Montana Respiratory Therapy Education

Selecting the right Montana respiratory therapy education program requires learning about the respiratory licensing process for the state so an appropriate school and program may be chosen. Once the right school is chosen, the respiratory therapy education may be obtained by completing at least an associate degree level program.

Montana respiratory therapy education requirements for licensing are overseen by the Montana Board of Respiratory Care Practitioners. In order to obtain a license from the state of Montana, an applicant must be able to provide proof of the completion of a respiratory care educational program that has been accredited by the American Medical Association's Committee on Allied Health Education and Accreditation in collaboration with the Joint Review Committee for Respiratory Therapy Education. Completion of an educational program from one of the successor organizations will also meet the requirements for licensure. This includes the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (COARC)

. Additionally, the National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC) exam must be passed, so finding a program that will best enable to a student not only to thoroughly prepare for work as a respiratory therapist, but to successfully pass the NBRC exam is crucial. The application process is quick, usually taking only five to seven days. This is great news for graduates who wish to quickly get to work as a licensed respiratory therapist.

Montana respiratory therapy cover practical topics such as microbiology, anatomy, pediatric respiratory therapy, respiratory therapy procedures, patient assessment, pulmonary pathophysiology, physiology, diagnostic tests and diagnostic procedures. Additional courses will be required of students than those listed.

Two schools that offer a Montana respiratory therapy education of some type are Montana State University/Great Falls College of Technology in Great Falls and the University of Montana-Missoula in Missoula.

Students who need help paying for their Montana respiratory therapy education program can apply for federal financial aid. In addition to federal financial aid, other assistance may be available. One example of this is the Billings Clinic Foundation Scholarship Program. This scholarship is available to students wishing to pursue a number of health-related fields, including respiratory therapy. Both traditional and non-traditional students are eligible.

To qualify, certain criteria must be met and additional information will be required of applicants. This information includes a 250-word essay and three letters of recommendation. All required information and forms must be sent together in the same packet in order to be considered. Neither late nor Incomplete applications will be considered.