Program Overview

The Respiratory Care Program at BCCC prepares students to work as Respiratory Care Practitioners, aiding patients experiencing difficulty breathing, or who suffer from diseases such as asthma or emphysema. Respiratory Care Practitioners also provide diagnostic and rehabilitation services to cardiopulmonary patients.

This two-year program leads to an associate of applied science degree. Graduates are qualified to provide respiratory care under the direction of a licensed physician in settings such as acute care hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, physician’s offices and home care agencies.

Graduates of the Respiratory Care Program are qualified to sit for the National Board for Respiratory Care credentialing examinations that will allow them to practice in Respiratory Care in Maryland and all other states.

Click here to learn how to access the Fall 2024 Respiratory Care program application. 

The goal of the Respiratory Care Program at Baltimore City Community College 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).

The Respiratory Care program at Baltimore City Community College is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care  (http://www.coarc.com/).

Students in the Respiratory Care Program learn:

• Identification, location and function of lung structures involves in gas exchange
• Normal/healthy lung function and causes and effects of lung dysfunction
• How to provide and properly assess procedures and techniques that provide:
  • supplemental oxygen
  • aerosolized medications
  • lung inflation maneuvers
  • mechanical support
  • specialty gases
  • lung re-expansion and artificial airways
  • Obtain arterial blood specimens, lung and/or tracheal secretions for laboratory analysis, patient lung volume measurements and non-invasive measurements of patient blood oxygen and carbon dioxide values

Students entering the Respiratory Care Program must possess excellent critical thinking skills, be able to act both independently and within team settings. Students should also have a sound knowledge of mathematics and sciences and be comfortable working in environments that include a broad spectrum of patients.

The Respiratory Care Program prepares students for employment in a variety of different medical settings that include:

• Acute and post-acute care hospitals
• Rehabilitation hospitals and nursing homes
• Diagnostic laboratories
• Educational facilities
• Private companies

Learn more about national and state employment trends and wage data on the Bureau of Labor Statistics website www.bls.gov under overview of BLS wage data by area and occupation.