Respiratory Care

Applicants must meet special entrance requirements and complete a department application. Students are strongly encouraged to complete ALL general education courses prior to admission to the program. (View program prerequisites and the degree plan in the Victoria College Catalog).

It should be noted that as a Respiratory Therapist you must be able to walk at a fast pace, climb stairs rapidly, have good peripheral vision, and lift objects weighing over 25 pounds. Applicants must meet all Technical Standards.

Students who anticipate applying to the Respiratory Care Program for the fall MUST have their first hepatitis B injection no later than February 1. Students who have not completed the hepatitis B series by August 15 will not be able to enroll in the Respiratory Care Program. 

• Hospitals giving breathing treatments to people with asthma and other respiratory conditions. 
• Intensive care units managing ventilators that keep the critically ill alive. 
  Emergency rooms delivering life-saving treatments.
• Newborn and pediatric units helping children with conditions ranging from premature birth to cystic fibrosis.
• Patients' homes providing regular check-ups and making sure people have what they need to stay out of the hospital.
• Sleep laboratories helping to diagnose disorders like sleep apnea.
• Skilled nursing facilities and pulmonary rehabilitation programs helping older people breathe easier and get more out of life.
• Case management programs helping devise long-term care plans for patients.

• Advanced Cardiac Life Support
• Basic dysrhythmia interpretation
• Neonatal Resuscitation Program
• Pediatric advanced life support
• Pulmonary diagnostics
• Respiratory home care and rehabilitation

AAS Degree - Respiratory Care

Allied Health Clinical Orientation & Requirements 

Program Costs

VC’s Associate of Applied Science degree in respiratory care may be combined with the core curriculum to transfer to a four-year university. There are many specialization options available to continue your education in healthcare. 

In addition to the above degree program, Victoria College offers a number of training courses for Healthcare Professions through its Workforce & Continuing Education Department.

Victoria College’s Respiratory Care Program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Accreditation (CoARC) valid until 11/30/2027.

Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Accreditation (CoARC) 
Program Number: 200372
www.coarc.com 
CoARC's outcomes
Phone (817) 283-2835

The Victoria College Respiratory Care Program was selected to receive the Distinguished RRT Credentialing Success Award. This award is presented as part of the CoARC's continued efforts to value the RRT credential as a standard of professional achievement.

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. 

Respiratory therapists are the health specialists who evaluate, treat, and care for patients with breathing disorders. They work under the direction of a physician and assist in the diagnosis, treatment, and management of patients with pulmonary disorders. For a more in-depth discussion visit, the AARC website's What is a respiratory therapist.

Upon successful completion of the two-year AAS degree program, the graduate will be eligible to take a series of national board exams to become a Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT).

Respiratory Therapists are the health specialists who work under the direction of a physician to evaluate, treat, and care for patients with breathing disorders.  Learn more by watching the AARC video Breath of Life. 

In addition to tuition, fees, and textbooks, respiratory care students are responsible for uniforms and related items used while enrolled in the program. 

Victoria College has a variety of financial assistance programs available to qualifying students including scholarships, loans, and grants. For additional information on financial assistance, please contact the Financial Aid Office at (361) 572-6415, or visit with a financial aid counselor in the Student Services building. 

The program is designed with great attention to the professional standards and requirements as outline by our regulating agencies. Students will be engaged in didactic, laboratory and clinical instruction each week. The program faculty is committed to student success and professional integrity. The program has  Multiple Clinical Affiliates where students will receive clinical training.

The program is designed to offer students a comprehensive learning experience not only with didactic, laboratory and clinical instruction but is committed to the growth of the student as a professional. To that end, the program has a student service organization, S.C.O.P.E., which students are required to hold membership during their enrollment in the program. During the final semester of the program, students can become eligible for induction in the Lambda Beta Society, which is the profession's national honor society. Students are required to become members of the state society (TSRC) and the national association (AARC) while in the program as a part of their integration into the profession. 

Employment is expected to grow by 19% from 2019-2029, faster than the average for all occupations according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Visit the Bureau website for additional information and average pay scales. 

As a respiratory therapist you will find that you have numerous career opportunities. Some of these are:

• Staff Therapist - acute care or long term care facility
• Critical Care - Adult, Pediatric, Neonatal Intensive Care
• Diagnostics - EEG, EKG, Pulmonary Function Testing, Echocardiography & Ultrasonography
• Pulmonary and Cardiac Rehabilitation
• Polysomnography (Sleep Lab)
• Hyperbaric Medicine
• Home Care
• Research/Education

Using your associate degree in respiratory care, you can attain a bachelor's degree in applied technology, education, management, or respiratory care. You can even use respiratory care as a bridge to become a physician's assistant, or apply to medical school.