When you become a respiratory therapist, you work on the front lines of patient care with state of the art technology. You manage lifesaving equipment like ventilators and administer a variety of therapeutic modalities to patients of all ages, helping all to breathe easier.<br><br>Respiratory therapists work alongside other medical professionals providing therapy for many types of medical problems and diseases. They work in hospitals, sleep labs and specialty clinics, pulmonologists offices, and more. They consult with physicians, perform diagnostic tests, treat patients, monitor progress, and teach patients how to take medications and use equipment.<br><br>Zach Isenberg, a 2011 graduate of IUP's Respiratory Care program, loves that every day on the job presents different problems to solve and new people to help. A respiratory therapist in UPMC Presbyterian's cardiothoracic unit, he helps transplant patients learn to breathe with their new lungsnot an intuitive action for the patientand provides breathing treatments and other therapies to keep patients alive and comfortable.