Respiratory Care

The Respiratory Care Department focuses on the development and implementation of the Respiratory Care Associate in Science degree.  The department and associated courses are primarily located on the Brockton campus with clinical affiliates (i.e., training sites) located at healthcare facilities throughout the surrounding area. The Massasoit Respiratory Care Program is accredited by CoARC (Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care) as program #200230.  View CoARC Programmatic Outcomes Data. 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. More information regarding CoARC can be found on the organization’s website. Massasoit graduates completing a Respiratory Care Associate in Science degree are eligible to take the National Board of Respiratory Care (NBRC) credentialing examination(s) needed for licensure as a Respiratory Therapist.

The department curates’ courses in the theory of respiratory care and carefully selects clinical experiences to foster a student’s development of the needed skills sets to capably practice as a Registered Respiratory Therapist. A minimum grade of 75% must be achieved in all respiratory care courses in order to complete the program.

Students considering a career as a Respiratory Therapist must be aware that if they have ever been convicted by a court of law, their legal records will be subject to review by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Board of Registration in Respiratory Care when applying for licensure as a Respiratory Therapist.  A CORI (Criminal Offender Record Information) check is required for all accepted students before participating in any patient care roles at area clinical affiliates (e.g., hospitals).

The profession of Respiratory Care is an allied health field dedicated to the management of patients who experience challenges with breathing. A Respiratory Therapist’s scope of expertise includes mechanical ventilator management, artificial airways, oxygen therapy, aerosolized medication administration, acute and chronic pulmonary disease management etc.  Employment opportunities are widely available within numerous settings such as hospitals, home care, medical centers etc. Currently there is a shortage of Respiratory Therapists throughout Massachusetts.  Use the following link https://morerts.com to find out more information about a career as a Respiratory Therapist.  Statistics regarding the employment outlook for the profession of Respiratory Therapy can be found at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/respiratory-therapists.htm. For specific information regarding the Respiratory Care Program at Massasoit Community College, email the Program Director at kdoten@massasoit.mass.edu.

To be considered for admission into the Respiratory Care Program at Massasoit Community College, the applicant must possess a high school diploma or an equivalency certificate, complete an acceptable course in Biological Principles or successfully perform on the biology departmental challenge exam, attend a Respiratory Care Program information session, and successfully achieve adequate scores on the ATI TEAS examination.