2020 Success Stories: Andrew Palrao
The thrill of working in the Respiratory Therapy field is to Andrew Palrao what playing
in Game 7 of a playoff series is to an elite athlete with an unquenchable desire to
compete at the highest level.
Not knowing what will happen from day to day, or shift to shift – that constant element of the unknown – is what drove Palrao to leave behind the bachelor’s degree he earned following high school and continue his education in pursuit of a new passion.
On May 29, the 26-year-old East Providence native celebrates his second degree, this time an Associate in Respiratory Therapy from the Community College of Rhode Island, where he graduates with Highest Honors in addition to earning the Thomas Beddoes Award for Academic and Clinical Excellence for finishing with a 4.0 GPA.
Four years ago, Palrao graduated from the University of Rhode Island with a degree in Kinesiology and began a career in physical therapy, a well-respected, high-demand field that satisfied his initial desire to help others.
But something was missing. While working as an aide at a local physical therapy clinic, he befriended a colleague who was going back to school to study Respiratory Therapy. That, Palrao said, piqued his initial interest.
“I thought to myself, ‘This might be for me,’” Palrao said, “so I took an introductory course, liked it, and decided to purse that instead.
“Physical therapy, while important, was very monotonous. In respiratory therapy, you have to be on your toes. You never know what will happen. It could be a calm day, or it could be crazy. I kind of like that adrenaline rush.”
A respiratory therapist is a specialized healthcare practitioner trained in critical care and cardio-pulmonary medicine in order to work with people suffering from acute critical conditions or cardiac and pulmonary disease. They handle a wide variety of patients, from premature infants with undeveloped lungs to elderly patients with lung disease, and on any given day could be tasked with providing emergency care to patients suffering from heart attacks, drowning or shock. A typical “day at the office” is anything but ordinary.
Likewise, Palrao’s final semester at CCRI was unlike anything he experienced in his previous five years of college. Growing up, Palrao wanted to be a doctor. He has cousins who work in the medical field, but his father is an engineer, which, he admits, “bored me a little bit.” Though he’s traveled a much different path, he never strayed far from the healthcare industry.
When the coronavirus pandemic began to peak in March and April, Palrao was finishing up his third semester of clinicals at UMass Memorial Medical Center in Worcester and had just been asked to stay on board as a per diem employee. In addition to his role at UMass, he is also working per diem at Sturdy Memorial Hospital in Attleboro, so he has been exposed to a number of patients throughout the pandemic.
Nerve-wracking? Yes, but, Palrao says, “this is what I signed up for.”
“I get anxiety going in, but I like being on my toes,” said Palrao, an only child. “I like the craziness. I just like working with people.”
The “craziness” spilled over into his final semester. Palrao was one of several hundred students forced to suspend in-person clinical work and transition to remote learning. Fortunately, he said, he had already logged most of the hours he needed at that point. The remaining clinical studies were held online through webinars and simulations – “videos,” Palrao said, “that helped us prepare to be out in the field.”
He also credits his professors with being flexible, especially given his work schedule, which often forced him to work from 7 am–7 pm while picking up as many per diem shifts as he could in between.
“I’m more of a hands-on person. I like being out in the field, so learning online was a bit of an adjustment for me,” he said, “but since I was working at the time, it helped keep me prepared.
“It’s definitely a strange time to graduate from school, but I really liked CCRI a lot. The teachers are very knowledgeable and always willing to help you. They prepare you for what you’ll see in the field. I loved this program. It most definitely puts you on a fast track into the workforce.”
Palrao had always planned on going back to school at some point, mainly because he would have needed his doctorate to become a licensed physical therapist, but never envisioned transitioning to a new field. CCRI gave him the opportunity to pursue that passion at his own pace along with the affordability and peace of mind knowing he could effortlessly complete the program within two years. His dream is to work at a major hospital or a Level 1 trauma center, fitting for someone who thrives under pressure.
“I’m a little all over the place right now,” he said, “but I like it.”