Respiratory Care Technology Intake Process

The CoARC accredited (Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care) Respiratory Care Technology program is a challenging and rewarding program that prepares students to become clinically competent, board eligible Respiratory Therapy Practitioners.  The program curriculum includes a combination of classroom, laboratory, and supervised clinical education experiences.  Graduates of the program are proficient in the management of cardiopulmonary diseases, noninvasive and invasive mechanical ventilation, acquisition and interpretation of laboratory results, and diagnostic testing as they relate to respiratory care.

Students learn how to initiate, manage, and discontinue equipment used in the care and treatment of diseases affecting the lungs, communicate with patients and other healthcare professionals, properly and safely administer medications, select appropriate therapies and modalities, and obtain and interpret diagnostic laboratory results. Additionally, students will learn the ethical and legal aspects of the respiratory care field and the professional standards required for a successful career. Throughout the duration of the program, students will complete all educational and clinical requirements for board eligibility in accordance with the NBRC (National Board for Respiratory Care).

Minimum GPA Requirement

Students must have a cumulative GPA of 2.8 or higher to be considered for the Respiratory Care Technology program.

Course Sequence Options

The Respiratory Care Technology program has ONE course sequence option. Respiratory Care Technology courses are only offered once per year. Each accepted cohort follows the same course sequence for the duration of the program. 

Respiratory Care Technology Course Sequence Summary

• Students are admitted once a year by July (Late Summer Term) or until class is at full capacity
• The course sequence includes 10 courses in Respiratory Care Technology covered over 22 months
• The 22-month program includes 7 semesters/terms (fall, spring, early summer, late summer, fall, spring, early summer)
• Students may be first-time college students or have had previous college experience

Sample Course Schedule for Respiratory Care Technology

Schedules are provided to give an example of class dates/times; actual class dates/times are subject to change at the discretion of the program director.

Fall Semester (Year 1) September – December

***Mandatory competency checkoffs scheduled at non-class times. All checkoffs must be completed and passed by the end of the semester. 

Spring Semester (Year 1) January – April

***Mandatory competency checkoffs scheduled at non-class times. All checkoffs must be completed and passed by the end of the semester.

Summer Session I (Year 1) May – June

Summer Session II (Year 1) July – August

**Clinical: 6-7 weeks within the hospital setting, day shift only, no weekends

Fall Semester (Year 2) September – December

***Mandatory competency checkoffs scheduled at non-class times. All checkoffs must be completed and passed by the end of the semester.

Spring Semester (Year 2) January – April

**Mandatory competency checkoffs scheduled at non-class times. All checkoffs must be completed and passed by the end of the semester.

Summer Session I (Year 2) May – June

***Clinical: 6 -8 weeks within the hospital setting, day shift only, no weekends

Prerequisite Courses

Students must submit an official transcript with their application. Before applying to the Respiratory Care Technology program, students must:

• Successfully complete a college level Anatomy and Physiology course, such as BIOL 109*
• Be placed in English 101 and FNMT 118 (intermediate algebra) or higher

*BIO 109, BIO 110, and BIO 241 or an equivalent course must have been completed within the past 10 years with a grade of “C” or better. These courses need to be recorded on your Community College of Philadelphia transcript by January prior to your application.

** CHEM 101 or CHEM 110 or an equivalent course must have been completed within the past 10 years with a grade of “C” or better. These courses need to be recorded on your Community College of Philadelphia transcript by January prior to your application.

Students must also complete 70 credit hours to qualify for the Associate in Applied Science (A.A.S.) degree in Respiratory Care Technology. These courses may be completed before entering the Respiratory Care Technology program or along with RCT courses. Students should follow the suggested sequence on the Respiratory Care Technology page for completion of all general education courses as many are prerequisites for RCT program courses. 

Transcripts

If you plan to use your previous College experience toward your application, you must submit an official transcript to the Transcript Evaluation Office. A transcript for previous Community College of Philadelphia experience is not required. Transcripts are only official if they are unopened.

Prospective Students: You must request official transcripts from all previously attended colleges/universities for evaluation for transfer credit, and have them emailed DIRECTLY from your college(s) to traneval [at] ccp.edu (traneval[at]ccp[dot]edu). Placement testing, a requirement to enroll at the College, will be waived if you have successfully completed college English and/or college math. For more information about the admission process, follow the steps to enrollment for “Transfer Students.”

Current Students: Login to MyCCP and under “Electric Forms,” click on the “Transcript Evaluation Request” link to submit your transcripts. Please be sure to request ALL OFFICIAL transcripts from previous institution(s) requiring evaluation.

This procedure may take several weeks.  If you are attempting to transfer a course that is a pre- or co-requisite course to a required element of the program, you may be required to register for that course until the transcript evaluation and transfer process is complete.

Kaplan Pre-Admission Test

The Kaplan Pre-Admission exam is a timed exam which takes 1.5-3 hours to complete. The Respiratory Care Technology program requires a composite score of 60. Reading, Writing and Math sections make up the composite score, however, science can be a deciding factor when applications go to the program directors. You must complete all portions of the Kaplan exam, including the tutorial questions. All sections should be taken seriously.

