Prepare for a fast-paced, high-demand career. Blend high-tech training with compassionate care as you gain the skills required to be a specialist in assessing and treating people with breathing and cardiopulmonary disorders. Work closely with doctors, nurses and other clinicians in emergency rooms, critical care units, diagnostic centers, clinics and home health care organizations.
Respiratory Care Program Online Application
Application Form 2023-2024 | Application Instructions 2023-2024 | SWOT Analysis Example
What is Respiratory Care
Program Goals
SFCC’s Respiratory Care Program prepares students to become knowledgeable, competent, effective, and ethical respiratory care practitioners consistent with the professional, community, and employer expectations of registered respiratory therapists (RRT). Graduates will have demonstrated competence in the cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills), and affective (behavior) learning domains of respiratory care practice as performed by registered respiratory therapists.
Graduate Opportunities
Respiratory therapists evaluate and treat all types of patients, ranging from premature infants whose lungs are not fully developed to elderly people whose lungs are diseased. They provide temporary relief to patients with chronic asthma or emphysema, as well as emergency care to patients who are victims of acute trauma, heart attack, stroke, drowning or shock.
- Hospital rapid-response team
- Pediatric hospitals
- Rehabilitation centers
- Physician offices
- Pulmonary function laboratories
- Home medical care companies
- Ground and air medical ambulance transport services
- Sleep study centers
- Neonatal intensive care units
* Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Respiratory Therapists, at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/respiratory-therapists.htm (visited April 15, 2021).
NBRC Certification
Students who successfully complete the A.A.S. in Respiratory Care are eligible to apply to sit for the board examination series administered by the National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC). Graduates who successfully complete the Therapist Multiple Choice (TMC) and Clinical Simulation Examination (CSE) exam series are eligible for licensure as a registered respiratory therapist (RRT).
Therapist Multiple-Choice Examination (TMC) The TMC Examination is designed to objectively measure essential knowledge required of respiratory therapists at entry into practice, as well as determine eligibility for the Clinical Simulation Examination. 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 (CSE), (provided the candidate is eligible to earn the RRT credential).
Programmatic Outcomes
Programmatic Outcomes Data report
Program ID: 200549
Institution: Santa Fe Community College
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.
Program Awards
- Certification of Accreditation
- CoARC Distinguished RRT Credentialing Success Award 2018
- CoARC Distinguished RRT Credentialing Success Award 2019
- CoARC Distinguished RRT Credentialing Success Award 2020
Additional Program Information
- Estimated Program Costs
- Respiratory Care, A.A.S. – Advisement Form
- Bachelor’s Degree Completion Options
NOTE: A.A.S. degrees are designed to prepare students for entry-level positions in specific occupations; they are not generally intended to transfer to four-year institutions. For more information on transfer, refer to the Transfer of Credit section, the SFCC Respiratory Care web page, or speak with an academic advisor.
