Cat’s essay, “Telehealth Medicine” was chosen among other NYS RT students. Cat will join her fellow NYers and hundreds of others on Capitol Hill advocating for patients to have access to RT services by RTs outside the hospital setting.

When asked to tell us a little about herself and why she chose respiratory therapy here’s what she had to say.

“I am a mom and was a Nuclear Biological Chemical Warfare Operations Specialist in the United States Army. I worked as a veteran peer navigator, assisting homeless veterans in obtaining housing and employment prior to finishing the Respiratory Care program. Prior to that I was a graphic designer for over ten years, paying my way through school. I served as an undergraduate teacher’s assistant for Biology and Anatomy in addition to being a clinical study coordinator for Stony Brook University. I am a member of AARC, CoBGRTE, AmVets and volunteer with Team Rubicon, a disaster relief organization. I became interested in Respiratory Care because I wanted a position in the healthcare field where I would have direct patient contact so that I could utilize my skills and education to better improve patient care. Respiratory Care seemed a good fit because if you can’t breathe, everything else becomes secondary.”