State Control Number: 04957
Program Code: RETH.AS
Program Length: 24 months
Approved for Federal Financial Aid: Yes
To be admitted to the Respiratory Therapy Program, a separate application must be submitted in addition to an application to the college. The annual deadline date for submitting applications to be considered for respiratory therapy is May 15. Applications can be obtained through the VVC Respiratory Therapy website.
Prerequisites - All must be completed with a grade of “C” or higher before entry into the program
- CHEM 100 Introductory Chemistry or CHEM 201 General Chemistry
- BIOL 100 General Biology, BIOL 107 Introduction to Human Biology, or BIOL 201 Biology of Cells
- Intermediate Algebra, MATH 105 College Algebra, or MATH 103 College Algebra for Allied Health
The Respiratory Therapy Faculty accepts and operates within the framework of the philosophy and objectives of Victor Valley College.
The Associate Degree in Respiratory Therapy provides a foundation for continuing personal, professional and educational development, and includes the study of the arts, sciences and humanities. The program is designed to produce a competent, self-directed respiratory therapist who, in a variety of settings, can assume leadership in planning, providing, and evaluating respiratory care of individuals and groups; who participates in the determination of the goals of the profession; and who actively searches for knowledge in respiratory therapy and related fields essential to the development and application of scientific respiratory care.
The respiratory therapy graduate receives the Associate of Science Degree and is eligible to take the National Registry Exam for Respiratory Therapists and apply for licensure in the State of California.
To earn this degree, complete the major coursework with “C” grades or better and all of the following graduation requirements:
- 60 minimum degree-applicable units (including a maximum 4 units of activity) and 12 degree-applicable units through VVC;
- the VVC General Education pattern;
- Information Competency; Global Citizenship; Kinesiology; and
- 2.0 minimum overall degree-applicable GPA.
Courses may be double-counted in the major and in a general education category. Courses counted in one AA/AS major may not be used in another AA/AS major.
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| Complete all the following courses with a "C" or better. | ||
| BIOL 211 | Human Anatomy | 5.0 |
| BIOL 221 | General Microbiology | 5.0 |
| BIOL 231 | Human Physiology | 5.0 |
| ENGL 101.0/101H | English Composition and Reading | 4.0 |
| PSYC 101 | Introductory Psychology | 3.0 |
| RSPT 50 | Polysomnography I | 4.0 |
| RSPT 221 | Basic Cardiopulmonary Clinical Practicum | 3.0 |
| RSPT 222 | Advance Cardiopulmonary Clinical Practicum and Case Studies | 3.0 |
| RSPT 230 | Introduction to Respiratory Therapy | 3.0 |
| RSPT 231 | Basic Fundamentals of Respiratory Therapy | 10.0 |
| RSPT 232 | Patient Assessment & Clinical Application of Respiratory Therapy | 10.0 |
| RSPT 233 | Intensive Respiratory Therapy Care | 13.0 |
| RSPT 234 | Neonatal/Pediatric Respiratory Therapy Care and Related Pathophysiology | 13.0 |
| RSPT 239 | Introduction to Mechanical Ventilation Support | 2.0 |
| RSPT 243 | Clinical Simulation | 1.0 |
| Complete one course from the following: | 3.0 | |
| Interpersonal Communication | ||
| Family Communication | ||
| Group Discussion | ||
| Public Speaking | ||
| Complete one course which fulfills the VVC General Education Category III Humanities area | 3.0 | |
| Complete one course which fulfills the VVC General Education Category IIB American Institutions area | 3.0 | |
| Complete one course which fulfills the VVC General Education Category V Mathematics area | 3.0 | |
| Complete one course which fulfills the Kinesiology competency | 1.0 | |
| Total Units | 97 | |
Suggested Plan of Study
Career, salary, and labor market data information.
The Respiratory Therapy, AS degree requires admission into the program prior to enrolling in the respiratory therapy courses listed below. Through the admission process, some VVC General Education is already fulfilled. For students who have not fulfilled all VVC General Education and respiratory therapy course prerequisites, additional coursework will need to be added to the suggested plan below. Cohorts begin once a year, in summer.
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Summer | Units | |
| RSPT 230 | Introduction to Respiratory Therapy | 3.0 |
| Units | 3 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| RSPT 231 | Basic Fundamentals of Respiratory Therapy | 10.0 |
| Units | 10 | |
| Winter | ||
| RSPT 221 | Basic Cardiopulmonary Clinical Practicum | 3.0 |
| Units | 3 | |
| Spring | ||
| RSPT 232 | Patient Assessment & Clinical Application of Respiratory Therapy | 10.0 |
| Units | 10 | |
| Summer | ||
| RSPT 50 | Polysomnography I | 4.0 |
| RSPT 239 | Introduction to Mechanical Ventilation Support | 2.0 |
| Units | 6 | |
| Third Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| RSPT 233 | Intensive Respiratory Therapy Care 1 | 13.0 |
| Units | 13 | |
| Winter | ||
| RSPT 222 | Advance Cardiopulmonary Clinical Practicum and Case Studies | 3.0 |
| Units | 3 | |
| Spring | ||
| RSPT 234 | Neonatal/Pediatric Respiratory Therapy Care and Related Pathophysiology 2 | 13.0 |
| RSPT 243 | Clinical Simulation | 1.0 |
| Units | 14 | |
| Total Units | 62 | |