Respiratory Therapist

• Knowledge and skills to treat patients with cardiopulmonary diseases, of all ages, by providing technical, medical and innovation in today’s healthcare setting.
• Clinical practice
• Mechanical ventilation
• Pediatrics and neonatology
• Cardiopulmonary pharmacology
• Anatomy and physiology of the cardiopulmonary system
• Current trends and respiratory treatments of common cardiopulmonary diseases and health problems
• Increased communication skills, professional behavior, clinical decision-making and assessment skills
• Hands-on career training at off-campus clinical sites and in our clinical lab on campus

• Respiratory Therapists typically enjoy rewarding careers as:
  • Staff Respiratory Therapist
  • Provides care in the intensive care unit (ICU), cardiac care unit (CCU), neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), pediatric intensive care unit (PICU), emergency room and general floor care
  • Home Care
  • Flight Trauma Therapist
  • Respiratory Supervisor/Manager
  • Adult Intensive Care Specialist
  • Neonatal/Pediatric Intensive Care Specialist
  • Pulmonary Function Testing
  • Polysomnography (Sleep Testing)
  • Respiratory Educator
  • Military Service Health Care

• Specialty Areas
  • CPFT (Certified Pulmonary Function Technologist)
  • RPFT (Registered Pulmonary Function Technologist)
  • ACCS (Adult Critical Care Specialist)
  • NPS (Neonatal Pediatric Specialist)
  • SDS (Sleep Disorder Specialist)

Respiratory Therapists provide treatment for individuals with pulmonary and cardiac conditions.  Therapists work in hospitals, health clinics, physician offices, government facilities and provide care in the home.

As a student in the Respiratory Therapist program at Allegany College of Maryland you will be exposed to a variety of clinical experiences.  Clinical rotations include:  intensive and cardiac care, emergency room care, surgical-operating room procedures, pulmonary function testing, sleep study testing, neonatal/pediatric intensive care and home care.

The program has over 30 clinical affiliates which students have an opportunity to gain experience from. We have established articulation agreements with major medical centers located in Washington, D.C., Baltimore, MD and Pittsburg, PA. Our program has affiliations with Johns Hopkins Medical Center, University of Maryland Medical Center/Shock Trauma and Children's National Medical Center, just to name a few.

The ACM Respiratory Therapist program has an excellent job placement record and most graduates are offered jobs prior to graduation. In addition, the program and faculty work creatively with students to assist them in obtaining clinical rotation experiences at facilities which they are interested in seeking employment upon graduation.

The Respiratory Therapist program at ACM is designated as a Health Manpower Shortage Program by the Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC).