Program Overview

Respiratory Care is a two-year program that prepares students to administer care and life support to patients with breathing disorders and cardiopulmonary abnormalities. Respiratory Care Practitioners participate in three phases of patient care: diagnosis, treatment, and patient management.

Skyline College's Respiratory Care Program is accredited by:

Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Therapy (CoARC)
264 Precision Blvd
Telford, TN 37690
Telephone: (817) 283-2835
Fax: (817) 354-8519
Fax to Email: (817) 510-1063

Licensure/Certification Eligibility Requirements:

California state licensure requires completion of a CoARC accredited Respiratory Care program, a minimum of an associate degree from a regionally accredited agency, a Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) credential, and a board approved law and ethics course. Visit the Respiratory Care Board of California website for more information http://www.rcb.ca.gov/.

ADMISSION PROCEDURES AND REQUIREMENTS
Students are admitted into the program once a year in the Fall semester. Special Respiratory Care application forms are available on the Respiratory Care College website. Applicants who have previously applied, and wish to reapply, must resubmit applications. Approximately 25 students are admitted to the program each year. Selection is based on criteria approved by the Skyline College Administration and consistent with state regulations. For further information on the Respiratory Care Program, please call (650) 738-4457.

Prior to starting classes, students admitted to the program are required to complete a satisfactory physical examination, immunization documentation verifying freedom of communicable disease, a social security referenced background check, and a drug test.

Full-time registration is required, and all courses must be taken in sequence. Credit may be given for previous comparable coursework. A minimum grade of C is required in all coursework. To determine specific General Education requirements, contact the Counseling Department.

Admission to the Respiratory Care Program requires the following minimum entrance requirements:

  1. High school graduation or equivalent.
  2. Completed with a grade of C or better:
    • A college level Intermediate Algebra course, or higher.
    • A college level English Composition course (equivalent to ENGL 100 or ENGL 105).
    • Medical Terminology equivalent to HSCI 484.
    • Chemistry equivalent to CHEM 192 or 410.
    • Human Anatomy equivalent to BIOL 250.
    • Human Physiology BIOL 260

NOTE: Students admitted into the program must complete Microbiology equivalent to BIOL 240 by the end of the first Fall semester. Students are strongly encouraged to complete this course prior to admission into the program.

Program Requirements

Required Courses Units
RPTH 410 Introduction to Patient Care & Respiratory Assessment Techniques 3 units
RPTH 415 Respiratory Pharmacology 2 units
RPTH 420 Application of Cardiopulmonary Anatomy & Physiology 3 units
RPTH 430 Introduction to Respiratory Therapeutics 6 units
RPTH 438 Clinical Clerkship I 1 unit
RPTH 445 Respiratory Diseases I 2 units
RPTH 448 Clinical Clerkship II 2.5 units
RPTH 450 Respiratory Diseases II 3 units
RPTH 458 Clinical Clerkship III 6 units
RPTH 460 Respiratory Critical Care 3 units
RPTH 475 Hemodynamic Monitoring and Selected Topics in Respiratory Care 2 units
RPTH 480 Diagnostic Testing and Outpatient Respiratory Care 2 units
RPTH 485 Clinical Medicine Seminar and Professional Development 2 units
RPTH 488 Clinical Clerkship IV 7.5 units
RPTH 490 Neonatal and Pediatric Respiratory Care 2.5 units
RPTH 495 Respiratory Care Board Examination Preparation and Review 2 units
Total Required Major Units: 49.5

Plus Chemistry, Human Anatomy, Human Physiology, Microbiology and required General Education coursework and electives as needed to meet the minimum 60 units required for the Associate degree.

Please refer to the AA/AS Degree Requirements for more information.