Respiratory Therapy is a diverse and specialized profession that assists physicians in diagnosing, treating, and managing patients by providing such services as cardiopulmonary resuscitation, ventilator management, oxygen and aerosol therapy, patient assessment and evaluation, and diagnostic services including pulmonary function testing and blood analysis. Since 1970, SAIT Polytechnic has been providing students with the right combination of leading-edge theory and hands-on practice needed to succeed.

At SAIT, respiratory therapy students participate in a comprehensive three-year diploma program featuring two years of classroom, lab study, clinical simulation and practica followed by one year of clinical education in an acute and community care facility. Students complete practicum rotations such as adult, pediatric and neonatal intensive care units, the emergency department, anesthesia, wards, homecare pulmonary function and blood gas labs. The first two years each consist of eight months study at SAIT with some clinical practica. The third year is a 12-month clinical placement at an affiliated health care facility which will include weekday and weekend shifts. The program will strive to give students their location preference for practica, but as each hospital has limited seats available, placement at preferred sites is not guaranteed; students may have to relocate to complete their clinical year at their own expense.

SAIT instructors, as respiratory therapy professionals, are equipped to offer the latest insights into new technology and best practices in the field including SAIT's Centre for Advanced Patient Care Simulation - a simulation education facility that uses high fidelity human patient simulators which physiologically respond to medical treatment.

Online elements require that students have a personal computer and access to the Internet. The Respiratory Therapy clinical practicum experience includes rotations through adult intensive care, neonatal intensive care, pediatric intensive care, home care, surgical suite and wards. Students will be evaluated on competency and performance in all rotations using a competency tracking system called CompTracker. Students are required to have an iPad or iPad mini to support the CompTracker system while at practicum sites.