As someone with a Respiratory Therapist in their family, I’ve never really understood exactly what they do on a day to day basis. Grace here, and I recently got to check out a class day for Greenville Technical College’s Respiratory Care Program — and I have a newfound appreciation for not only my uncle, but all Respiratory Therapists.

Want your own inside look? Keep reading to check it out and learn how you can try this.

What we tried:

We got to go into one of Greenville Technical College’s Respiratory Care Program classes being held at the STAT (Simulation, Technologies, and Training) Center. The hands-on STAT Center is used by several of the School of Health Sciences programs — including Respiratory Therapy.

The students got to show us a few of the most common procedures, and we even got to try some ourselves. We attempted to do CPR + got to experience CPT (chest percussion therapy).

What not to miss:

The extensive training the students go through. Program participants practice these procedures over and over again to make sure they are the best at them, and they have advanced technology and equipment to make sure the procedures are being performed accurately.

A variety of airway and intubation tubes | Photo by the GVLtoday team

One of the most surprising things I heard was that almost every student who had CPR training beforehand came into the program not actually knowing how to properly execute it. They would perform CPR on a mannequin hooked up to a machine that shows you if you are doing it properly, and the program director said that most new students are surprised to learn that even with prior CPR training, they couldn’t do it perfectly when first entering the program. Practice makes perfection.

What we’re still talking about:

Another “holy cow” fact: the mannequins they work with can be very lifelike and complex. The program wants students to really feel like they are working with real patients, even if they aren’t. Their most expensive mannequin costs roughly $120,000.

They even let me try, and it’s harder than it looks | Photo by the GVLtoday team

How you can experience this:

It’s never too late to go back to school. You can sign up for Greenville Tech’s Respiratory Care program here. 👀

These life-like manikins help train future healthcare professionals. | Photo by GVLtoday

Things to know if you go:

Experience: Greenville Technical College’s Respiratory Care Program
Website: https://www.gvltec.edu/academics_learning/health-sciences/respiratory_therapy/index.html
Address: 506 S. Pleasantburg Dr., Greenville, SC
Hours: Class hours vary
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