Furthering Your Education
Through our partnership with Vermont State University (VTSU), the RT Pathway Program allows full-time University of Vermont Health employees to continue earning full-time wages and benefits while studying to complete their Associate of Science in Respiratory Therapy degree and earn their Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) credential.
What Is Respiratory Therapy?
Respiratory Therapists deliver care that helps people manage a wide range of breathing problems caused by disease, accident or illness. These professionals provide care whenever and wherever breathing is an issue. They work in hospitals or other acute care settings, or are employed in clinics, physicians’ offices or skilled nursing facilities.
Program Details
Students admitted into VTSU’s Respiratory Therapy program will begin their academic journey in a comprehensive curriculum that includes classroom learning, labs and hands-on clinical rotations within UVM Health. Additionally, participants will work reduced hours in their current positions at UVM Health partner locations.
Upon completing VTSU’s 67-credit Associate of Science program, graduates will be prepared to earn the RRT credential, obtain state licensure and work as a respiratory therapist at one of our health care partner locations across Vermont and northern New York.
Participation requires full-time commitment across four semesters at VTSU, as well as an internship during the summer semester. Classes take place at VTSU's Williston campus. Virtual learning options may be available.
All candidates must:
- Currently work at least 72 scheduled hours per pay period at a partner site within UVM Health (part-time/per diem employees are not eligible).
- Be in good standing with no corrective actions above a counseling level.
- Have earned or obtain a high school diploma or GED by July 1 (prior to VTSU academic program year).
- UVM Health RT Pathway Program Application Deadline: April 1 of each calendar year
- Cohort Selected: May 1 of each calendar year
- VTSU Classes Begin: August of each calendar year
- Apply to the RT Program at Vermont State University
- Apply for financial aid at https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa
Applications are accepted February 1 to April 1 of each calendar year.
RT Pathway Program applications will only be accepted during the defined application period. You must apply from a UVM Health account.
Please have ready the following items to upload with your application:
- Cover letter
- Résumé
- Leader Confirmation of Support: Leaders must complete the electronic UVM Health Pathway Program Leader Approval Form prior to the application deadline. It is the applicants responsibility to coordinate with their leader to ensure this is completed.
*Please note that the UVM Health Pathway Program Leader Approval Form must be accessed from a UVM Health account. - Vermont State University RT program Acceptance Letter
Frequently Asked Questions
Program participants will apply to VTSU’s Respiratory Therapy (RT) program for Fall semester admission. The two-year program admits students annually, and participants are eligible to apply for the year in which they are eligible.
- Year 1: While enrolled in the RT program at VTSU, students will work their regular job for 24 hours per week. Students will receive pay for an additional 12 hours per week to allow time for classwork, lab/clinical instruction and studying.
- Year 2: Class and clinical hour requirements will increase in year two. Students in this academic year will adjust their work hours to 32 working hours per pay period, receiving 40 paid study hours per pay period.
Students are responsible for paying all out-of-pocket expenses, related tuition and fees and books/supplies. For graduates who commit to working at their UVM Health partner site for three years, UVM Health will begin reimbursing tuition costs one year after graduation.
Being a full-time employee at a partner within UVM Health is a requirement for application and enrollment.
Call 800-722-9922 and choose Option 3 to talk with one of our talent acquisition partners about full-time job opportunities within UVM Health.
To be eligible, you need to be a working a full-time employee at UVM Health.
Students applying to Vermont State University’s Respiratory Therapy program must have successfully completed Anatomy & Physiology I and II to apply. Please visit VTSU’s website for a complete listing of application eligibility requirements and criteria. If you do need to take any pre-requisite courses, check out Pathfinder, which is a program offered by UVM Health in partnership with Community College of Vermont and will support employees who are seeking to enter a UVM Health Pathway Program to begin taking prepaid preparatory, prerequisite and corequisite courses.
Possibly, depending on the timeframe and your grades. VTSU will review the courses and grades on your transcript to determine whether they meet the requirements for this program. If you do need to retake courses, check out Pathfinder, which is a program offered by UVM Health in partnership with Community College of Vermont and will support employees who are seeking to enter a UVM Health Pathway Program to begin taking prepaid preparatory, prerequisite and corequisite courses.
For courses taken prior to enrollment, VTSU will review the courses and grades on your transcript to determine whether they meet the requirements for this program.
The amounts paid under this Program have tax implications. Amounts that are paid to your educational institution for tuition, fees, books, supplies, or other expenses constitute payments under an educational assistance program described in Section 127 of the Internal Revenue Code and are therefore excludable up to $5,250 per calendar year. Amounts paid in excess of $5,250 per year are taxable income and are subject to applicable withholding taxes.
These taxes will be withheld from your regular earnings, resulting in a reduction to your usual paycheck. To avoid unforeseen hardships, the reduction should be planned for, and if necessary, additional funding sources such as loans should be sought.
Please consult your personal tax advisor, as UVM Health cannot provide you with individualized tax advice.
Each Vermont UVM Health partner will determine the number of seats it can support annually. Partner-specific waitlists may be utilized depending on eligible applicant numbers. Application materials and interviews will determine how employees are initially placed on the partner waitlists. Should a seat become available, the next applicant on that partner waitlist will be contacted.
Individuals who do not meet the initial program deadline for consideration may submit a complete application for their UVM Health partner’s waitlist. After the initial program deadline, employees applying directly to the waitlist will be reviewed in the order that applications are received, should seats become available. No waitlist applications will be accepted or reviewed for after July 1.
Our Pathway Programs are designed to support employees through the entirety of the academic program. Off-cycle enrollments will not be accepted.
Questions?
Please contact:
Rebecca Aldrich, Workforce Development Program Manager or Megan Foster, Workforce Development Program Manager