BSc. Respiratory Therapy

BSc Respiratory Therapy is a health sciences degree offered by the College of Health Sciences at the University of Ghana. It prepares you to care for patients with breathing difficulties, from asthma attacks to intensive care. Admission is competitive, and the college admits students from General Science and Home Economics backgrounds.

What respiratory therapy involves

Programmes of this kind usually cover the anatomy and physiology of the respiratory system, how to assess patients with breathing problems, and how to use equipment such as ventilators, oxygen therapy devices, and lung function test machines. You learn to work closely with doctors and nurses in emergency rooms, intensive care units, and wards, and you build skills in judging urgent situations and communicating with anxious patients and families. Most graduates work in hospitals, but the field also reaches into sleep clinics, rehabilitation centres, and home care teams.

How competitive entry is

A place on this programme is competitive, and more so than some other health-related degrees. The College of Health Sciences considers applicants from General Science and Home Economics backgrounds, so your WASSCE subject choices can be relevant. There is no simple cutoff published here; you should check with the university admissions office to see whether your grades meet the current requirements for the year you are applying.

What you can do after graduation

Respiratory therapy graduates are needed wherever patients have trouble breathing. You could work as a respiratory therapist in a hospital, specialising in intensive care, emergency response, or long-term ventilation. Others move into rehabilitation, helping people recover from stroke or surgery, or into community care. Some graduates work for medical equipment companies, testing and selling respiratory devices, or move into teaching and training. The degree also provides a strong foundation for postgraduate study in medicine, nursing, or health sciences research.