Respiratory Care

Career Studies and Workforce Development Division

Degree Type: Associate of Applied Science Degree

Contact: Chris Adams, cadams@trcc.edu

Purpose: The Respiratory Care program is a one-plus-one degree program that prepares students to practice as Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) and to become a state licensed Respiratory Care Practitioner. Three Rivers College is one of five colleges in the Missouri Health Professions Consortium (MHPC) currently offering this program. Three Rivers offers and enrolls students in the general education coursework; sophomore level (professional level) coursework typically originates from a classroom at any of the five campuses and is conveyed to students via web conferencing and internet-based technology. Through the combination of general education and professional level coursework, classroom and laboratory practice, and clinical fieldwork experiences, students will learn the profession of a Registered Respiratory Therapist. Registered Respiratory Therapists (RRT) work with critical and non-critical patients in a variety of settings which include hospitals, surgery centers, rehabilitation centers, education, research and medical equipment sales.

The professional year does not run on a traditional Three Rivers academic cycle. Classes begin in the fall semester and will run until the next fall semester of the following year. Completion of professional coursework takes one full calendar year.

Admission Criteria

• High school diploma or the equivalent
• Application for admission to TRC https://trcc.edu/apply/
• A placement test as specified by the college (please note: Some coursework requires minimum placement results)
• Application to the Respiratory Care program – admission is selective
• Cumulative college GPA of 2.5 or greater
• TEAS Exam within the last two years with a minimum composite score of 58%
• 8 hours of job shadowing

Admission Process

Admission to the Respiratory Care program is competitive. To apply to the MHPC Respiratory Care program at TRC, students must complete and submit an official application packet available on the website. Students must complete all general education coursework prior to beginning the professional-level program. However, students can complete coursework in the summer semester prior to the start of the program in August; under these circumstances, program admission would be contingent upon successful completion of general education prerequisite coursework and maintenance of the required 2.5 GPA. Satisfactory criminal background check and drug screening upon acceptance to program.

Enrollment in the MHPC Respiratory Therapy Assistant program is selective and an informational packet with application materials is available online (trcc.edu/apply/) or at the Three Rivers campus. Students must complete all general education coursework PRIOR to entry into the professional level program. However, students can complete coursework in the semester prior to the start of the program; under these circumstances, program admission would be contingent upon successful completion of general education prerequisite coursework and maintenance of the required 2.5 GPA. Transcript evidence of satisfactory completion of general education/prerequisite coursework must be received with the application packet. Three Rivers may not be able to offer admission to all qualified applicants. Only students meeting all admission criteria and submitting completed application packets within the established time frame will be considered. The Selection Committee meetings are conducted the summer before the start of the professional year. Admission decisions of the Selection Committee are final. Applicants will receive a letter regarding admissions status following committee review.

Application Deadline: March 1.

Transfer Options: This degree will articulate to a Bachelor of Health Science (BHS) degree at the Central Methodist University. While a bachelor’s degree is not required to practice as an RTA, all credit hours will transfer to CMU if graduates wish to pursue their additional degree.

Total Credit Hours: 76

Accreditation

The MHPC Respiratory Care program is pursuing accreditation by the Commission on Accreditation of Respiratory for Respiratory Care, 264 Precision Blvd, Telford, TN, 37690. COARC’s telephone number is 817-283-2835, and its Web address is coarc.com. Upon graduation, students will receive their Associate of Applied Science Degree in Respiratory Care and will be Eligible to take the Therapist Multiple Choice (TMC) and Clinical Simulation Exam (CSE) administered by the National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC) to obtain the Registered Respiratory Therapist credential.