Online school

Has anyone recieved their training by doing an online program? I'm looing at calfornia college for health? Just curious, is the work course diffucult overall?

I am having hard time deciding on going into Respiratory therapist program or Sonography program.Please I need to hear from people you have worked on these jobs.I love working with people and I am caring person.I want to know which one is better between both.

I did my BA degree online, and part of my MBA online. It's no more difficult than in a traditional classroom, but you have to be disciplined and be able to keep up since the classes are often accelerated and are much shorter in duration than in-class programs.

You also want to make sure a school is legitimate--ask about their accreditations and also ask questions about which companies have hired their graduates in the past.

Overall, online training is a GREAT alternative to in-class programs, especially if you are also working full-time.

DampYankee in Louisville, Kentucky said: I did my BA degree online, and part of my MBA online. It's no more difficult than in a traditional classroom, but you have to be disciplined and be able to keep up since the classes are often accelerated and are much shorter in duration than in-class programs.

You also want to make sure a school is legitimate--ask about their accreditations and also ask questions about which companies have hired their graduates in the past.

Overall, online training is a GREAT alternative to in-class programs, especially if you are also working full-time.

Where did you go? Did you get your R/T?

I did not go in for respiratory therapy. I went to Baker College which is based in Flint, MI.

Ann in Portland, Oregon said: Has anyone recieved their training by doing an online program? I'm looing at calfornia college for health? Just curious, is the work course diffucult overall?

I am currently attending California College for Health Sciences online www.independence.edu.

The classes are difficult, but I am enjoying it. You do need to find your own hospital to do your clinicals which is difficult

alisa in Encino, California said: I am currently attending California College for Health Sciences online www.independence.edu.

The classes are difficult, but I am enjoying it. You do need to find your own hospital to do your clinicals which is difficult

hello alisa, did you just start their program, how long have you been in? would you recommend it to anyone else? I'd love to hear about your experiences with this school. thank you

lizzy in washington, District of Columbia said: I am having hard time deciding on going into Respiratory therapist program or Sonography program.Please I need to hear from people you have worked on these jobs.I love working with people and I am caring person.I want to know which one is better between both.

Hello,
I've been a Respiratory Therapist for 18 years. I do enjoy the field, you help alot of people and it's exciting. I am now trying to find an online course to further my education in respiratory and I also want to study sleep study. The only thing you have to remember when you go into the hospital setting is that you will work your fair share of holidays and weekends, but the good thing about working holidays is that the money is great. Usually they do a holiday rotation, that means you only have to work so many holidays per year (like 2 to 4 per year). Also, don't let the doctors and other health care workers get you down, be tough and really know your stuff and you will go far!! I hope you all the success in the world!!

lizzy in washington, District of Columbia said: I am having hard time deciding on going into Respiratory therapist program or Sonography program.Please I need to hear from people you have worked on these jobs.I love working with people and I am caring person.I want to know which one is better between both.

I forgot to mention what the respiratory job bascially is. If you love working with people, that's a great start. You must be a person who loves working with others and helping others. Respiratory is a very strong field to go into. Basically, you give breathing treatments to asthma and COPD patient's. You educate people in how to take better care of themselves as far as quitting smoking and things like that. You work in ICU with ventilator patient's, you manage bipap and cpap patient's (this is usually for people who have sleep apnea). You draw arterial blood gases (which tells how the person is breathing), you work with kids and adults alike. When you work in the emergency room, it's very fast paced and exciting. There is lots and lots to learn, but it's a satisfaction you can't get from anything else. I've thought about getting out of the field, but I feel that I would get very bored doing anything else. Once you have the education and experience under your belt, you can go into management, clincal manager, director of a department, you can work in pulmonary function labs, you can learn about sleep disorders, you can teach. There are many options, I've just soley worked in the hospital just because I've never really considered myself management material. Go for it and enjoy!! It may sound hard, but you can do it. Good luck and God bless!!

andie in Sacramento, California said: hello alisa, did you just start their program, how long have you been in? would you recommend it to anyone else? I'd love to hear about your experiences with this school. thank you

