Respiratory Care, AAS

RCT3

Program Description

The goal of the respiratory care program is 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). 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. In order to begin the clinical requirements, students must complete tuberculosis skin test, supply proof of immunization, undergo a background check, and submit to a drug screen test. Program graduates receive a respiratory care associate degree which qualifies them to take the examinations to become a Registered Respiratory Therapist.

The Gwinnett Technical College Respiratory Care program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (www.coarc.com):

Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care
1248 Harwood Road
Bedford, Texas 76021-4244
(817) 283-2835

Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care Programmatic Outcomes Data: http://www.coarc.com/47.html

Students may become certified by taking the Therapist Multiple Choice Examination (TMC) administered by the National Board for Respiratory Care. There are two established cut scores for the Therapist Multiple-Choice Examination. If a candidate achieves the lower cut score, they will earn the Certified Respiratory Therapist (CRT) credential. If a candidate achieves the higher cut score, they will earn the CRT credential AND become eligible for the Clinical Simulation Examination (provided that those eligibility requirements are met and the candidate is eligible to earn the RRT credential). 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 Therapist Multiple-Choice Exam. This program is only offered full-time, during the day. (Program Length: 4 Semesters plus required core prerequisites)

Prerequisites

Length of time to complete prerequisites varies depending on applicants’ transfer credit and/or testing results. The time to complete prerequisites is not including in the total program lengths listed. It is the student’s responsibility to notify the admissions office once pre-requisites have been completed. File completion does not guarantee an interview or acceptance. Students must complete all prerequisite courses prior to the admission deadline of September 1st with a minimum 2.5 GPA on the six prerequisite courses and lab. (FYES 1000 , ENGL 1101 ; CHEM 1211  and CHEM 1211L ; MATH 1111  or MATH 1113 ; BIOL 2113  and BIOL 2113L ; BIOL 2114L  and BIOL 2114L ; BIOL 2117  and BIOL 2117L ). GPA is based on all prerequisite courses taken within the past 5 years. Please see the competitive health application at http://www.gwinnetttech.edu/enrollment/forms-documents/ for additional information.