Graduate Students Perspective on Obtaining a Master of Science in Respiratory Care Degree

Background: There has been a push toward degree advancement by the respiratory care profession, with many academic institutions creating graduate-level degree advancement programs. However, many practitioners have been apprehensive to advance their degrees past the entry-to-practice level. Little research exists regarding the benefits of obtaining a graduate- level degree in respiratory care through degree advancement. Methods: A descriptive survey was developed to identify perceived benefits of completing a MSRC program. Graduates from a single institution were asked to participate to identify how efficacious the program was in preparing graduates for new or expanded roles as well as other tangible benefits attribute to earning a degree advancement MSRC. 50 graduates were invited to complete the anonymous web-based survey. A total of 37 surveys were initiated (74%) and of those, 70 % were completed. A descriptive analysis was conducted, and a thematic review of open-ended questions was performed to identify themes related to graduates’ perceptions of the efficacy of the degree. The project received Institutional Review Board approval. Results: 71.4% of respondents indicated that the motivation for pursuing a graduate-level degree was entirely personal. 44.4% of respondents did not receive any type of tuition reimbursement for degree advancement and 97.14% indicated that they did not receive any type of scholarship towards the completion of the degree. 85.7% of respondents indicated that the program prepared them to assume new or expanded roles. Additionally, respondents reported that the degree contributed to approximately an 11% increase in annual salary. Thematic analysis of the responses indicated primary themes of invigoration, preparedness, and general concern for the support of degree advancement within the field. Conclusions: Attainment of a graduate-level respiratory care degree through degree advancement is heavily reliant on intrinsic motivation of practitioners. There remains little financial support from employers for practitioners to advance education beyond the clinical requirements of either licensure or scope of practice. However, graduates of a single institution’s MSRC degree advancement program indicated that earning a MSRC degree supported educational development, contributed to new or advanced roles, and contributed to a tangible increase in annual salary. Additional research is needed to investigate the extent to which these findings are consistent across academic institutions.