I began the program in October and I am working on my pre-requisites right now. I absolutely LOVE it, but there are challenges you will face in an online/distance based environment that are not for everyone. If you have a hard time learning from a book without the benefit of an instructor, or if you have a difficult time disciplining yourself then you may run into trouble. The instructors are great and if you email them with questions, they will respond to you promptly. There is a student forum where you can talk with other students at the school. Some students form online study groups where they chat through instant messaging. Probably one of the most challenging things is locating a hospital that is willing to work with you. It is up to you, the student, to seek out a hospital and sell them on you and your school and convince them to allow you to be a student at their hospital. I got very lucky and was able to secure a clinical site at the ideal hospital of my choice, but I also received many emphatic NO's from local hospitals. In reading the comments in the student forum, this seems to be one of the most difficult aspects of the program. For anyone considering this school, I highly recommend securing a clinical site BEFORE you commit to the program. Once you have that in place, you're golden! I very much recommend this school, especially for individuals who enjoy studying at their own pace, have other obligations (work, family) that prevent a traditional classroom seeting, or for anyone who doesn't mind learning on their own, from a text book.

alisa in Encino, California said: I began the program in October and I am working on my pre-requisites right now. I absolutely LOVE it, but there are challenges you will face in an online/distance based environment that are not for everyone. If you have a hard time learning from a book without the benefit of an instructor, or if you have a difficult time disciplining yourself then you may run into trouble. The instructors are great and if you email them with questions, they will respond to you promptly. There is a student forum where you can talk with other students at the school. Some students form online study groups where they chat through instant messaging. Probably one of the most challenging things is locating a hospital that is willing to work with you. It is up to you, the student, to seek out a hospital and sell them on you and your school and convince them to allow you to be a student at their hospital. I got very lucky and was able to secure a clinical site at the ideal hospital of my choice, but I also received many emphatic NO's from local hospitals. In reading the comments in the student forum, this seems to be one of the most difficult aspects of the program. For anyone considering this school, I highly recommend securing a clinical site BEFORE you commit to the program. Once you have that in place, you're golden! I very much recommend this school, especially for individuals who enjoy studying at their own pace, have other obligations (work, family) that prevent a traditional classroom seeting, or for anyone who doesn't mind learning on their own, from a text book.

Thanks for your input, I really appreciate your insight. I have decided to attend sjvc, it is a private school for rt in my town. Again Thank you

lizzy in washington, District of Columbia said: I am having hard time deciding on going into Respiratory therapist program or Sonography program.Please I need to hear from people you have worked on these jobs.I love working with people and I am caring person.I want to know which one is better between both.

I would imagine Respiratory is a lot more exciting but I am pretty sure Sonographers make WAY more.

BRIAN in Redding, California said: I would imagine Respiratory is a lot more exciting but I am pretty sure Sonographers make WAY more.

Sonographers and Respiratory Therapists make around the same amount of money. Also you may be able to secure a position quicker as therapist than a sonographer

Patty in Baltimore,
I thought Sonographer make way more than the RT,Are you implying the Baltimore areas?If I may ask what are the rates?

BeBe King in Md and Lizzy in DC -

Have either of you decided to enroll in RT? I recently enrolled with IU and am awaiting my first set of books. Also, I need to locate another clinical site. If you, too , are needing a site perhaps we can look together.

Check out the Respiratory Therapy options at GuideToHealthcareSchools.com

pls my brothers and sisters i need help with clinical site in georgia area, starting independence univ program in resp therapy.
any help will be apprecited thanks

found a clinical site first try for IU, they were happy to do it

Where? What state?

What did you say to land it?

Hello everyone, I was reading this forum and thought I would let you know my experiences. I am a student at Independence University (formally California College). I hate to admit it but I have been enrolled since middle of 2005. I work full time in a non-medical field, so this program has been challenging at times. I currently have about 7 classes left and plan on being finish by the end of year. I was able to find a sponsoring hospital right off the bat, unfortunately they do not have an ICU unit. I am working on a hospital for that. Anyway, the classes are difficult at times but I am finding it very rewarding. I was lucky enough to get a PRN position also at my clinical site as an Respiratory Tech. This has help to keep me motivated. There were no local colleges offering the program when I signed up for this program and I am not or was not able to quit my job to go to school due to other obligations with family and all. The hardest part I found was scheduling time for studying especially in the beginning, plus trying to grasp all the medical terms. So I was taking the full allowed time to finish my course. I am now pushing myself to try and finish a course within 4-6 weeks. The college is expensive, but it was something I have wanted to do since I finished HS. I am glad to have the program available to me. If anyone has any questions I will be happy to answer, my email is mel_727@yahoo.com. Take care and good luck with your decision.

alisa in Encino, California said: I am currently attending California College for Health Sciences online www.independence.edu.

