Im not sure who convinced you that you had to work as a RT, RN, CNA, AT, or anything for that matter in order to impress admissions committees for an AA program. I would focus on getting alot of shadowing because thats where you learn MOST about what an AA does. Some people weren't as interested in anesthesiology as you are now, so they did other things with their lives before applying to AA and just because someone has been a respiratory therapist 20 years doesn't necessarily mean they will be a better student and AA then you.