Career and Degree Information

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Career Information
Respiratory care has become an exciting, high-tech allied health career. The profession of Respiratory Care is sponsored by the American Societies of Anesthesiology, Chest and Thoracic medicine, and the American Association for Respiratory Care. Students who complete the two-year degree program become Respiratory Care Practitioners and are eligible for the Certified and Registered Respiratory Therapist exams administered by the National Board for Respiratory Care. Passage confers national recognition as a Certified (CRT) and Registered (RRT) Respiratory Therapist. The state license is issued by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. Graduates provide basic cardiopulmonary support, from emergency oxygen administration to management of sophisticated computerized life-support. Respiratory Therapists work in clinical and hospital settings, home care environments, intensive care units, emergency rooms, diagnostic laboratories and skilled patient care centers.

The job outlook for Certified and Registered Therapists is excellent. One hundred percent of graduates at both levels have found employment in their field. The median entry-level salary for Respiratory Care is more than $45,000.

Program Description
Presently, College of DuPage offers combined CRT and RRT education for Respiratory Care Practitioners. The Respiratory Care program is an intensive, full-time, two-year program leading to an Associate in Applied Science degree. The program includes classroom instruction and clinical practice at local hospital affiliates.

Please note: This program requires a separate admission process in addition to acceptance to College of DuPage.

Program Requirements
The following files describe in detail the requirements for this program. Please consult a faculty advisor listed below before beginning your coursework.

Respiratory Care CRT and RRT, Associate in Applied Science
When planning your coursework, use the Student Planning Worksheet. Degree information and the worksheet can be found on the following files: