Respiratory Therapy (AS Degree S1205)

Technology and Health Division
Degree S1205
The Respiratory Therapy Program, which is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (COARC), is designed to train students to function as Respiratory Therapists.

Respiratory Therapy is the application of technical skills involving a complete understanding of cardiopulmonary physiology and recognition of various pathological conditions that alter the patient’s ability to breathe effectively.

By applying medical gases under pressure - i.e., compressed air, oxygen, and other mixtures - to the airways through the use of various kinds of equipment, the therapist, under the direction of the physician, treats the diseased or ineffective respiratory system.

Some mechanical aptitude and the ability to perform fine motor movements with hands and fingers is required in learning the operation of specialized equipment. This includes diagnostic apparatus which aids the physician in detecting cardiorespiratory diseases.

This degree requires the completion of General Education coursework plus the following:

Required Courses

Respiratory Department website 

Entrance Requirements

In addition to meeting Mt. San Antonio College’s academic standards for admission, applicants must be in good standing and satisfy the following requirements:

1. Applicants must be at least 18 years of age upon entrance into the program and must be a high school graduate or equivalent.
2. Submit a college application and be accepted as a student at Mt. San Antonio College.
3. Complete the online orientation and the mandatory Assessment Questionnaire (AQ) for course placement in English, math, and reading.  If you have taken English and math at another college, please provide official college transcripts to the Admissions and Records Office.
4. Submit an application to the Respiratory Therapy Program. The application can be accessed at: Respiratory Therapy Online Application
5.    All foreign and domestic transcripts must be evaluated. See Admissions for details.

All applicants are required to meet the Essential Functions for Success in the Respiratory Therapy Program:

Physical Demands

• Perform prolonged, extensive, or considerable standing/walking, lifting, positioning, pushing, and/or transferring patients
• Possess the ability to perform fine motor movements with hands and fingers
• Possess the ability for extremely heavy effort (lift and carry at least 50 pounds or more)
• Perform considerable reaching, stooping, bending, kneeling, and crouching

Sensory Demands

• Color vision: ability to distinguish and identify colors (may be corrected with adaptive devises)
• Distance vision: ability to see clearly 20 feet or more
• Depth perception: ability to judge distance and space relationship
• Near vision: ability to see clearly 20 inches or less
• Hearing: able to recognize a full range of tones

Working Environment

• May be exposed to infectious and contagious disease, without prior notification
• Regularly exposed to the risk of blood borne diseases
• Exposed to hazardous agents, body fluids and wastes
• Exposed to odorous chemicals and specimens
• Subject to burns and cuts
• Contact with patients having different religious, culture, ethnicity, race, sexual orientation, psychological and physical disabilities, and under a wide variety of circumstances
• Handle emergency or crisis situations
• Subject to many interruptions
• Requires decisions/actions related to end of life issues
• Exposed to products containing latex

English Language Skills

Although proficiency in English is not a criterion for admission into the Respiratory Therapy Program, students must be able to speak, write and read English to ensure patient safety and to complete classes successfully.

Other Requirements

• RESD 50 pre-requisites ANAT 10A, ANAT 10B, CHEM 10, MATH 51 and MEDI 90 must be completed prior to entering the program.
• All students will be required to complete a background check prior to entering the clinical courses.
• A physical examination including drug testing and specific immunizations, is required of all students prior to entering clinical courses. 

A.S. Degree Requirement

All students must complete all major course requirements and general education requirements necessary to complete the Associate degree before a certificate of completion in Respiratory Therapy will be given. The student may elect to pursue either the Associate in Science or Associate in Arts degree. An Associate degree in Respiratory Therapy is required to take National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC) examinations.

Special Information

To remain in the program, students must maintain a “C” or better grade in all courses.

Readmission Policy

Students who are dropped, failed, or withdrew from the program may request readmission for the following year in the semester in which they were stopped or may re-start the program. Students who fail or withdraw from the program must meet with the Program Director prior to re-entry into the program to discuss a remediation plan. Students who re-enter the program in the semester they stopped are required to demonstrate cognitive and psychomotor skills prior to re-entry. Students who re-start the program will be required to retake all Respiratory Therapy courses even if satisfactory grades were received.

Re-entry (readmission or re-start) may occur only one time.  Re-entry is on a space-available basis and it is possible that readmission will be denied.  Dismissals for reasons 1,2,5,6 of the Program Dismissal Policy are NOT eligible for readmission to the Program.  In accordance with California law, the Respiratory Care Board will also be notified of any violations, which prevent consideration for readmission.

The Respiratory Therapy program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC).

Contact:

Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC)
1248 Hardwood Road
Bedford, TX 76021-4244
(817) 283-2835
https://www.coarc.com/

Program Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this program, a student will be able to:

• Achieve the CRT and RRT credential.
• Demonstrate in the laboratory and clinical setting, the correct procedures for basic Respiratory Therapy treatment modalities.
• Demonstrate in the laboratory and clinical setting, the correct procedures for advanced Respiratory Therapy procedures to include manual and mechanical ventilator. Review Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) for this program.

​Review Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) for this program.

Looking for guidance? A counselor can help.This Guided Pathways for Success (GPS) is a suggested sequence of coursework needed for program completion. It is not an official educational plan. Schedule an appointment with a counselor or advisor as soon as possible to create an individualized Mountie Academic Plan (MAP) specific to your goals and needs.