RT Goes to the Dominican Republic!

Our Project

The Georgia State Respiratory Therapy Program is sending eight amazing students on an intensive study abroad experience in rural Dominican Republic. For seven days, students will be immersed into a small rural village outside of Puerto Plata. Students will learn about the unique culture and lifestyle of this community while providing a variety of services to individuals in need. One of the major problems the group will address is respiratory issues. Asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are chronic respiratory diseases that impact 100’s of millions of individuals around the world. In the United States alone COPD is the third leading cause of death. The students will provide respiratory therapy education to local health workers, complete lung health assessments on families in the area and distribute educational posters on smoking and smoke related lung issues. 

Most of the inhabitants of this region live in one or two room homes with dirt floors, wood siding and open burning stoves. We believe these stoves may be the main culprit to breathing issues seen in the region. Students will address these issues by using specialized equipment to assess blood oxygen and carbon monoxide levels. Students will aide in home projects such as building new stoves with a stove pipe, painting homes with mosquito repellant material and installing concrete floors. This study abroad project will provide students with an incredible learning experience, while also helping serve the health and wellness needs of a greatly under-served population. 

Why Give

The study abroad project will cost around $1,600 per student, which includes program fees, food, lodging, transportation, and airfare. Our goal of $8,000 is to offset these costs to reduce the financial burdens placed on the participating students. Excess donations will go toward student travel. Your support will not only benefit the students, but also the community needs of Los Robles. Please help Georgia State RT students make a momentous impact in this rural community in the Dominican Republic.

About Us

Georgia State University is the home of the oldest university based Respiratory Therapy program in the state of Georgia and second oldest in the United States. Students earn a Baccalaureate or Master’s degree in respiratory therapy after two years of professional study. Students of the program complete approximately 1000 hours of clinical training in area hospitals and clinics. Our students have held a 100% pass rate on the national board exams for the past decade. This is the second international study abroad program offered to respiratory therapy students. This project is a great opportunity for Georgia State RT students to work with an under-served population, apply the skills learned in the classroom and clinical setting, and develop a deeper understanding of global cultures. 

Thank you so much for your support. Please help us spread the word by sharing our project with family and friends.

With your gift to RT Goes to the Dominican Republic, the Georgia State University Foundation will offset costs of student travel and group expenses for the Respiratory Therapy study abroad program in the Dominican Republic. Any additional funds will continue to offset the costs of travel and supplies. If the project funds remain inactive for six (6) months, they will be used for future Respiratory Therapy study abroad programs.