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Associate in Science

Mission Statement

Creating competent, ethical, confident entry-level health care practitioners committed to professional development through life-long learning in a positive, non-discriminatory and supportive learning environment.

The Career

The respiratory care profession is one of the fastest growing allied health specialties. It is involved with the treatment, diagnosis and rehabilitation of patients with diseases of the heart and lungs. Graduates of the Florida Community College respiratory care program are eligible to take the nationally recognized Certified Respiratory Therapist (CRT) examination immediately after graduation. After successful completion of the CRT examination, they are eligible to take the Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) advanced level examinations. This credential offers the therapist excellent employment opportunities as well as a competitive salary.

For additional information on the profession, contact:

American Association for Respiratory Care
11030 Ables Lane
Dallas, Texas 75229

The Program

This limited access program is fully accredited by the Committee on Accreditation of Respiratory Care, and enables graduates to sit for both professional examinations. The professional phase of the education makes simultaneous employment difficult due to clinical demands. Students will be expected to lift up to 30 pounds frequently, be mobile and have sufficient motor abilities to provide safe care.

A brochure outlining costs, requirements, deadlines and procedures is available online.

Certification and Accreditation

This program is fully accredited by the Committee on Accreditation of Respiratory Care. Your degree qualifies you to take the national Certified Respiratory Therapist (CRT) followed by the Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) advanced level examinations. Your Florida Community College degree also makes you eligible for specialty certifications such as neo-natal and pediatrics.

Advanced Placement for CRTs

An advanced placement option is available for this program for Certified Respiratory Therapists. By taking and successfully completing placement exams, students can earn credit for up to seven RET courses (RET 1024, RET 1276, RET 1485, RET 1824, RET 2484, RET 1008 and RET 2272L). Please contact the program manager to arrange these exams.

Internships/Rotations

Clinical rotations provide care experience in a supervised environment for diverse groups of patients, and generally lead to immediate employment. You may be required to undergo drug screening and criminal background checks prior to placement.

Career Opportunities, Rapid Placement

An aging population heightens the incidence of cardiopulmonary disease and care. There is a shortfall of 5000 candidates in respiratory care nationwide; and the need is expected to rise 30% annually. Experienced CRTs can rapidly advance to specialty care of critically ill patients, become a supervisor or director, or move into education and marketing.

Annual Salaries

Median CRT income is $36,700, while median RRT salary is $43,150, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics 2004 report (latest available).

Cost

See the estimated cost of fees, books, uniforms and materials in the online brochure.

Application Procedure

To meet minimum requirements for consideration for acceptance to the Respiratory Care program, students must:

1. Complete a Respiratory Care application packet.
2. Applicants must document all eligibility requirements:
   1. current Health Care Provider Basic Life Support (HCP–BLS) card
   2. current Health Occupations Test (HOT) scores
   3. completion of prerequisite courses with a grade of “C” or better
3. Students will be ranked according to the quality points. (Contact the RC office for additional information.)
4. The top 25 ranked students will be notified by mail of their acceptance into the program. Orientation and registration information will also be provided. Those who fail to contact our office upon notification of acceptance will forfeit their placement in the program. In case of forfeiture, the next highest ranked student will be notified of acceptance.

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Curriculum

Total Credit Hours: 76