College of Science

Why study Respiratory Care?

Respiratory therapists provide care for a diverse patient population, from newborns and children to adults and the elderly, with deficiencies and abnormalities of the cardiopulmonary system resulting from asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cystic fibrosis, emphysema, heart attack, infant respiratory distress, pneumonia, postoperative surgical complications, shock, stroke and trauma. Respiratory therapists perform patient assessment, care plan development and respiratory care protocol administration; critical care, including airway care, ventilatory support, physiologic monitoring and advanced life support; perinatal and pediatric respiratory care; cardiopulmonary diagnostics and pulmonary function testing; and patient education.

The 3+2 program between Benedictine University’s undergraduate BA degree in Biology and Rush University’s master’s program in Respiratory Care is uniquely designed for leadership and advanced practice preparation. Rush’s master’s program, which is typically full-time and lasts two years, combines advanced coursework with diverse clinical fieldwork and research to thoroughly prepare students for careers as advanced-level respiratory therapists.

Program Highlights

• Rush University offers the only respiratory care degree program in Illinois.
• Students gain hands-on experience at top-tier academic medical centers in Chicago.
• The program prepares students for entry-level and advanced respiratory therapist exams.
• Students experience Rush’s innovative practitioner-teacher model in which faculty assume multiple roles as educators, researchers and practitioners.
• The programs have a low student-to-faculty ratio, ensuring that each student receives individualized attention.

Accreditaion
Rush’s respiratory care programs hold a letter of review from the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care. This status ensures that all students who complete the program are eligible for the examinations given by the National Board for Respiratory Care and state licensure in Illinois.

What careers are available in Respiratory Care?

Respiratory Care program graduates are highly desired and successfully employed in a variety of settings including hospitals, clinics and physicians’ offices; critical care units and transport; diagnostic laboratories and sleep centers; home care and extended-care facilities; colleges, universities and research facilities; and in industry. Employment of respiratory therapists is expected to grow 23 percent through 2016, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The average salary for respiratory therapists is more than $56,000 per year.

How does the program work?

When you major in Biology (BA) as part of the 3+2 program in Respiratory Care at Benedictine University, you will follow a three-year sequence of liberal arts and science courses. You are required to maintain a GPA of 3.0 or better. Before March 1 of your junior year, you will have the opportunity to apply to Rush University’s Master of Science program. Successful completion of the entire 3+2 program results in a Bachelor of Arts degree from Benedictine University and a Master of Science degree from Rush University.

(Please visit the departmental website at www.rushu.rush.edu/respiratorycare for a complete list of admissions requirements.)