Response by Lori-Ann Ligon, President
As the tapestry of healthcare changes in the United States, we must change with it. Many other healthcare professions have transformed themselves to meet the needs of the patient, but, the respiratory care profession has been lacking in its promotion of who we are and what we do. Most of our fellow healthcare partners have made great strides in raising the bar for entry level education… for example, to become a physical therapist, you must now possess a Doctorate in Physical Therapy. Pharmacists are required to achieve a doctorate as well. There are not very many three year nursing schools left as the nursing profession has moved to an entry level bachelor’s. Respiratory care has just begun the process of eliminating the CRT credential, making the RRT entry level. More needs to be done to develop true bachelor’s degree programs in respiratory care if our profession is to remain current and ensure alignment with other allied health professions. We as a professional group need to be more visible to the public. We need to participate in health fairs in the community, guest speak at service organization events, become and maintain membership in the AARC and get involved in activities through the state society.
