Respiratory Therapist Education

It is the position of the American Association for Respiratory Care (AARC) that to adequately prepare entry level respiratory therapists for clinical practice across a broad spectrum of sites and to prepare professional leaders to meet the demands of providing services requiring complex, cognitive abilities and patient management skills:

• The minimum education leading to entry into the practice of respiratory therapy should be successful completion of an associate degree respiratory therapy educational program.
• Programs that educate respiratory therapists, managers, researchers, faculty, and professional leaders should be accredited through a body, and a process, which will confirm that the programs meet minimum educational requirements.
• Respiratory therapists completing the above-described minimum education, advanced training, and/or experience should be eligible to pursue and to obtain a credential that acknowledges the didactic preparation and related skills required for practice in the respective area of specialization.

Effective 1998
Revised 03/2009