Santa Monica College Respiratory Care Program

Santa Monica College’s Respiratory Care Program is a two-year, Associate of Sciences Degree program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC). Through transforming competency-based medical education curriculum, the program prepares the respiratory care practitioner of the future to possess great medical knowledge, apply it, and be clinically competent to provide high quality care in challenging settings likely to be encountered upon entry into practice. The SMC Respiratory Care Associate Degree program incorporates the latest respiratory equipment, high-fidelity simulators, skills laboratory, and clinical experience at top-rated clinical sites in the Greater Los Angeles area. The program prepares students for National Board for Respiratory Care’s (NBRC) board exams and earn the Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) credential, required for licensure in California. To earn the RRT credential, graduates must pass the Therapist Multiple Choice Exam (TMC) at the high threshold and the Clinical Simulation Exam (CSE).

The proposed enrollment will be 30 students per cohort. There will be two cohorts at any given time, one cohort of first-year students and one cohort of 30 second-year students. Each cohort will complete approximately 12 units per semester, or 24 units combined per semester. The yearly graduation rate will approximately 30 students per year.

The one and only goal of the Santa Monica College Respiratory Care Program is "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).” CoARC Entry into Practice, Standard 3.01. SMC RC Program Learning Outcomes Program Learning Outcomes: Upon completion of the program graduates will demonstrate applied knowledge about biomedical and clinical sciences associated with the role of a new-graduate respiratory care practitioner, function as members of interdisciplinary team, exhibit interpersonal and communication skills required to interact with diverse set of healthcare professionals, patients, and their families. The graduate will apply critical thinking, reflection, and problem-solving skills, and exhibit ethical behavior consistent with the role of a professional respiratory care practitioner.

To enter practice, Respiratory Therapists need at a minimum an associate's degree. The SMC program admission prerequisites requirements provide foundational scientific principles and communication skills to prepare the student for success in the program, board exams, and employment aspirations. The program courses are aligned to the NBRC TMC and CSE content outline matrices as well as the ARRC competencies. The courses consist of didactic instruction, laboratory skill-attainment instruction and hands-on clinical experience at various local hospitals. The time commitment will vary according to the competencies required for the given semester. The program has a strong commitment to student success and will provide support, instruction, and skills assistance necessary to succeed.

Course	Title	Units	Year/Semester (Y1 or S1)
RC 1	Fundamentals of Respiratory Care	2	Y1
RC 1L	Applied Fundamentals of Respiratory Care	2	Y1
RC 2	Integrated Respiratory Physiology and Pathophysiology I	2	Y1
RC 2L	Applied Integrated Respiratory Physiology and Pathophysiology I	2	Y1
RC 3	Respiratory Care Therapeutics	3	Y1
RC 3L	Applied Respiratory Care Therapeutics	3	Y1
RC 4	Physician interaction I	1	Y1
RC 5	Integrated Respiratory Physiology and Pathophysiology II	2	Y1
RC 5L	AppliedIntegrated Respiratory Physiology and Pathophysiology II	2	Y1
RC 6	Airway Management	2	Y1
RC 6L	Applied Airway Management	3	Y1
RC 7	Introduction to Mechanical Ventilation	2	Y1
RC 7L	Applied Introduction to Mechanical Ventilation	4	Y1
RC 8	Physician Interaction II	1	Y1
RC 9	Intermediate Mechanical Ventilation	2	Y2
RC 9L	Applied Intermediate Mechanical Ventilation	3	Y2
RC 10	Advanced life support and ICU monitoring	2	Y2
RC 10L	Applied Advanced life support and ICU monitoring	3	Y2
RC 11	Advanced Mechanical Ventilation	2	Y2
RC 11L	Applied Advanced Mechanical Ventilation	2.5	Y2
RC 12	Physician Interaction III	1	Y2
RC 13	Neonatal and Pediatric Respiratory Care	2	Y2
RC 13L	Applied Neonatal and Pediatric Respiratory Care	2	Y2
RC 14	Outpatient Respiratory Care	1	Y2
RC 14 L	Applied Outpatient Respiratory Care	2	Y2
RC 15	Respiratory Disease Management	2	Y2
RC 15L	Applied Respiratory Disease Management	2	Y2
RC 16	Transition to Independent Practice	2	Y2
RC 17	Physician Interaction IV	1	Y2
RC 18	Respiratory Care Computer Simulations	1	Y2

The SMC Respiratory Care Program is an allied health program within the career technological education umbrella. The only other similar program at SMC is the Nursing program. Both programs require didactic, skills lab and clinical experience to train competent graduates.

The SMC RC program is an associate degree without any stackable certificates. The program prepares graduates for National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC) Therapist Multiple Choice (TMC) Exam and Clinical Simulation Exam (CSE). Graduates that pass both the TMC and CSE earn the Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) credential. Respiratory Care Practitioner licensure in California requires the RRT credential and an ASRC degree. The program will replace the current SMC Respiratory Therapy Program that is in consortium with East Los Angeles College Respiratory Therapy Program. Per accreditation agency requirements, in order for SMC to attain standalone accreditation for the Respiratory Care Program, the consortia must be dissolved. Similar Respiratory Care/Therapy Programs in our local area are Los Angeles valley College, East Los Angeles College, Mount San Antonio, and El Camino College. All these programs offer associate degree programs. Estimated cost of the program Tuition ($46/unit) $3772 Books $500 State Exam Prep. (optional) $250 License & Board Appl. Fee $650 CPR card $50 CSRC Student Membership $20 Scrubs (2 sets) $60 Stethoscope $50 Physical $100 Malpractice insurance $25 Background check $80 TOTAL $5000-6000

The proposed enrollment will be 30 students per cohort. There will be two cohorts at any given time, one cohort of first-year students and one cohort of 30 second-year students. Each cohort will complete approximately 12 units per semester, or 24 units combined per semester. The yearly graduation rate will approximately 30 students per year.