Respiratory Therapy, A.A.S.

Program Description

The Respiratory Therapy Program prepares students to work in a variety of health care settings, to care for patients with acute and chronic respiratory disease, to assist in the treatment of trauma patients, and to provide life support to critically ill newborn, pediatric, and adult patients. Students receive a solid foundation in principles of cardiopulmonary physiology and respiratory care practices prior to providing hands-on care within actual clinical settings. Clinical experiences begin with basic general care and progress to extensive experience in adult medical and surgical intensive care and neonatal/pediatric intensive care units. Throughout the curriculum, students are expected to develop a caring commitment to the patient along with safe and effective respiratory care. Students rotate through renowned and respected clinical sites, including Prince George’s Hospital Center, Washington Hospital Center, Children’s National Medical Center, University of Maryland Medical Center, and Anne Arundel Medical Center.

The Respiratory Therapy Program of Prince George’s Community College, CoARC program number 200228, awards an Associate of Applied Science Degree and is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (https://www.coarc.com/). 

Graduates of the Respiratory Therapy A.A.S. will be able to:

• Work in a variety of health care settings
• Assess and treat patients with acute and chronic respiratory diseases
• Assist in the treatment of trauma patients
• Provide life support to critically ill newborn, pediatric, and adult patients
• Demonstrate behaviors consistent with professional practice and the ethical and moral standards consistent with the American Association for Respiratory Care.

Respiratory Therapy Accreditation Information

• The Respiratory Therapy Program of Prince George’s Community College, CoARC program number 200228, awards an Associate of Applied Science Degree and is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (https://www.coarc.com/). 
   
• Public Information for Programmatic Outcomes Data: 
  https://coarc.com/students/programmatic-outcomes-data/
  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.
   
• Respiratory Therapy Program Information
  https://www.pgcc.edu/programs-courses/academic-divisions/health-wellness-and-hospitality-division/allied-health-department/respiratory-therapy-program-information/

General Education Courses

The list of general education courses appears in the General Education List . Some programs recommend or require specific courses to fulfill general education requirements. Please check your program’s sequence of study for this information.

Sequence of Study - Respiratory Therapy A.A.S.

Below are the required courses for your program arranged in a suggested sequence. Please note that the sequence does not include developmental coursework. See Academic Preparation  for the developmental course sequence if applicable to you.

Required Courses (in expected order)

• PAS-1000 First Year Experience Credits: 1 (Institutional Requirement)
• BIO-2050 Human Anatomy & Physiology I Credits: 4 (Science w/ Lab General Education Requirement)
• EGL-1010 Composition I: Expository Writing Credits: 3 (English General Education Requirement)
• MAT-1250 Applied College Algebra Credits: 3 (Mathematics General Education Requirement)
• BIO-2060 Anatomy and Physiology II Credits: 4 (Program Requirement; Critical Course)
• CHM-1010 General Chemistry I Credits: 4 (Program Requirement)
• EGL-1340 Writing About Technical Topics Credits: 3 (English General Education Requirement)
• PSY-1010 General Psychology Credits: 3 (Social Science General Education Requirement)
• COM-1090 Interpersonal Communication Credits: 3 (Arts/Humanities General Education Requirement)
• HIM-1800 Introduction to Medical Terms for Health Professionals Credits: 1 (Program Requirement)
• RST-1531 Principles and Practice of Respiratory Therapy Credits: 5 (Program Requirement; Critical Course)
• RST-1570 Principles of Cardiopulmonary Physiology Credits: 4 (Program Requirement; Critical Course)
• RST-1600 Principles of Ventilatory Diseases Credits: 3 (Program Requirement)
• RST-1631 Clinical Practice in Respiratory Therapy I Credits: 2 (Program Requirement)
• RST-1741 Principles of Mechanical Ventilation and Introduction to Critical Care Credits: 6 (Program Requirement; Critical Course)
• RST-1730 Clinical Practice in Respiratory Therapy II Credits: 2 (Program Requirement)
• RST-2490 Neonatal and Pediatric Respiratory Care Credits: 3 (Program Requirement)
• RST-2500 Pharmacology for Respiratory Therapy Credits: 3 (Program Requirement)
• RST-2530 Clinical Practice in Critical Care I Credits: 4 (Program Requirement)
• RST-2620 Trends in Respiratory Therapy Credits: 2 (Program Requirement)
• RST-2630 Clinical Practice in Critical Care II Credits: 4 (Program Requirement)

Program Total: 67 Credits

Check BIO-2050  for eligibility requirements.

Students who have taken another mathematics course prior to fall 2017 should contact the Respiratory Therapy program director to discuss options.

Transferability

Credit earned at any public institution in the state shall be transferable to any other institution if the:

• Credit is from a college or university parallel course or program;
• Grades in the block of courses transferred average 2.00 or higher; and
• Acceptance of the credit is consistent with the policies of the receiving institution governing students following the same program. Refer to ARTSYS at artweb.usmd.edu and the receiving institution’s catalog to select transferable courses.

Need Help?

For help selecting an academic program or courses, consider using Career Coach, available at www.pgcc.edu/go/careercoach.