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Respiratory Therapy

What is Respiratory Therapy?

Of all the complex systems of the human body, few are as important as the respiratory system. From monitoring infants in the neonatal intensive care unit to assessing the health of the elderly, Respiratory Care Practitioners (RCP's) play a crucial role in the well-being of their patients. As an RCP, you are a very important part of the medical community.

OTC offers a two-year associate of applied science degree program fully accredited by both the Committee on Accreditation for Respiratory Care Education (COARC)* as well as the Commission of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP)*.

General Program Description

This A.A.S. Program provides the best of both worlds; interesting, informative coursework and exciting on-site practicums. The classwork includes general education courses, as well as in-depth, program-specific courses. The combination of both types of courses makes you the well-rounded, knowledgeable RCP employers want. The classwork forms a strong base for the on-site practicums, where you get the real life experience you need to be a skilled and confident RCP.

Students successfully completing the program become eligible to sit for the exams leading to a Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) credential. Over the last six years, our pass rate averages 100% on the entry-level exam, the first of three exams leading to the RRT credential.

Facilities

The School of Respiratory Care is located on the third floor of Lincoln Hall. Our state-of-the-art classroom is equipped for Internet and Powerpoint presentations using the electronic whiteboard, TeamBoard, while our 1,240 square foot laboratory houses some of the most up-to-date respiratory equipment found anywhere. We are especially proud of our latest equipment acquisitions including the Laerdal SimMan, Drager XL ventilator, Sensormedics 3100a High Frequency Oscillator, Viasys Avea ventilator, Instrumentation Laboratories GEM Premier 3000 Blood Gas Analyzer, and Maquet Servo i ventilator.

Specific Program Information

Detailed Program Description (pdf)

Admission Requirements

The Respiratory Therapy Program at OTC is a selective admission program, which admits a new 20-student class each summer. Deadline for the summer class is February 1st.

Faculty

Future Employment Opportunities

Your skills as a RCP will be greatly valued in numerous work settings like: Adult Critical Care, Neonatal Intensive Care, Pediatrics, Pulmonary Function Testing, Pulmonary Rehabilitation, Home Health Care, Medical Equipment Sales, and Skilled Nursing Facilities.

In some medical fields, you work with only a narrow scope of patients; however, Respiratory Therapy allows you to work with patients of all types, from children to the elderly. Ozarks Technical Community College is a great place to start this exciting new career. Currently, 100% of OTC Respiratory Therapy graduates go on to work in the field. Locally, graduates can expect to start at approximately $36,000-$38,000 per year as a Respiratory Care Practitioner. Come explore your options at OTC!

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