Respiratory Therapy

Why Study Respiratory Therapy

We are in the business of preparing some of the best Respiratory Care Practitioners in the nation.

The field needs motivated people who

want to help others as a health care provider
are mechanically inclined
have solid communication skills
think clearly under stress

What is Respiratory Therapy?

Our two-year Respiratory Therapy program can prepare you for employment in the exciting high-tech health care field of respiratory care.

Respiratory Therapists manage the ventilation of critically ill patients as well as provide acute and chronic care to patients with pulmonary disease.

Most work is performed in the hospital environment. Program graduates are allowed to take all national board exams.

The Foothill College Respiratory Therapy Program has an excellent pass record for national board and state licensure examinations.

Please visit the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (www.coarc.com) to view our Foothill program outcomes data.
You can search for Foothill on the CoARC Interactive Map of Outcomes Data.
For a complete list of CoARC accredited programs, see Find an Accredited Program.

Career Opportunities

The Foothill Respiratory Therapy Program prepares you for entry-level positions in the field, as a registry-eligible graduate therapist.

Jobs include hospital staff respiratory therapist and independent home care respiratory therapist.
The average annual salary for new graduates is approximately $90,000. The average annual salary for experienced registered therapists in the Bay Area is approximately $110,000 to $120,000.
The average starting salary range was $40 to $60 per hour. Shift differentials and job duties can raise these salaries.
Therapists can choose to specialize in newborn, pediatric or adult intensive care depending upon where they are employed.
With experience, supervisory and educational opportunities are available.

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Degrees & Certificates

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For program requirements and full course listings, view degrees and certificates information.

Quick Look at Respiratory Therapy Courses

For a quick look at [Department] courses at Foothill, see list below. For complete course details, including units, hours and prerequisites, view course catalog. [Link to dept courses] For when a course is offered, view class schedule. [Link to dept schedule]

RSPT 50A Respiratory Therapy Procedures
RSPT 50B Introduction to Patient Care Procedures
RSPT 50C Therapeutics & Introduction to Mechanical Ventilation
RSPT 51A Introduction to Respiratory Anatomy & Physiology
RSPT 51B Respiratory Physiology
RSPT 51C Patient Assessment & Pulmonary Disease
RSPT 52 Applied Science for Respiratory Therapy
RSPT 53A Introduction to Respiratory Therapy Pharmacology
RSPT 53B Advanced Respiratory Therapy Pharmacology
RSPT 54 Orientation to Respiratory Care
RSPT 55A Mediated Studies in Respiratory Therapy I
RSPT 55B Mediated Studies in Respiratory Therapy II
RSPT 55C Mediated Studies in Respiratory Therapy III
RSPT 55D Mediated Studies in Respiratory Therapy IV
RSPT 55E Mediated Studies in Respiratory Therapy V
RSPT 55F Mediated Studies in Respiratory Therapy VI
RSPT 55G Mediated Studies in Respiratory Therapy VII
RSPT 56 Orientation to Hospital & Patient Care I
RSPT 57 Orientation to Hospital & Patient Care II
RSPT 60C Pulmonary Diagnostics
RSPT 61A Adult Mechanical Ventilation
RSPT 61B Neonatal Respiratory Care
RSPT 61C Home & Rehabilitative Respiratory Care
RSPT 61D Pediatric Respiratory Care
RSPT 62 Management, Resume & National Board Examination
RSPT 63A Advanced Pathophysiology & Patient Management
RSPT 65 Computer Patient Simulations
RSPT 70A Clinical Rotation I
RSPT 70B Clinical Rotation II
RSPT 70C Clinical Rotation III
RSPT 70D Clinical Rotation IV
RSPT 85 Interventional Pulmonology Theory & Application
RSPT 86 Interventional Pulmonology Procedures
RSPT 87 Interventional Pulmonology Clinical Practicum
RSPT 88 Interventional Pulmonology Research Project
RSPT 200L Introduction to Respiratory Therapy
RSPT 300 Leadership & Management in Healthcare
RSPT 304 Clinical Specialist & Chronic Disease Management
RSPT 305 Respiratory Care Capstone Research Project
RSPT 306 Advanced Pulmonary Diagnostics
RSPT 307 Interventional Pulmonology Theory & Application
RSPT 308 Interventional Pulmonology Procedures

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