A Degree that Makes a Difference
Respiratory Care majors learn to evaluate and treat people who have heart, circulation, and lung disorders and injuries. Our two-year program prepares you to become a Registered Respiratory Therapist and start working immediately.
Degree PlansRespiratory Care
As a Registered Respiratory Therapist, you are a critical member of the healthcare team licensed by the Texas Medical Board to perform advanced life-saving procedures. You can expect outstanding compensation and benefits while advancing professionally.
Our Respiratory Care program is a two-year curriculum that includes one semester of prerequisite courses and four semesters of lecture, laboratory, and clinical classes that prepare the student for a career as a respiratory therapist.
Certification
The graduate of the program will receive an associate of applied science degree and will be eligible to apply for the Therapist-Multiple Choice (TMC) examination administered by the national board for respiratory care (NBRC). The graduate who achieves the low cut score will attain the CRT credential. The graduate who passes the TMC at the high cut score will then be eligible to sit for the NBRC Clinical Simulation Exam. If successful, the credential of Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) will be attained.
The graduate is eligible for additional specialty examinations and credentials which include the Neonatal /Pediatric Specialty Examination (NPS), the Certified Pulmonary Function Technologist (CPFT) Examination, the Registered Pulmonary Function Technologist (RPFT) Examination, Adult Critical Care Specialty (ACCS) and the Sleep Disorders Specialty (SDS) Examination.
Degree Plans
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Respiratory Care (AAS)
Respiratory therapists play an important role in helping patients with breathing difficulties and cardiopulmonary disorders get the best care possible.
How to Apply
TJC is an open admissions college; however, enrollment in this program is limited. All prerequisite courses should be completed before selection for enrollment into the Respiratory Care program can be made. Please fill out the selective admissions application to apply for this program.

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Accreditation Statement
The Respiratory Care program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC #200171).
Enrolled students completing the program are considered graduates of a CoARC accredited program. Visit www.coarc.com; or call 817-283-2835. The program’s outcome data is located at CoARC’s outcomes webpage.
CoARC accredits respiratory therapy education programs in the United States. To achieve this end, it utilizes an ‘outcomes based’ process. Programmatic outcomes are performance indicators that reflect the extent to which the educational goals of the program are achieved and by which program effectiveness is documented.
For students in this program who may have a criminal background, please be advised that the background could keep you from being licensed by the State of Texas. If you have a question about your background and licensure, please speak with your faculty member or the department chair. You also have the right to request a criminal history evaluation letter from the applicable licensing agency.