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About the Department of Respiratory Care

Respiratory Care is an allied health specialty concerned with the treatment, management, control and care of the patient’s breathing.

The Respiratory Care Practitioner is a specialist in the use of therapeutic and evaluation techniques in respiratory care. The respiratory care curriculum consists of a pre-professional year followed by three years of professional study, leading to a Bachelor of Science Degree in Respiratory Care. The Bachelor of Science Degree qualifies students for the examination of the National Board for Respiratory Care. The Respiratory Care Program has been granted accreditation by the Committee on Accreditation for Respiratory Care.

Why Choose Respiratory Care?

  • If you like the excitement of assisting patients in emergency and critical care situations,
  • If you want your work to be a blend of using state-of-the-art technology and providing bedside patient care,
  • If you like having the flexibility to work with patients of different ages and clinical conditions,
  • If you enjoy learning about how the body works, what happens in disease and how to restore normal function,
  • If you care about helping other people to manage their disease and improve their quality of life,
  • If you have have experienced family members or friends having difficulty breathing or receiving care from a Respiratory Care Practitioner,
  • If you would enjoy seeing a patient who was under your care in the intensive care unit, now being discharged and knowing that you played a part in the patient’s ability to go home,
  • If you want to earn competitive wages and have the flexibility to move nearly anywhere in the country (or the world) and have excellent job opportunities,
  • If you want to attend an intensive program that thoroughly prepares you to pass national board exams and enter a medical profession as your career,
  • if you would like to become an expert in areas relating to heart and lung disorders and treatment,

…then you may be interested in becoming a respiratory therapists! Respiratory Care is a growing health care field providing a rewarding professional work environment, competitive salaries, opportunities for continued learning and the satisfaction of knowing that you have made a difference.

Why Choose Boise State Respiratory Care?

  • Small class size
  • Graduates find employment in a dynamic, growing health care field
  • Students earn a Bachelor of Science Degree in Respiratory Care
  • Outstanding faculty who are dedicated to helping students
  • High NBRC Exam pass rates
  • Advanced Standing provides credit for previous education
  • One of the few BS programs in the Western United States
  • Senior classes are online
  • Faculty and staff have over 120 years of accumulated experience