Respiratory Care, Associate of Applied Science Degree (RCT3)
Offered at the Griffin Campus
Program Entrance Term: Fall
Minimum Length of Program: 7 terms
Minimum Credit Hours for Graduation: 78
Program Description
The Respiratory Care program is a sequence of courses that prepares students for careers in the field of respiratory care. Learning opportunities develop academic and professional knowledge and skills required for job acquisition, retention, and advancement. The program emphasizes specialized training in areas such as pulmonary and cardiac pharmacology, medical gases, humidity/aerosol therapy, positive pressure ventilation, incentive spirometry, patient assessment, postural drainage, percussion/vibration, assessment of diseases and conditions, critical respiratory care, advanced critical care monitoring, pulmonary function testing, and pediatric and neonatal respiratory care. Program graduates receive a respiratory care associate degree which qualifies them to take the examinations to become a Registered Respiratory Therapist. Students may take the Therapist Multiple Choice Examination administered by the National Board for Respiratory Care. Upon successful completion of the High Cut score Exam, the graduate is eligible to take the Clinical Simulation portion of the Registry (RRT) Exam. To work in the state of Georgia, all respiratory care practitioners must apply and be granted a license.
Accreditation
The Respiratory Care Technology program at Southern Crescent Technical College is accredited by the following:
Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care
- The CoARC’s main webpage www.coarc.com
- Programmatic outcomes data can be found at https://coarc.com/students/programmatic-outcomes-data/
- Program number 200482
“CoARC accredits respiratory therapy education programs in the United States. To achieve this end, it utilizes an ‘outcomes based’ process. Programmatic outcomes are performance indicators that reflect the extent to which the educational goals of the program are achieved and by which program effectiveness is documented.”
Admission Requirements
- Submit completed application and application fee
- Be at least 18 years of age
- Submit official high school transcript or GED transcript with test scores and all post-secondary transcripts in an official sealed envelope
- Submit current HESI A2 scores (minimum score of 70 is required for this program). Scores cannot be older than one year at the time of application.
Students will be required to have a minimum grade of C in each core course and a GPA of 2.5 or higher. Students are allowed to complete one Humanities/Fine Arts elective with Respiratory Care program after program acceptance.
The student will be required to take the HESI A2 Examination, which will be a part of the admission criteria. The student’s GPA and HESI A2 combined score will determine admission into the Respiratory Care program. All core courses and the HESI A2 exam must be completed before the application to the program. Applicants will be accepted into the Respiratory Care Technology program for fall term. The cohort number is determined by clinical affiliate availability.
Applicants will be accepted into the Respiratory Care Technology program for fall term. Twenty students will be selected for each fall cohort; the cohort number is determined by clinical affiliate availability.
The College accepts credit from the College Board's College-Level Examination Program (CLEP). A grade of EXP is assigned for awarded CLEP credit. Quality points are not awarded for CLEP, therefore, courses with CLEP credit are not calculated into the GPA during the competitive admissions process.
Allied Health Program Application
Allied Health Acceptance Dates and Deadlines
Candidate Selection
Selection of candidates for each respiratory care class will be based on a competitive admissions process. The following criteria will be used:
- Math and Science core class GPA
- Math and Science scores on HESI A2 Exam
- Selection will utilize the following formula: Core class GPA X 100 + HESI A2 Score
- Students must score a minimum of a 70 on the HESI A2 for program application.
Note:
- If a student changes his/her declared major from Respiratory Care to a different degree program, and then back to Respiratory Care, the latest program application date will be used to determine placement.
- A student who has been convicted of a felony or misdemeanor may be admitted to the Respiratory Care Technology program; however such conviction may prohibit a student from obtaining a Respiratory Care Practitioners’ License. License approval rests solely with the Georgia Board of Medical Examiners.
- Drug screen and background checks must be purchased through the school’s selected vendor, and will be evaluated by clinical site only. The clinical site will have the right to refuse any student due to adverse background checks and drug screen results.
