Respiratory Care, A.S.

Program Code: 2125/2126

The two-year Associate in Science degree in Respiratory Care prepares students for a career as a respiratory care professional. Upon successful completion of the 20 month curriculum, the student will be eligible to apply to take the national certification exams for Certified Respiratory Therapist (CRT) and Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT), both administered by the National Board of Respiratory Care.

For additional information, visit our website at SJRstate.edu/alliedhealth or call (904) 808-7465.

Program Mission Statement

The mission of the Respiratory Care program at St. Johns River State College is to provide an educational experience which will allow individuals the opportunity to obtain the knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary to function at the entry levels of Respiratory Care.

Program Goal

To prepare graduates with demonstrated competence in the cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills), and affective (behavior) learning domains of respiratory care practice as performed by Registered Respiratory Therapists (RRTs).

The purpose of the program is to provide students with the knowledge, attitude, and skills required to help meet the growing demands for respiratory therapists in the health care industry. Students will be trained in the skills needed to work in areas such as pediatric care, nursing homes and hospitals. Asthma, bronchitis, emphysema, lung cancer and pneumonia are some of the conditions that require the care of a respiratory therapist.

The program consists of 76 semester hours of general education and Respiratory Care core courses.

Note that students who are only taking prerequisites for admission into the program and who are not pursuing other degree programs are not considered regular, admitted students and are therefore not eligible for either federal or state forms of financial aid.

Applicants may apply:

August 1 - October 15 for spring enrollment

The Respiratory Care core courses will be offered on the St. Augustine campus with selected clinical experiences in health care facilities within and around the tri-county service area of SJR State. A student must earn a grade of “C” or above in all courses required in the program.

Admission Requirements

The Respiratory Care program is a limited access program.

To apply for admission to the Respiratory Care program, a student must have completed all of the following:

1. Application process to SJR State;
2. Application to respiratory care program by the advertised deadline;
3. Achieved satisfactory scores on college placement tests or have completed all college preparatory courses;
4. Schedule and attend an interview with the Respiratory Care faculty;
5. Complete the following general education and Respiratory Care related courses prior to the program application deadline:

Student Selection

Student selection is objective and based on the following point system (MAXIMUM POSSIBLE POINTS 160):

1. 108 POSSIBLE POINTS AWARDED - Points tabulated from the prerequisite and other general education courses identified in the degree requirements will contribute to the total points assigned to this category. A total of 27 semester hours of credit are available for point consideration. The method of point calculation for this category is based on the following formula:
   (Letter grade value X credits = points assigned) Calculation example: student achieves a letter grade (B) in ENC 1101 
   X (3 credits) = 9 points A=4 points B=3 points C=2 points
2. 15 POINTS AWARDED - Residence in Clay, Putnam, or St. Johns counties, Florida
3. 15 POSSIBLE POINTS AWARDED - 5 points will be awarded if applicant has an A.A./A.S. degree; 10 points will be awarded if applicant has a BA/BS degree; 15 points will be awarded if applicant has a MA/MS degree.
4. 16 POSSIBLE POINTS AWARDED - 2 points will be awarded for each prerequisite course (Maximum 10 points) and other required general education courses (Maximum 6 points) taken at St. Johns River State College. Note: lab courses are not included in this point total.
5. 6 POSSIBLE POINTS AWARDED - Completion of HSC 1004  with a grade of “C” or better. Points will be awarded according to the following scale: A=6, B=4, C=2

Post Admission Requirements:

Following acceptance into the Respiratory Care program students must complete/attend the following. Failure to comply with these requirements may result in administrative withdrawal from the respiratory care program.

1. All students are asked to sign a consent and waiver form for SJR State to perform a criminal background check and drug screen. Failure to provide this consent will render the applicant ineligible for admission to the program. Admission to the program is conditional upon the results of the criminal background check and drug screen. Additional random and scheduled drug screening may be required at any time during the program.
2. Have a physical examination verifying acceptable health status and completing all of the requirements for the respiratory care program. The medical requirements for the physical exam are documented on the form provided to each student after admission to the respiratory care program.
3. Attend respiratory care orientation on the specified date.
4. Schedule and attend an interview with program faculty and/or director.