Respiratory Therapy Associate in Science Degree This program provides students with a strong academic foundation and the clinical proficiency to utilize modern respiratory devices (under the direction of a physician) in the treatment of respiratory and cardiac ailments. In the fall 1996 semester, East Los Angeles College and Santa Monica College merged their respective Respiratory Therapy programs. This partnership provides increased access to medical and related clinical resources for students. Under the merged program, all prerequisite science courses and the First Year Respiratory Therapy theory courses (with the exception of Respiratory Therapy 2, which must be taken at ELAC) can be taken at either campus. All second year Respiratory Therapy courses are taken on the ELAC campus. Upon completion of the second year, students must then petition their originating campus for their Associate Degree. For entry into the Program, students must submit an Application for Admission and meet the prerequisite requirements described below. The Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC) nationally accredits respiratory care programs. The Respiratory Care Board of California, under the California Department of Consumer Affairs, licenses respiratory care practitioners. Program Prerequisites: Satisfactory completion of each of the following college courses before entering the program (all required course must be completed with a grade of C (2.0 or better); with a GPA of 2.5 overall in the Anatomy, Physiology and Chemistry classes. The following courses are required to apply for admission to the Program: 1. Human Anatomy (Anatomy 1) 4 semester units {or Biology 20 (a combined course of Anatomy/Physiology, worth 8 semester units)} 2. Human Physiology (Physiology 1) 4 semester units {or Biology 20 (a combined course of Anatomy/Physiology, worth 8 semester units)} 3. Introductory General Chemistry (Chemistry 51 or 65) 4 5 semester units 4. Communication Studies 101 3 semester units 5. Intermediate Algebra (Math 125) 5 semester units 6. Respiratory Therapy 2* (Fundamentals of Respiratory Therapy) 4 semester units 7. Respiratory Therapy 21** (Physics for Respiratory Care 3 semester units (or Physics 11) 8. English 101 (Freshman Composition) 3 semester units 9. Microbiology 20 (General Microbiology) 5 semester units GENERAL EDUCATION ACADEMIC ADVISEMENT: Students must meet with a regular ELAC academic advisor to review their preparation for meeting ELAC s Associate Degree General Education requirements. Students CANNOT enter the Program without having completed the degree requirements; however, respiratory therapy students are exempt from taking the Health requirement.
TRANSFER STUDENTS: If any or all of the prerequisite courses or their equivalents have been taken elsewhere, transcripts should be sent to both the ELAC office of Admissions and the Respiratory Therapy Program office located within the Life Sciences department. Students should initiate a General Petition in the Admissions Office requesting that credit be granted for those courses which the student feels they are eligible. Supporting documentation should be attached to the General petition to support the student s request. APPLICATION SUBMISSION: Students must submit a complete application, including official transcripts, verifying completion of the required prerequisite coursework. The application submission period will be posted on the Program web site of both campuses. Each fall semester, first year students will be admitted to begin the two year sequence of coursework. In order for an application to be considered, a complete packet must be received in the Respiratory Therapy office. Note. Do not submit applications or transcripts to the admission office. INCOMPLETE APPLICATIONS WILL NOT BE REVIEWED. Beginning in the fall 2014 semester, all eligible applicants will be selected by lottery and their names will be places in the semester according to their lottery number. The Respiratory Therapy Department will inform applicants of the results by email approximately eight (8) weeks after the application deadline. PROGRAM APPLICABLE COURSES TO BE COMPLETED BEFORE ADMISSION TO THE PROGRAM RESP TH 1 RESP TH 2* Introduction to Respiratory Therapy.....2 Fundamentals of Respiratory Therapy 4 FIRST YEAR (THEORY) FALL SESSION RESP TH 21** RESP TH 6* Physics for Respiratory Care..3 Respiratory Physiology..4 SPRING SESSION RESP TH 7* RESP TH 23* RESP TH 30* Applied Medicine and Pathology 3 Advanced Respiratory Pathophysiology.1 Adult Critical Care Monitoring and Diagnosis 3
SECOND YEAR (CLINICAL) COURSES: Respiratory clinical classes are scheduled in selected healthcare facilities during the day and/or evening shifts, Monday Friday. SUMMER SESSION RESP TH 15* Introduction to Clinical Experience..4 FALL SESSION RESP TH 3* RESP TH 4* RESP TH 27* Applications of Respiratory Therapy and Clinical Experience I.5 Applications of Respiratory Therapy and Clinical Experience II 5 Physician Respiratory Care Clinical Rounds I.1 WINTER SESSION RESP TH 29* RESP TH 31 National and Pediatric Respiratory Therapy..4 Neonatal Resuscitation Program I.1 SPRING SESSION RESP TH 5* RESP TH 11* RESP TH 28 Application of Respiratory Therapy and Clinical Experience III 5 Application of Respiratory Therapy and Clinical Experience IV 5 Physician Respiratory Care Clinical Rounds II..1 GENERAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS PLAN B 10 *This course has a prerequisite. **A general (non lab) Physics course may be substituted for this course. Total..61
RESPIRATORY THERAPY ADVISEMENT: Once a student is formally admitted to the program, they will be assigned a RT advisor. This advisor will work with the student to establish their written RT Education Plan. This plan, once established, must be followed by the student; any changes made without the prior written approval of the student s RT Faculty advisor, will result in the student being placed on program probation and at risk for program dismissal. Additionally, any student who modifies their education plan by withdrawing from a RT class while earning a grade less than a C and without formal RT advisor approval, will not be permitted to progress any further in the program until such class has been successfully remediated. The following are additional criteria for entry into the Clinical Year of the program: BACKGROUND CHECK: Background checks must be done and successfully completed by all students accepted into the clinical phase of the program. If the background check or 10 panel drug screen is unsuccessful, the student will not be admitted to the clinical phase. A 10 panel Drug screen will also be required for entry into clinical training. HEALTH: The student must be free from any condition that would present a health threat to the wellbeing of the consumer (Title 22. College Regulation, Division 5, Section (a). A complete physical examination, including laboratory test with select immunizations, will be required upon entry into clinical classes. MALPRACTICE INSURANCE: Malpractice insurance is required for the clinical year of the Respiratory Therapy program and must be purchased PRIOR to the start of the fall semester of the clinical year. Special Notes: Applied to all Curricula 1. Respiratory Therapy courses are scheduled sequentially in each semester and must be completed before progressing to the next semester. 