Respiratory Care, A.A.S.

If you see yourself working in a fast-paced health care environment where you make a difference in the lives of patients suffering from breathing or lung issues, then TCC’s Respiratory Care Program may be a great match for you.

Our Respiratory Care Program provides you with the education needed to serve as part of a team of health care professionals, working side-by-side with physicians, nurses and others in lifesaving and life-supporting situations. As an advanced Respiratory Therapist, you assess and treat patients of all ages, from newborns to senior citizens.

Employment demand for Respiratory Therapists is expected to grow by 12 percent by 2024, according to the U.S. Bureau Labor Statistics, faster than other occupations. An increasing elderly population and advances in respiratory treatments are expected to drive the job market for Respiratory Therapists at hospitals, health care service providers and physician offices.

New Class Begins Each Fall

TCC’s Respiratory Care Program generally accepts 25 students each year beginning in the fall term. Application deadline for admittance to the program is April 15 of each year. Applicants who have completed Human Anatomy and Physiology will be interviewed in March or April by respiratory care program faculty. Selection is determined from a point system based on the applicant's overall GPA, GPA in math and science courses, ATI TEAS composite score, ATI TEAS math and reading score and on the interview. Applicants with more math and science courses will be more highly considered for acceptance into the program.

The Respiratory Care Program is a two-year, five-term, full-time day program consisting of specialized courses offered in a specific sequence. To prepare graduates with demonstrated competence in the cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills), and affective (behavior) learning domains of respiratory care practice as performed by registered respiratory therapists (RRTs). Respiratory Care program courses are offered in the daytime only. General education courses may be taken prior to being accepted into the program to lighten course loads. Human Anatomy and Physiology is a prerequisite course that must be taken prior to acceptance into the program. Your course of study will include all aspects of respiratory health and respiratory care techniques, as well as hands-on clinical experiences.

When you graduate from our program you will be awarded an Associate Degree in Applied Science and eligible to apply for the National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC) Certification and Registry Examinations. The NBRC states “The first examination for earning the RRT is the Therapist Multiple-Choice (TMC) Examination (prior to January 2015, it was known as the Written Registry Examination). The TMC Examination evaluates the abilities required of respiratory therapists at entry into practice and determines eligibility for the Clinical Simulation Examination (CSE). The CRT and/or RRT credentials are used as the basis for the licensure in all 49 states that regulate the practice of respiratory care. There are two cut scores for the TMC Examination. If a candidate achieves the low-cut score, he or she will earn the CRT credential. If a candidate achieves the high cut score, he or she will earn the CRT credential AND become eligible for the Clinical Simulation Examination (provided the candidate is eligible to earn the RRT credential).”

Degree Requirements

Program Map