Curriculum/Degree Requirements
Curriculum/Degree Requirements
Respiratory therapy, or respiratory care, is an allied health profession specializing in cardiopulmonary diseases. A respiratory therapist can be instrumental in assisting in the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of a wide spectrum of disorders affecting the heart and lungs.
A registered respiratory therapist (RRT) requires a minimum of a two-year degree, and most RRTs work in a hospital. Monroe County Community College respiratory therapy program graduates exceed the national averages for success on board exams.
APPLICATION DEADLINE: The respiratory therapy program follows a selective admission process. To be eligible for evaluation and selection, all required information must be included in the student’s folder by the application deadline, which is the last Thursday in June of the year the student wishes to enter the program.
In accordance with federal, state, and institutional policies, the Monroe County Community College Respiratory Therapy Program does not discriminate in its student admissions, faculty employment, or any other aspect of its operations on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, and gender identify), national origin, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, height, weight, or any other protected characteristic under applicable law.
Admissions Selection Criteria
The respiratory therapy program is a selective admissions program. Respiratory therapy program applicants must meet established minimum criteria to be considered. The respiratory therapy applicant needs to be aware meeting the minimum standards does not ensure admission to the program. Up to thirty students with the highest number of points are selected each year and tend to be well qualified having exceeded the minimum standards in some, if not all, of the criteria.
- Graduation from high school or successful completion of the G.E.D. (General Education Development) test.
- Completion of MATH 105 or MATH 151 or MATH 154 or higher-level math with a “C” or better; or a qualifying score on accepted placement test as determined by the college; or equivalent transferred course. It is required that these accepted courses be repeated if they have not been taken within 10 years of the application deadline unless the applicant is able to show proficiency on an accepted placement test. The older math grade will be used to calculate points if these conditions are met.
- Completion of BIOL 257 Anatomy and Physiology I or equivalent with a “C” or better. It is required that anatomy and physiology be repeated if it has not been taken within 10 years of the application deadline. Students who have taken anatomy and physiology at another accredited institution of higher learning that does not transfer as equivalent to the MCCC course will have their course(s) evaluated on an individual basis.
- Official transcripts from high school sent to the MCCC Admissions office. Official transcripts from all colleges or universities, if transfer credit is desired, sent directly to the MCCC Registrar’s office.
- Tests such as the TOEFL or other accepted tests as determined by the college may be required to show proof of English language proficiency for individuals whose native language is not English.
Additional Program Information
The Monroe County Community College (MCCC) Respiratory Therapy Program, CoARC Program number 200295, Associate of Applied Science Degree at the MCCC main campus holds Continuing Accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (www.coarc.com).
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. For information comparing the student outcomes for the MCCC program with those from all other accredited programs in the country go to https://coarc.com/students/programmatic-outcomes-data/.