RCT3 Respiratory Care, Associate of Applied Science Degree
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 become Certified and Registry eligible by taking 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. The only way to obtain a license is to pass at least the Entry Level Certification Exam.
The Respiratory Care Technology program at Southern Crescent Technical College is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC) (www.coarc.com). Programmatic outcomes data can be found at www.coarc.com/47.html.
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
- Meet overall PSB (Psychological Services Bureau)
- EAS exam requirements (see below)
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 PSB (Psychological Services Bureau) Examination, which will be a part of the admission criteria. The student’s GPA and PSB combined score will help determine admission into the Respiratory Care program. Students will be placed on the program-ready list according to their program-ready date. All core courses and the PSB exam must be completed before the student is placed on the program-ready list. The student will then complete a program-ready card.
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.
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 PSB Exam
- Program Ready Card submission date
Note: (A) 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. (B) 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. (C) 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: RESP 1110, RESP 1120, RESP 1130, RESP 2090, RESP 2100, RESP 2110, RESP 2120, RESP 2130, RESP 2140, RESP 2150, RESP 2160, RESP 2180, RESP 2190, and RESP 2270. 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 RESP 1193 while the regular standing students are taking their major courses. In their final semester, advanced-standing students will take RESP 2170 and RESP 2220 to graduate. Twenty-five (25) percent of coursework is needed to obtain the Associate of Applied Science degree.
Clinical Practice
RESP 2090 has two sections: A and B. RESP 2090 A and RESP 2090 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
| 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 RESP 2170, 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.
Program Courses
First Term
Natural Sciences/Mathematics elective—Choose one:
MATH 1111: Course will be accepted when transferred in from another institution with a grade of a C or better but may not be offered at this institution.
Second Term
Choose ONE CHEM course and its corresponding lab:
Social/Behavioral Sciences elective—Choose one:
Humanities/Fine Arts elective—Choose one:
Third Term
Fourth Term
Fifth Term
Sixth Term
Seventh Term