The classes are difficult, but I am enjoying it. You do need to find your own hospital to do your clinicals which is difficult

i have my crt certification from concorde will it transfer to IU, and whats the fast i can get my rrt assuming i work around the clock, and how many clinical hours do you need, and how much will it cost total?

please reply to midrrtbound@yahoo.com

I think you would be better off to contact IU and ask these questions. You can also email me your information and I can have them send you a catalog. Or I believe you can go on line an request it. Here is the information I have:
Intermediate Courses Students who transfer in with CRT credential begin here*
RES 200 Respiratory Care Sciences 3
RES 210 Advanced Pulmonary Function 3
RES 220 Adult Pathophysiology 3
RES 230 Pulmonary Rehab/Alternative 3
RES 240 Mechanical Ventilation I 3
RES 250 Mechanical Ventilation II 3
Clinical Practicum 2
Advanced Courses
Students who transfer in with RRT credential begin here*
RES 260 Pediatric/Perinatal Pathophysiology 3
RES 270 Advanced Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation/Advanced Skills 3
RES 280 Application of Cardiopulmonary Diagnostics and Monitoring 3
Clinical Practicum 1
RT Capstone P/F
Hope this is helpful.

Ann in Portland, Oregon said: Has anyone recieved their training by doing an online program? I'm looing at calfornia college for health? Just curious, is the work course diffucult overall?

Don't do it...online classes lack alot of triainng that you will need.
espicially when it comes to ventilatos...no simulation can replace the real thing
as for books you can read and read...but it will take the help of an instructor
to connect the dots to sorta speak

RTPBALLER is anti-online. Read ballers posts. Do your own research. Call a few locations and ask them about hiring you if you went to CCHS and go from there. Each area is different. Many CRT in my area are talking about attending CCHS too.

i have learned nothing from concorde that i didn't teach myself from reading the books. I fidn my self not paying attention in lectures and reading my books instead. I find myself correcting the teachers sometimes, i don't know if they think that its right or they had a brain fart. Anyway i think im a self learner, and the rest i google and watch videos on youtube.

Mike in Memphis, Tennessee said: i have my crt certification from concorde will it transfer to IU, and whats the fast i can get my rrt assuming i work around the clock, and how many clinical hours do you need, and how much will it cost total?

please reply to midrrtbound@yahoo.com

Mike, did CCHS except your credits from Concorde?

As for RTPBALLER comment on learning from books. It is true that you can't learn everything from the books, but that is were your clinicals come in. I have learned alot from my books, I get to put them to use in the clinicals that I do. There are never no two patients alike, so it is a continues learning experience. I have two hospitals that I attend to do clinical hours. One is at my main site and the other is about 2 hours away in the city. Every situration is different. It is up to each one of use to make the best of it. I myself find that online has had it advantages, due to my busy schedule. I am very thankful that I had this option.

Melody in Ohio in Hillsboro, Ohio said: As for RTPBALLER comment on learning from books. It is true that you can't learn everything from the books, but that is were your clinicals come in. I have learned alot from my books, I get to put them to use in the clinicals that I do. There are never no two patients alike, so it is a continues learning experience. I have two hospitals that I attend to do clinical hours. One is at my main site and the other is about 2 hours away in the city. Every situration is different. It is up to each one of use to make the best of it. I myself find that online has had it advantages, due to my busy schedule. I am very thankful that I had this option.

For your situation online is your best bet.
I agree that no two patients are the same and it is good that you are getting all the hands on you can get. But please beaware of an instructor vs a staff therapist. A staff therpaist is a obviously a good therapist but not necessarily a good instructor . Because some therpist will develope "bad habits" or short cuts or they will have and sometimes forget basic yet important facts (I am not trying to open up another can of worms with that last statement). As a student you will not know the difference. What you will see is something that works, but is not per NBRC guidelines. For instance alot of Rt's probably do not remember what the maximum suction pressure or maximum suction time for an adult or how many one way valves are on a true nonrebreather. Things like this can cause you to fail the test. (NBRC is on to stuff like this.) An instructor is there to show the correct use of a piece of equpiment ..... The most important role of an instructor is to make you think critically.. They should be close by you asking why are you giving/purpose of the treatmnet, is this the correct oxygen device for this patient, or when do you decide to start weaning the patient off of oxygen/ventilator.

