Eligibility Criteria

Graduate of a CoARC-accredited respiratory care training program
Certified Respiratory Therapist (CRT) credential from NBRC
Basic Life Support (BLS) certification
Illinois state license (or application in progress) to practice respiratory care
Commitment to full-time employment and participation in residency training modules.

Minimum Education

The Respiratory Therapy Residency Program at Lurie Children’s Hospital is an innovative, paid transition-to-practice residency for new graduate respiratory care practitioners. It integrates real-world clinical experiences with structured education to help residents transition into independent pediatric respiratory clinicians. Approximately 80 % of the residency focuses on one-on-one precepted clinical training across high-acuity areas such as the NICU (Neonatal ICU), PICU (Pediatric ICU), CCU (Cardiac Care), general care units, PACU (Post-Anesthesia Care Unit), OR, and Emergency Department, and other respiratory care settings.
The remaining ~20 % includes classroom instruction, lab practice, and simulation education, covering pediatric physiology, mechanical ventilation strategies, disease management, pharmacology, ECMO fundamentals, patient assessment, and critical care principles tailored to infants and children. Graduates from this program have successfully transitioned into roles such as ECMO specialists, team leaders, pulmonary habilitation specialists, preceptors, and clinical mentors within the Respiratory Care Department and broader care teams at Lurie Children’s.