[How to become a Respiratory Therapist in Germany - Status quo and Development Prospects]

The profession respiratory therapist is well established in Germany 10 years after the introduction. 600 participants have successfully graduated from the training facilities.Our goals are high quality interprofessional teamwork and medical assistance inclusive delegation of formerly physician activities. The duties are comparable to the work pattern of Technical Assistants in surgery. For this profession different ways of qualification are possible: primary training, advanced training and academic studies Physician Assistance. The Geman Medical Association worked up standards for a delegation model to physician assistants and relief and assictance for physicians. These standards were finalised in 2017 during the 120th german physician convention. After this decision we can estimate that the number of physician assistants will be growing up. The german respiratory society can imagine physician assistants with special knowledge in respiratory care. But we are not sure wether our previous educational courses will be completely substituted by academic studies. Temporary there will coexist different educational concepts on different levels. In one german country it is also possible for nurses to pass federal certified advanced training in respiratory care. This is why it will be hard to make a choice on this matter in the future.