I understand where you are coming from with your statements. I have found that (not in front the Patient) but I do question my proctor regarding situration that I have read about in my books and the NBRC guidelines. They are very good at telling me the correct way to do things. They are so use to my questions that they will say "per the books or guidelines, but.........". I am finding this to work out pretty well. I also question them as to why they may have preformed the treatment they did, and why not another way. I think that is part of my responsiblity to question them so that I can understand the correct procedures. I am not say this is the best way for everyone, but this is working great for me and I am able to actually do something I have always wanted to do...........and LOVE IT!

Melody in Ohio in Hillsboro, Ohio said: I understand where you are coming from with your statements. I have found that (not in front the Patient) but I do question my proctor regarding situration that I have read about in my books and the NBRC guidelines. They are very good at telling me the correct way to do things. They are so use to my questions that they will say "per the books or guidelines, but.........". I am finding this to work out pretty well. I also question them as to why they may have preformed the treatment they did, and why not another way. I think that is part of my responsiblity to question them so that I can understand the correct procedures. I am not say this is the best way for everyone, but this is working great for me and I am able to actually do something I have always wanted to do...........and LOVE IT!

Cool it sounds like you are on your way!

Is Respitory School very hard.

Polly4280 in Phoenix, Arizona said: Is Respitory School very hard.

No it's not....The alternative would to be a RN...Do you like wiping Aholes? If so, a RN career might be your calling!

If you have the CRT license and am not working in the field, is it possible to still do the program. Or does one have to be in currently working in the field?fi also what is concord, it that a school. I have my CRT license, although I do not have an associate degree or allied health degree. It appears that i can't get a job now. I worked in home care and then was out ot the field approx 4 years.
I am taking care of my ill parents and children and not able to attend a school program. Any help would be appreciated.

Iam about to enter the Respitory field any suggestions? Iam going to a community college because the trade schools charge too much money and their credits do not tranfer to the State Universities and I was wondering if this is a good move.

Hi Polly4280, The field of Respiratory Therapy is a great choice. I advise researching all professions you are interested in. Shadow a Respiratory Therapist. Observe what we do during our daily work shifts. It will help you decide if this career is right for you. I agree with you. Private schools can be financially draining and a student's class credits will not transfer to a University College. Attending a Community College is a very good idea. It will lessen your expenses and all your class credits will transfer when you are ready to continue your education at a University. Study well. Understanding the concepts behind what we do is the key to being a good, competent and safe Respiratory Therapist. I hope this helps. I wish you well. Good journey.

lizzy in washington, District of Columbia said: I am having hard time deciding on going into Respiratory therapist program or Sonography program.Please I need to hear from people you have worked on these jobs.I love working with people and I am caring person.I want to know which one is better between both.

You sound just like me, Lizzy! I'm in the Northern VA/DC area and looking at BOTH OF THOSE OPTIONS myself...among others...myself. Good luck!

Gina

I am a Biology major at CSU, Chico. I want to go into the medical field. The only school around that offers RT is Butte College and its impacted until 2011. I want to maybe look into enrolling into an online class for RT, but I was wondering if a lot of my science classes would transfer into the course work for RT. Also, if taking classes online is a good way to learn a health care profession. Any suggestions for a good online school and how to go about all this?

pius in Alpharetta, Georgia said: pls my brothers and sisters i need help with clinical site in georgia area, starting independence univ program in resp therapy.
any help will be apprecited thanks

Hi, I was just wondering if you found your clinical site yet. I am considering IU as well.

Hi,
I am currently a medical assistant considering starting an online respiratory therapy program. I am wondering if anyone can recommend me a school with a great RT associate program. My local community college does not offer it, so i am trying to avoid having to travel around town for school. I know i can find a site for my clinicals, but picking the right school online is my biggest issue.
Please help!

alisa in Encino, California said: I began the program in October and I am working on my pre-requisites right now. I absolutely LOVE it, but there are challenges you will face in an online/distance based environment that are not for everyone. If you have a hard time learning from a book without the benefit of an instructor, or if you have a difficult time disciplining yourself then you may run into trouble. The instructors are great and if you email them with questions, they will respond to you promptly. There is a student forum where you can talk with other students at the school. Some students form online study groups where they chat through instant messaging. Probably one of the most challenging things is locating a hospital that is willing to work with you. It is up to you, the student, to seek out a hospital and sell them on you and your school and convince them to allow you to be a student at their hospital. I got very lucky and was able to secure a clinical site at the ideal hospital of my choice, but I also received many emphatic NO's from local hospitals. In reading the comments in the student forum, this seems to be one of the most difficult aspects of the program. For anyone considering this school, I highly recommend securing a clinical site BEFORE you commit to the program. Once you have that in place, you're golden! I very much recommend this school, especially for individuals who enjoy studying at their own pace, have other obligations (work, family) that prevent a traditional classroom seeting, or for anyone who doesn't mind learning on their own, from a text book.