Applicants are not scheduled for the Kaplan pre-admission test until an application is received. Admissions will contact applicants within 2-weeks of applying. Applicants must check their MyCCP email for testing dates. Applicants can also download the MyCCP app to get push notifications.

Please note that students applying to the Respiratory Care Technology program MUST complete the Kaplan Test by March 14 for consideration.

The results you receive at the end of the test is Overall Correct, not your Kaplan Composite Score. To obtain your Kaplan Composite score, you can divide the Math, Reading and Writing score at the end of the test by the number 3. This should give you your Composite score. Students who do not meet the minimum score needed for a specific program or want to discuss options for raising their score in a future application cycle should visit the Counseling department at any campus. No appointment is needed.

Preparing for Kaplan: Buy a Kaplan study book called, "Kaplan Nursing School Entrance Exams Prep 2021-2022" ISBN 9781506255422. This is sold in the College’s bookstore, or you can buy it online. There are FREE online study options you can find by typing in “Kaplan pre-admission Nursing exam” into any search engine. YouTube also has videos about preparing for the Kaplan exam.

How to Apply

Respiratory Care Technology is one of four select degree programs in the College’s Allied Health department. The programs in this department can accept only a limited number of students each year. Students can apply for admission into the Respiratory Care Technology program upon completion of prerequisites for program.

As part of the application, students must (1) meet a minimum GPA requirement of 2.8, (2) take a pre-admission test, and (3) successfully complete prerequisite courses.

Students are allowed to submit one application to only ONE program in the Allied Health department per year. Applications for Respiratory Care Technology open in October, and the application priority deadline is June 1. The program can accept a maximum of up to 36 students. Students who apply after the priority deadline may still be admitted until program capacity has been met. The Respiratory Care program begins once a year in September at the start of the fall term.

Application Submission

Current Community College of Philadelphia students who plan on applying to the Respiratory Care Technology program and meet the eligibility requirements should complete the program application by following these steps:

• Step one: Login to MyCCP
• Step two: Click on the "Student" tab
• Step three: Click on the "Allied Health/Nursing Application Forms" under "Electronic Forms" on the top, right-hand side of the page
• Step four: Select your program of interest
• Step five: Complete and submit the form

Not a Community College of Philadelphia student? You must apply to Community College of Philadelphia before you can apply to the Respiratory Care Technology program. Please follow our Steps to Enrollment to get started.

Admission Interview

Applicants who complete and meet the aforementioned requirements will be eligible to continue in the admissions process and will be contacted, in writing, concerning the scheduling of an admissions interview with the program director (or designee). An admission interview is not guaranteed and will only be granted to highly qualified applicants. A scheduled interview also does not guarantee admission. Applicants will be asked to submit the following if they are called for an interview:

• Resume with letter of intent
• Two recommendation forms

Upon completion of the admissions interview, the Program Director (or designee) will review and score all applicants with particular attention to:

1. Cumulative grade point average
2. Strength of secondary/post-secondary academic curriculum
3. Allied Health pre-entrance examination score (Kaplan)
4. Extracurricular activities, community service, and work experience
5. Personal interview

Although a minimum college grade point average (GPA) of 2.8 is required, admission to the Respiratory Care Technology Program is highly competitive and most successful applicants have a GPA that is higher than 2.8 and a Kaplan Test score higher than 60.

Post Acceptance-Screenings

Students accepted into the Respiratory Care Technology program may be required to complete and provide verification of:

• Completion of criminal background check – PA State Police and FBI
• Completion of child abuse clearance
• Completion of drug screening
• Documentation of a complete physical examination, including required laboratory tests
• Documentation of up-to-date immunizations prior to clinical assignment
• Documentation of current health insurance coverage, which must be maintained throughout the program
• Social Security Number verification
• Being age 18 or older before clinical start
• Attendance at scheduled Program orientation prior to entry
• Adult, child and infant CPR certification (BLS for Health Care Providers)

ACCEPTANCE INTO THE PROGRAM WILL BE CONSIDERED CONDITIONAL UNTIL THESE ITEMS ARE COMPLETED. Students should not complete any of the above until requested by the program director.

Tuition, Fees and Program Expenses

Continuation in the RESP Program requires all College financial obligations to be met.  Tuition for the RESP Program varies based on student residency.  Tuition and fees for college courses can be found online. Additional Program expenses include textbooks, uniforms, Criminal Background and Child Abuse Check, Health examination and laboratory fees, Review seminar for RRT examination preparation Kettering) and self-assessment examination application fee.

Table I Examples of Program Fees in addition to CCP tuition and Student fees

*Text can be rented or brought online, some may be downloaded for free.

Additional Course Fees for the Respiratory Care Technology Program:

RESP 100 - $105.00                 RESP 101 - $105.00

RESP 102 - $175.00                 RESP 103 - $105.00                 RESP 104 - $175.00

RESP 210 - $175.00                 RESP 220 - $105.00                 RESP 220 - $105.00

RESP 221 - $345.00                 RESP 299 - $175.00