Respiratory Care Technology (Advanced Standing Program)
Students that have earned the CRT (entry-level respiratory certification) will have demonstrated mastery of the following major courses: RESP1110 Pharmacology, RESP1120 Intro to Respiratory Therapy, RESP1130 Respiratory Therapy Lab I, RESP2090 Clinical Practices I, RESP2100 Clinical Practice II, RESP2110 Pulmonary Disease, RESP2120 Critical Respiratory Care, RESP2130 Mech Vent & Airway Management, RESP2140 Adv Critical Care Monitoring, RESP2150 Pulmonary Function Testing, RESP2160 Neonatal Pediatric Resp Care, RESP2180 Clinical Practice III, RESP2190 Clinical Practice IV, and RESP2270 Rehabilitation and Home Care. Due to their advanced standing, these students will be admitted into the Respiratory Care Technology program and will take (or transfer in) the 11 core courses, and take RESP1193 Cardiopulmonary A & P while the regular standing students are taking their major courses. In their final semester, advanced-standing students will take RESP2170 Adv Respiratory Care Seminar and RESP2220 Clinical Practice VI to graduate. Twenty-five (25) percent of coursework is needed to obtain the Associate of Applied Science degree.
Clinical Practice
RESP2090 Clinical Practices I has two sections: A and B. RESP2090 Clinical Practices I A and RESP2090 Clinical Practices I B must be passed with a grade of a C or better to continue in the program.
Transfer Policy for Respiratory Care Program
In the event of a transfer from another Respiratory Care program, a letter of recommendation will be required. After review and approval of the core classes transferred and the letter of recommendation, the student may be accepted into the program. The student must test out of any transferred RESP classes by passing the final exam for each course transferred. If a passing score of 70 is not met, the student must then take the appropriate course and pass with a score of 70. Admissions will have the final decision over any courses transferred in. A transfer student’s overall GPA must be 2.5 or greater in order to transfer into the Respiratory Care Program.
Readmissions Policy
In the event a student fails to meet the minimum required grade of C in any specific RESP course, the student may no longer continue in the program. The student can re-apply to the program one time only and if there is a program-ready list, will be placed on the program-ready list. Re-admission will depend upon the student’s status on the list. Placement above program-ready students will not occur. Upon acceptance into the program for the second time, the student can select to repeat all the courses or take the final exams for each course previously taken and passed. The student will also be required to pass a skills performance and evaluation check in the school laboratory before reentrance into the clinical rotation courses.
Note: Grading standards for respiratory care courses are very stringent. For students to progress to the next course of study, a minimum grade of C must be achieved in every RESP course.
Approximate Additional Costs Other Than Tuition, Fees, and Textbooks
Students in the Respiratory Care program at Southern Crescent Technical College are required to have the following items for their clinical experience.
| Item | Number | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Uniform jacket w/patch | 2 | $44-50 ($22-25 ea.) |
| Blue scrub top | 2 | $26-32 ($13-16 ea.) |
| Blue scrub pants | 2 | $26-32 ($13-16 ea.) |
| White shoes | 1 pair | $80-100 |
| Stethoscope | 1 | $25-30 |
| Watch | 1 | $10-30 |
| Bandage scissors | 1 | $5-10 |
| Total: | $216-257 |
Additional Costs
| Cost | Price |
|---|---|
| Basic life support class | $20 |
| Advanced life support class | $100 |
| Immunizations | $137 |
| AARC membership | $50 |
| GA RCP license | $150 |
| Liability insurance | $20 |
| Self-assessment exam | $120 |
| TMC exam | $190 |
| Clinical Simulation exam | $190 |
| ACEMAPP fee | $50 |
| Symplr | $50 |
| Drug Screen/Background Check | $80 |
Graduation Requirements
All respiratory care students are required to pass two comprehensive examinations in order to graduate from the program. The two comprehensive exams are administered in RESP2170 Adv Respiratory Care Seminar, Advanced Respiratory Care Seminar, The Therapist Multiple Choice written exam, and RRT clinical simulation.
Program Length
Program length includes prerequisite core completion PLUS four terms of occupational (RESP) courses.
Prerequisites
Length of time to complete prerequisites varies depending on applicant’s core course progression, transfer credits, and/or testing results.
The following is a suggested path to complete this program in a timely manner. An individual’s path to completion may be different based on institutional and personal factors affecting his/her academic progress.
Note: While all courses are offered, they may vary by term and campus. See the program advisor for any questions.
Contact Us
Monique McCreary, Program Coordinator
Email: Monique.McCreary@sctech.edu
Phone: (770) 412-4041