Admission Requirements: General college curricular admission

Program Notes: In addition to the general college curricular admissions requirements, the applicant must be a Certified Respiratory Therapist (CRT) or CRT eligible.  Entry into the Respiratory Therapy Advanced Practice curriculum also requires a personal interview with the program head/clinical coordinator. A special physical and dental examination is required for students in the School of Health Sciences which includes an immunization schedule. Applicants must be free of any physical or mental condition which might adversely affect their performance.  Drug testing and criminal background checks are required by clinical affiliates.  This will be at the student's expense.

A student must obtain permission from the program head to continue the major in Respiratory Therapy under the following conditions: (l) Receipt of a grade below a "C" in any major course, (2) Overall GPA falls below a 2.0 average in any one semester.  A student must obtain permission from the program head to take courses out of the sequence in the catalog.  Current certification in CPR is required for enrollment in all clinical courses.  Current ACLS and CRT certification are required for enrollment in all clinical internship courses taught in hospital intensive care units.  Students are responsible for transportation to and from facilities used for clinical experiences.

Progression through the Program: The college offers this program in affiliation with the healthcare agencies and practitioners in the communities the college serves.  The college relies on its community affiliates to provide clinical education opportunities for its students, expert clinical preceptors, and course instructors for many courses.  The often rapid changes in healthcare law, standards of practice, technology, and content of credentialing examinations increasingly necessitate sudden changes in the program’s course content, policies, procedures and course scheduling.  As a result, the college cannot guarantee every student continuous and uninterrupted clinical and course instruction as outlined in the printed catalog curriculum for this program.  Circumstances beyond the control of the college may necessitate the postponement of course offerings or changes in the sequencing and/or location of scheduled courses or clinical assignments.  Additionally, the college may have to change the instructor for courses after instruction has started.

Program Exit Exams: Every student is required to pass comprehensive exit exams before being added to the National board for Respiratory Care's electronic eligibility data base.  The fees for the exams are included in the spring and summer semester tuition. If a student does not pass the secured exams taken in the summer, any subsequent attempts are at the student's expense.

Program Accreditation and Therapist Certification: The Respiratory Therapy program is accredited through the Committee on Accreditation for Respiratory Care, 1248 Harwood Road, Bedford, TX 76021-4244, (817) 283-2835, by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs.  Graduates of the Respiratory Therapy Advanced Practice program who also have an AAS degree in respiratory therapy are eligible to take the registry examinations administered by the National Board for Respiratory Care Inc.