Health Careers
Respiratory Care Practitioner
Associate of Applied Science
Career Overview
Breathe Life into Your Career
Respiratory therapists (RTs) are vital, hands-on healthcare professionals who make a real difference in the lives of patients every day. Specializing in heart and lung care, they treat people across all stages of life - from fragile newborns struggling to take their first breath to seniors managing chronic respiratory and cardiac conditions.
RT’s assess patients’ respiratory function, develop and implement care plans, manage mechanical ventilators, administer oxygen therapy and medications, perform diagnostic tests like pulmonary function studies, provide education to patients and families on managing chronic conditions, and respond quickly in critical situations. RT’s play a vital role on the front lines of patient care, making a real difference when every breath counts.
Our hands-on program includes valuable clinical experience, preparing you for immediate entry into the field or further study. Many of our graduates go on to complete a bachelor’s in respiratory therapy at the University of Michigan-Flint’s online program or a bachelor’s degree in health sciences at other four-year institutions. If you’re considering transfer options after earning your AAS degree, be sure to connect with a counselor early.
Application Information
The Respiratory Care Practitioner (RCP) Program is a limited enrollment program with required prerequisite courses and an application-based selection process. For details on course requirements please see a counselor or advisor and review the Program Information guide.
Respiratory Care Program applications are accepted each year April 1-15 for entrance into the FALL program. Please direct all your RCP admission questions to the Health Careers Admissions Coordinator at .
Accreditation & Outcomes
The Kalamazoo Valley Community College Respiratory Care Program #200239 is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC)
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.
The Accreditation Programmatic Outcome Data can be found: https://coarc.com/students/programmatic-outcomes-data/
Program Faculty
Susan Pearson, MPA, RRT-NPS, RCP Program Director
Jason Ramsey, MHA, RRT-NPS, RCP Director of Clinical Education