As a Registered Respiratory Therapist and Educator one of the questions I always asked my students was "Why do you want to be a Respiratory Therapist?"  For me it was an easy choice.  I always wanted to be a doctor but hated school. While in high school I was a candy striper and had a crush on one of the Respiratory Therapists and decided I wanted to do what he did.  I loved my job but it did have some downsides.