Respiratory Therapy

Graduates of the Respiratory Therapy Program at South Texas College earn an Associate of Applied Science degree. The program is five semesters in length and combines classroom, laboratory and clinical education experiences. The program will prepare the student's knowledge, skills, and ethical attitude that will culminate in successful employment of the graduate as a licensed respiratory therapist. The student will complete and pass exit exams for graduation in preparation to take their national boards.

Note: This is a selective admission program based on a competitive point system.

  • Delivery: Full time day classes and clinical rotations
  • Start: Fall Semester (application in Spring of the semester)
  • Location: Nursing and Allied Health Campus and hospital clinical sites

Program Information Sessions

Students interested in the Respiratory Therapy Program are required to attend an information session. We will discuss program requirements, application process, and point system evaluation.

Day/Time:  Wednesdays at 3 p. m.
Location:  STC Nursing & Allied Health Campus - McAllen

To receive an invite to one of the information sessions, please email:
Maria Ponce-Vargas, Guided Pathways Specialist at
marip@southtexascollege.edu.

Please provide the following information in the email:

  • Name
  • Student ID #
  • Preferred Email
  • Phone #

For additional information contact:
Respiratory Therapy Department
Maria Ponce-Vargas, Guided Pathways Specialist
Email: marip@southtexascollege.edu

Program Goals and Objectives

South Texas College has adopted the following Program goals and objectives for its twenty-four-month program leading to an Associate in Applied Science degree in Respiratory Therapy:

Basic Competency Goal: To compare 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).

Objective #1: Cognitive Domain Upon completion of the program, students will demonstrate the ability to comprehend, apply, and evaluate clinical information relevant to their role as advanced-level respiratory therapists. 

Objective #2: Affective Domain Upon completion of the program, graduates will demonstrate professional behavior consistent with employer expectations as advanced-level respiratory therapists. 

Objective #3: Psychomotor Domain Upon completion of the program, students will demonstrate technical proficiency in all the skills necessary to fulfill their roles as advanced-level respiratory therapists.

Program Accreditation

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

Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC)
https://www.coarc.com
CoARC ID# 200527

Programmatic Outcomes Data
https://coarc.com/students/programmatic-outcomes-data/  
Graduates/Students Outcomes for all Respiratory Programs 


Program Application/Admission Requirements

All applicants must:

  1. Participate in the required Prospective Student Information Session. The Respiratory Therapy Program Information Sessions will be held via Zoom until further notice. If interested please email Mari Ponce-Vargas at  marip@southtexascollege.edu to receive a meeting invite. Information sessions will be held on Wednesdays from 3:00 pm to 4:00 pm.
  2. Be admitted to the college as a high school graduate or GED equivalent.
  3. Meet TSI College Readiness Standards, or meet TSI exemption standards.
  4. Complete all prerequisite courses with a minimum of "B" as listed in the Degree plan.
  5. Earn a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0, on a 4.0 scale.
  6. Science coursework listed in the degree plan must be within the past 5 years of nursing clinical courses. For more information contact the Faculty Secretary at 956-872-3216.
  7. Pass a criminal background check, 10-panel drug screen through approved providers, and complete all required immunizations including Hepatitis B series.
  8. Meet Technical Standards as stated by the Program
  9. Submit a completed Program application by stated deadline. For more information contact Respiratory Therapy Program at 872-3216 or access the information online at http://nah.southtexascollege.edu

Program Application

Respiratory Therapy Application

The application deadline is July 8, 2024.

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