. haha. ironic
some nights its the same for me in the NICU. we have a neo in-house overnight and a resident. the neos round early and some dont like to mess with much and will not make any changes or order labs until the AM. those nights i literally just go through my 3 vent checks and thats about it. ive had up to 8hrs out of a 12hr shift where i didnt do much of anything. i knew i shouldve signed up for a class or two this semester, lol. i should be getting trained for ECMO but the call schedule is horrible here, so i still have my doubts.
Pediatric/Neonatal RRT & ECMO Specialist
Rush University M.S. in Health Systems Management, 2013
"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit." - Aristotle
I am also a Respiratory Therapist, but recently left the field to pursue the PA route as well...and I agree with everyone above, it is great healthcare experience!
For those RRTs who are already PA's or been accepted to a PA program, I have a quick question...
I just applied for the 2009-2010 cycle, and I am working on my remaining prereqs. I decided to leave the field recently so I could pursue school full-time and focus solely on my grades. However, do you thing the admission commitees will look at this negatively since I am no longer working as an RRT? (I am keeping my state license and BLS, ACLS, NRP current as to keep up my skills)
I've been an RT for over 2 years, and even though it's great experience for PA school, I would recommend nursing over RT school. The only reason I say that is, if you for some reason don't go to PA school, you can do the NP route or nurse anesthetist. RT is a thankless profession, and if you wind up getting stuck in it, you will have nowhere to go (unless you want to be a manager or supervisor). I'm not trying to be negative, just giving my opinion. The money can be great. I make 32/hr and get a raise every July, along with raises for becoming a level 2, 3 and 4. But in the end, you'll be doing the same exact thing every day. I've said it before and I'll say it again, the problem with the RT profession is that for every 1 RT who really tries to do their best and learn on a daily basis, there are 10 RTs who really don't care and just want to get through their morning rounds so they can sit around and surf the net. I hope this doesn't offend anyone, but if you work in RT you know it's true!
Oh and with all that said, you won't have a hard time getting a job. You might not be able to be picky and work wherever you want, but there will always be RT jobs out there.
$32 an hour straight pay, full time, and only doing it 2 years? Come on brau be honest here....
Physician "Extender"
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