2. Students transferring from another respiratory therapy program will be evaluated by the Department for respiratory course transfer credit. A general petition form must be completed and submitted to the Admissions office with syllabi and college catalog course descriptions of the courses. In addition, all transfers must submit a letter from their former respiratory therapy program director stating they are clinically safe. 3. Course Recency Requirement: Students must have received a grade of C or better in Physiology 1 and Microbiology 20 or their equivalent within seven (7) years prior to their admission to the Respiratory Therapy Program. 4. Supplies, Health and Miscellaneous Requirements: All accepted students must expect to complete a criminal background check before entry will be permitted into a clinical rotation. This should be processed during the month of July or August of the upcoming clinical year. Students are also required to purchase an equipment lab kit, lab coats (optional), scrubs and other materials for their classroom and clinical training. 5. SCHOLASTIC REQUIREMENT: Satisfactory completion is required in all General Education and Respiratory Therapy courses. 6. Students who have a break in enrollment from a core respiratory course will be subject to the new prerequisites, corequisites, and policies in effect when they return. 7. Beginning January 1, 2015, in order to satisfy the initial California Respiratory Care Board (RCB) licensure requirements, all graduates most successfully complete both parts of the National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC) Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) Examination.
NON TRADITIONAL RESPIRATORY THERAPY ASSOCIATE IN SCIENCE DEGREE This program is designed for the experienced licensed therapist, who may not be registry eligible or have a transfer credit in Respirator Therapy. Graduates of this program are eligible to sit for the advanced Practitioner Examination (RRT). Neonatal Pediatric Respiratory Care Specialty Examination (NPS), the Adult Critical Care Examination (ACCS) and the Certified and Registered Pulmonary Function Technologist (CPFT and RPFT) examinations administered by the National Board for Respiratory Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC). PROGRAM PREREQUISITES The student must satisfy the following requirements: 1. Be a certified Respiratory Therapist having earned a minimum of an associate degree from an entry level respiratory therapist educational program supported by the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC), or its predecessor the Joint Review Committee for Respiratory Therapy Education (JRCRTE), or accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Program (CAAHEP). 2. Satisfy all of the same college level prerequisites described for an applicant to the regular respiratory therapist program. In addition, they must also complete the same Microbiology 20 and Physiology 1 courses. 3. Satisfy the current General Education course requirements for an Associate Degree from East Los Angeles College; including General Education areas B1, C, D1, and E2. Students are exempt from taking the Health requirement. 4. Completion of an application for the Respiratory Therapy program, including official transcripts and course descriptions for those courses the student wishes to transfer to ELAC. Applications can be obtained from the Respiratory Therapy program office (323) 265 8813.
REQUIRED RESPIRATORY THERAPY COURSEWORK: This is evaluated on a course by course basis, depending upon the students previous documented Respiratory Therapy courses. Described below is the typical work required for tis special program RESP TH 6* RESP TH 7* RESP TH 21 RESP TH 23 RESP TH 27* RESP TH 28* RESP TH 29 RESP TH 30 Respiratory Physiology.4 Applied Medicine and Pathology..3 Physics for Respiratory Care.3 Advanced Respiratory Pathophysiology.1 Physician Respiratory Care Clinical Rounds I.1 Physician Respiratory Care Clinical Rounds II 1 National and Pediatric Respiratory Therapy..4 Adult Critical Care Monitoring and Diagnosis 3 GENERAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS PLAN B 13 PREVIOUSLY EARNED COLLEGE UNITS** 22 24 Total.60 *This course has a prerequisite **Coursework must have been completed at a United States regionally accredited institution. **Coursework must have been completed at a United States regionally accredited institution in the United States. In addition to above classroom work, the advanced standing student is required to enroll in Independent Study courses to permit the assignment of clinical practice. The clinical practice requirement will vary according to the student s documented past clinical experience. The minimum requirements will be for the student to perform critical clinical evaluation process in critical care required of the students pursuing the regular program track. The advanced standing student will also be required to do a Neonatal ICU clinical rotation. Additionally, students must supply written proof from the Medical Director of their current employer that they are safe for clinical practice. Program admission is subject to space availability in the program s clinical affiliates. TRANSFER STUDENTS: If any or all of the prerequisite courses or their equivalent have been taken elsewhere, transcripts should be sent to both the ELAC Admissions Office and the Respiratory Therapy Program office located with the Life Sciences Department. Students should initiate a General Petition in the Admissions Office requesting that credit be granted for those courses. Supporting documentation should be attached to the General Petition to support the student s request. Course Recency Requirements: Successful completion of Microbiology 20 and Physiology 1 (or their equivalent within the seven (7) years prior to admission to the Non Traditional RT Program.