·         ​​The DMACC Respiratory Therapy program has been training in-demand professionals for half a century.

·         ​​The program will host a free Open House event on June 6 to celebrate its 50th Anniversary this year.

·         The DMACC Respiratory Therapy program accepts new students every fall semester, and registration for the Fall 2023 semester is open now.

The DMACC Respiratory Therapy program is celebrating its 50th Anniversary in 2023 and will host an Open House from 4-6 p.m. on Tues., June 6, in the UnityPoint Health-Des Moines Health Sciences Building (Bldg. 24) at the DMACC Ankeny Campus to mark this significant milestone. The Open House is free to attend and open to the public.

During the event, attendees will have the opportunity to tour the DMACC Respiratory Therapy program’s state-of-the-art facilities, meet program faculty and alumni, and enjoy a brief presentation.

“DMACC is proud to have served the health care community by providing well-trained respiratory therapists for the past 50 years, and our students have never been more in demand,” said Amy Boeckmann, DMACC Respiratory Therapy Program Director. “Respiratory therapists played a crucial role during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, and given the nation’s aging population, changes in air quality and on-going health challenges, respiratory therapists continue to fill a critical and growing need in our health care system.”

The need for respiratory therapists continues to increase at a rapid pace in the United States, with openings in the field projected to grow by 23 percent between 2020-2030, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Nationally, entry-level wages for respiratory therapists currently range from approximately $23-$40, with most hospitals offering sign-on bonuses due to high demand. Excellent opportunities for advancement are also available, industry-wide, for well-trained respiratory therapists working in a variety of health care settings.

Respiratory therapists care for patients who have trouble breathing — for example, from a chronic respiratory disease, such as asthma or emphysema. Their patients range from premature infants with undeveloped lungs to elderly patients who have diseased lungs. Respiratory interview and examine patients with breathing or cardiopulmonary disorders, consult with physicians to develop patient treatment plans, and then work directly with patients to implement those plans and monitor their progress.

The fully accredited DMACC Respiratory Therapy program accepts new students every fall semester. Students become job-ready in two years or less, graduating with a Respiratory Therapy AAS degree that includes 900+ hours of clinical experience at local health care facilities, didactic learning and lab learning. Program graduates are prepared to work in hospitals, clinics, physicians’ offices, home health care agencies, equipment and supply sales, and rehabilitation and continuing care settings.

The DMACC Respiratory Therapy Program is eligible for the Iowa Last-Dollar Scholarship, which covers tuition for qualified students in eligible DMACC programs that lead to high-demand jobs in Iowa (see full list of eligible programs). If other state and federal programs don’t cover the entire cost of tuition for a post-secondary certificate, diploma or associate degree, the Iowa Last-Dollar Scholarship will fill the gap. To learn more, visit lastdollar.dmacc.edu.

And to learn more about the DMACC Respiratory Therapy program, be sure to visit respiratorytherapy.dmacc.edu and attend the program’s upcoming Open House on June 6. Fall semester classes at DMACC begin August 23, and registration is open now at dmacc.edu.

(contributed press release and photo, DMACC)