Topnotchers in Respiratory Therapist Examination lauded

City officials recently commended and congratulated Desiery K. Antonio, Jemmlee E. Malado and Kristine Joy D. Aloste from the Pines City Colleges for ranking 4th, 5th and 8th, respectively in the respiratory therapist licensure examination.

Under Resolution No. 113, series of 2023, local legislators stated that Baguio City being the educational center of the north is proud to commend and congratulate Antonio, Malado and Aloste for showing excellence in their field which has brought tremendous pride and honor to the city.

Earlier, the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) conducted the respiratory therapist licensure examination nationwide on February 5-6, 2023 and declared that 955 examinees out of 1,343 passed the said examination.

During the said examination, Antonio, Malado and Aloste who completed their courses from the Pines City Colleges ranked 4th, 5th and 8th, respectively with an average rating of 90 percent, 89.75 and 89 percent, respectively, in the said examination that allowed them to land as amount the topnotchers in the examination.

Respiratory therapists assist patients who have breathing difficulties. These include chronic respiratory diseases, such as emphysema and asthma. Patients include infants with undeveloped lungs to adult patients with lung disease. They may also give emergency aid for a breathing problem, heart attack, drowning, and shock.

They may also be called a respiratory therapy technician.

A respiratory therapist (RT) is trained to help people with lung diseases or disorders that can result from a myriad of issues. They treat patients dealing with pulmonary distress due to complications from asthma, bronchitis, COPD, pneumonia, chest trauma, prematurity, lung cancer, and more. Respiratory therapists are in high-demand, too, with industry growth projected to be at least 23 percent over the next decade according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Future respiratory therapists can earn an Associate of Science in Respiratory Care degree and entry-level certification as a Certified Respiratory Therapist (CRT) to begin a career in the field. Those pursuing leadership roles can earn a Bachelor of Health Science in Respiratory Care degree and the highest level of credential as a Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT). – Dexter A. See