A QUICK INTRO
Few - if any - roles in healthcare are more essential than ensuring each patient has an airway, which is exactly what a Respiratory Therapist does on a daily basis. Past graduates of this program have excelled at the state and national levels, and we'll set you up for success as well!
WHAT YOU STUDY
Students will master skills in patient assessment and treatment of cardiopulmonary diseases. These skills include life support, monitoring, drug administration, and treatment of patients of all ages in a variety of settings.
WHAT YOU CAN DO
Graduates may be employed in hospitals, clinics, doctor’s offices, nursing homes, education, industry and home care.
WHAT YOU CAN EARN
For more information about this field, including salary and career pathways, check out this link on our Career Coach assessment tool.
A CLOSER LOOK
Check out this video to learn about the program and the perks of working in this field.
COURSE INFORMATION
Click on title for course description. For your convenience, the following listing includes only credit hours for each course. For a comprehensive listing of classroom, lab and clinical hours for each course, click on this PDF.
Southwestern Community College is currently in the process of seeking CoARC accreditation for a respiratory care program at Blue Ridge Community College as a satellite consortium. However, Southwestern Community College can provide no assurance that accreditation will be granted by the CoARC.
FALL SEMESTER 1
| Prefix | No. | Title | Credit |
| ACA | 111 | College Student Success | 1 |
| BIO | 168 | Anatomy & Physiology I | 4 |
| RCP | 110 | Intro to Respiratory Care | 4 |
| RCP | 113 | C-P Pharmacology | 2 |
| RCP | 114 | C-P Anatomy & Physiology | 3 |
| RCP | 122 | Special Practice Lab | 1 |
| RCP | 132 | RCP Clinical Practice I | 2 |
| Totals | 17 |
SPRING SEMESTER 1
| BIO | 169 | Anatomy & Physiology II | 4 |
| ENG | 111 | Writing & Inquiry | 3 |
| RCP | 111 | Therapeutics/Diagnostics | 5 |
| RCP | 115 | C-P Pathophysiology | 2 |
| RCP | 123 | Special Practice Lab | 1 |
| RCP | 144 | RCP Clinical Practice II | 4 |
| Totals | 19 |
SUMMER SEMESTER
| PSY | 150 | General Psychology | 3 |
| RCP | 112 | Patient Management | 4 |
| RCP | 152 | RCP Clinical Practice III | 2 |
| Totals | 9 |
FALL SEMESTER 2
| ENG | 114 | Professional Research & Reporting | 3 |
| RCP | 210 | Critical Care Concepts | 4 |
| RCP | 213 | Neonatal Pediatric RC | 2 |
| RCP | 222 | Special Practice Lab | 1 |
| RCP | 235 | RCP Clinical Practice IV | 5 |
| Choose one of the following: | |||
| MAT | 110 | Mathematical Measurement & Literacy | 3 |
| MAT | 143 | Quantitative Literacy | 3 |
| Totals | 18 | ||
SPRING SEMESTER 2
| COM | 140 | Intro to Intercultural Communication | 3 |
| RCP | 211 | Adv Monitoring/Procedures | 4 |
| RCP | 215 | Career Prep-Advanced Level | 1 |
| RCP | 245 | RCP Clinical Practice V | 5 |
| Totals | 13 |
