Occupational Therapy Assistant or Respiratory Therapist???

first of all, in my state, they make THE SAME SALARY!! but which one would be more interesting?? which helps more people? (there r about the same amount of jobs in my state for both)
Thnx!!

Resp therapy works w/ breathing machines and often works w/ unresponsive patients in the ICU; or people w/ asthma,etc. There can be suctioning and spitting. Quite the contrary is an Occ therapist who works with upright, moving patients who need help with activities of daily living. -- helping a pt who had a stroke learn how to eat again, how to dress themselves. Helping a pt w/ a broken leg how to put on their pants, etc... those type of things.

Salary is NOt what you should be considering at this stage, as both will be good paying careers in the long run. But each is a committment of a different kind. I know both RT's and OT's and each love their jobs for different reasons.

What you need to do is to GO to a HOSPITAL or a Rehab Center and talk w/ professionals -- or volunteer in one of these settings to see which you prefer. There are also professional organizations for each which you should check out as well.
They are both quite different occupations, but each has it's rewards and pitfalls.

respiratory therapists have a LOT of responsiblity and hold lives in their hands. OTA dont.

Well If I were not a nurse I would choose the resp therapist because you help with code blues in the hospitals, at our hospital you are the primary one to intubate the patients during them and during other critical situations. Plus every patient in the hospital gets seen by the resp therapist during there first day in the hospital.

respiratory therapist..... they help out a great deal and do a ton of interesting things- mayb a little more challenging but go for it!