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Studies & Degrees in Tuberculosis & Respiratory Disease

Tuberculosis and respiratory disease is the branch of medicine that deals with illnesses of the lungs and airways. The name comes from the time when tuberculosis (TB) dominated chest medicine, and it is still used for departments and postgraduate qualifications in India and some other countries. Elsewhere the same specialty is called respiratory medicine, pulmonary medicine or pulmonology (neumología in Spanish).

The subject remains relevant. The World Health Organization (WHO) describes TB as an infectious disease caused by bacteria that most often affects the lungs and spreads through the air. It estimates that 10.7 million people fell ill with TB in 2024 and that 1.23 million died, although the disease is preventable and curable. Chronic respiratory diseases are also widespread: the most common, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma, together affect over half a billion people, and COPD caused 3.4 million deaths in 2023, according to WHO.

What students learn

This is a specialisation for doctors, so students already hold a medical degree. Training covers the physiology and pathology of the respiratory system and the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of its diseases. Typical content includes:

  • pulmonary and extrapulmonary tuberculosis, including drug-resistant forms, and its epidemiology and prevention
  • asthma, COPD and interstitial lung disease
  • respiratory infections, lung cancer and occupational lung disease
  • sleep-disordered breathing and ventilatory support
  • diagnostic techniques such as lung function testing and bronchoscopy

NHS Health Careers notes that respiratory medicine draws on oncology, infectious diseases and public health, immunology, palliative care and intensive care. Treatment of TB itself is a matter of months, not days: WHO states that the standard medicines must be taken daily for 4–6 months, and that multidrug-resistant TB does not respond to the two most effective first-line drugs.

Qualifications and levels

India. The Vallabhbhai Patel Chest Institute (VPCI) in Delhi describes itself as a postgraduate medical institution devoted to research, teaching and patient care in chest diseases. It is maintained by the University of Delhi and funded by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Its website lists students enrolled on DM, MD, PhD and DTCD programmes. The University of Delhi also has a Department of Pulmonary Medicine in its Faculty of Medical Sciences, which lists an M.Sc. in Respiratory Therapy among its courses.

Spain. Neumología is a four-year residency open to graduates in Medicine, according to the official programme published in the Boletín Oficial del Estado. The programme includes tuberculosis and states that TB prevention is part of the pulmonologist's work.

United Kingdom. After medical school and the two-year foundation programme, doctors complete internal medicine training, which lasts three years, and then specialty training in respiratory medicine, which takes four to five years, according to NHS Health Careers. Entry to higher specialist training requires the MRCP diploma.

Respiratory therapy. This is a separate, non-medical profession. In the United States, respiratory therapists typically need an associate's degree in respiratory therapy and must be licensed in all states except Alaska.

Where to study it

SpainExchange lists three schools for this subject, one each in India, Ukraine and Russia: the University of Delhi, Bukovinian State Medical University in Chernivtsi and Rostov State Medical University in Rostov-on-Don. Bukovinian State Medical University states that it teaches in Ukrainian and, for foreign students, in English.

Since these are postgraduate medical programmes, an international applicant should first ask how the country recognises a foreign medical degree, which entrance exam or selection process gives access to postgraduate places, and whether places are open to foreign nationals. Clinical work is done with patients in the local language. If you plan to practise in another country afterwards, ask its medical regulator how a foreign specialist qualification is recognised.

Careers

Specialists work in hospital respiratory departments, outpatient clinics, TB control programmes and public health, and in research and teaching. In the United Kingdom, one third of all acute medical admissions to hospital are the result of respiratory problems, according to NHS Health Careers, and doctors can develop a sub-specialist interest such as asthma, cystic fibrosis, interstitial lung disease, lung cancer or sleep-disordered breathing.

For respiratory therapists, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics counted about 142,000 jobs in 2025 and projects growth of 9 percent from 2025 to 2035, with about 8,600 openings a year.

Frequently asked questions

Is this a degree I can start after secondary school?

No. Tuberculosis and respiratory disease is a postgraduate specialisation for doctors. The first step is a medical degree; the specialisation follows.

Is it the same as pulmonology?

Yes, in practice. Respiratory medicine, pulmonary medicine, pulmonology and neumología are different names for the specialty that covers diseases of the respiratory system, including tuberculosis.

How long does the specialisation take?

Four years of residency in Spain. In the United Kingdom, four to five years of specialty training follow three years of internal medicine training. Other countries set their own durations, so ask the university.

What is the difference between a respiratory physician and a respiratory therapist?

A respiratory physician is a doctor who diagnoses and treats respiratory conditions. A respiratory therapist is an allied health professional who cares for patients with breathing problems; in the United States the usual entry qualification is an associate's degree.