How would you recommend securing your clinical site BEFORE you commit?

Peter in Snellville in Snellville, Georgia said: Hi, I was just wondering if you found your clinical site yet. I am considering IU as well.

Hi, my name is Rolanda Tubbs and i want to continue my education in respiratory therapy through IU. Can you tell me about your experience with them for as course work.

hibye77516@yahoo.com in Houston, Texas said: Hi, my name is Rolanda Tubbs and i want to continue my education in respiratory therapy through IU. Can you tell me about your experience with them for as course work.

Hi Rolanda,
Do you have to find a clinical site before starting the online respiratory therapy with IU? How much is this program with them if i may ask? Is the school accredited?Please let me know!

You may start the program by signing a waiver in regards to your clinical site. I did this to get started and just found a clinical site yesterday.

hello,

I recieved your message. Yes, the school is accredited. I called the Texas Higher education about IU school and they said it is. When I talked with IU advisor Mr. IKWO told me that my tuition for 19 classes remaining will be $21,000.00. I said you have to be kidding with me. I do not have that type of money to cough up and beside its an Associate degree. I just dont understand I said. Well, he told me I could apply for the grant which would allow 50% of my tuition to be paid but it's all based on your household income. Then, he mention if I think I can finish all 19 classes in a year it would be $7,000. I told him I do not stick my neck out like that because you never know what may happen tomorrow. You know what I mean? email me back. Thank you for responding.

DampYankee in Louisville, Kentucky said: I did not go in for respiratory therapy. I went to Baker College which is based in Flint, MI.

Hi my name is Rolanda. How is Baker college? do they have online respiratory therapy program? how long have you attended?

Hi, I'm sorry i didn't answer one of the questions. Yes you do have to find a clinical site before starting the program. One of the representative will e-mail you 10 things you should do when seeking a hospital. They only send this e-mail when everything has been process. I had all my pre courses out the way which has been wavied. all is remaing is respirtory courses.

hello everyone I am interested in respiratory therapist and planning to take in online at Independence university, how hard is it? and to find a clinical site, is there anyone out there from Illinois that can suggest a clinical site, I would appreciate it.. Thanks

Unfortunately, I cannot weigh in on online RT schools, as we don't have any in Canada (all RTs here have on site 3 or 4 year programs). I was intrigued by this thread, as I have never heard of online RT programs before.

However, I would like to just mention something that I noticed. There seem to be a few people asking the same questions about these programs, such as "how hard it it?". Now, I definitely don't want to discourage people's dreams, but that is concerning. First of all, anyone who knows anything about RT knows that it is generally considered to be a VERY challenging program. You have to have confidence in your skills and abilities when you are dealing with acute stressful situations and people's lives. You are on the front lines saving lives alongside the MD for example. If you are on the Code Blue crash team when somebody codes, you may get there before anyone else.

I don't know how to say this without getting people riled up, but if you are worried about RT being "too hard" or "challenging" for you, perhaps you may want to consider another program/field.

A *potential* issue with (some?) online schools seems to be the fact that they lack the screening processes that other RT schools have to weed people out that may not be appropriate for the program, or who won't even pass the program/exams after dropping $20000. But I suppose if they only want your money the don't care anyway...

For example, SAIT in Calgary (3 year RT diploma) requires Grade 12 with chem, bio, physics, applied/precalculus math, etc. They also require a career investigation report, AND an interview. They give highest priority to those who already have some university background in the sciences and/or other factors like employment or volunteer work in healthcare. In other words, you are well prepared.

In contrast, the online program listed in this thread doesn't have ANY requirements for the RT diploma, not even grade 12 standing (from what it looked like). Problematic?

There is a clinical site in Canton, Georgia at Northside Cherokee Hospital.