Respiratory Care

Respiratory Care/Therapy - RCP

Respiratory Care/Therapy - RCP

* Beginning January 2026, applications for admission will be online only. Check back for more information regarding this change*

Program number: 200523

The Associates of Science in Respiratory Care Program at Antelope Valley College is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (www.coarc.com). 

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.

Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care

(817) 283-2835
www.coarc.com

CoARC outcomes data is available at the following link: https://coarc.com/students/programmatic-outcomes-data/ 
 

Respiratory Care

 

What is respiratory care?

  • Respiratory care is a health profession that specializes in the promotion of optimum cardiopulmonary function and health. Respiratory care practitioners apply scientific principles to prevent, identify, and treat acute or chronic dysfunction of the cardiopulmonary system.

Primary goal

The respiratory care program's goal at Antelope Valley 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)." Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care Standard 3.01.

Objectives

Upon completion of the program, the student will demonstrate:

  1. The ability to comprehend, apply and evaluate clinical information relevant to their role as a respiratory care practitioner (knowledge domain).

  2. The technical proficiency in all of the skills necessary to fulfill the role as a respiratory care practitioner (psychomotor domain).

  3. Professional behavior consistent with employer expectations for a respiratory care practitioner (affective domain).

Respiratory therapists have an in-depth knowledge of

  • Cardiopulmonary anatomy, physiology, and pathophysiology
  • Patient assessment and cardiopulmonary diagnostics
  • Pulmonary disease
  • Advance life support and critical care
  • Pharmacology
  • Biomedical engineering and technology

Respiratory therapists effectively

  • Assess, educate and treat patients with heart and lung problems

Respiratory care is focused on

  • Prevention
  • Assessment
  • Treatment
  • Management
  • Control
  • Diagnostic evaluation
  • Education and care

What do respiratory therapists do?

  • Apply critical thinking
  • Apply patient/environment assessment skills
  • Apply evidence based clinical practice skills
  • Develop and implement effective care plans
  • Apply patient driven protocols
  • Implement disease management programs
  • Perform therapeutic and diagnostic procedures

What are the prerequisites for entrance into the program?

  • Prerequisites for RCP 101 in the Associate Degree Respiratory Care Program are: Completion of BIOL 201 (General Human Anatomy – 4 units), BIOL 202 (General Human Physiology – 4 units) CHEM 101 (Introductory Chemistry – 5 units), Any Math course that falls under AREA 2 and ENGL 101 (Academic Composition - 3 units) at Antelope Valley College or the equivalent at another accredited college. All science courses require a lab. Students are also required to meet the following prerequisites: minimum GPA of 2.0 for all college courses taken; minimum GPA of 2.0 for BIOL 201, BIOL 202, CHEM 101, English 101, and AREA 2 Math Course.

How do I enroll?

* Beginning January 2026, applications for admission will be online only. Check back for more information regarding this change*

Students will be given spaces in the program based on a multiple screening criteria. Should the 1st fall on a weekend, the due date will be the Monday immediately after. Students are admitted into the program in the fall of each year.  All students wanting to enroll in RCP 101 should follow the instructions on the “Verification of Prerequisites for RCP 101.

The deadline to turn applications has been extended to July 11, 2025.

Counseling WILL NOT schedule students for an educational planning and evaluation of transcripts two weeks from the application deadline. Please do not wait until the last minute to schedule this appointment if you are trying to apply by the deadline.

Appointments can be made by email at counseling@avc.edu or by calling 661-722-6300 ext. 6338.

Applications can be mailed or dropped off to the Health and Safety Sciences Department. 

Visit the web site for the Respiratory Care Board of California: www.rcb.ca.gov 

Requirements of Program if Offered Admission

Students who are offered a space in the program are required to adhere to the background, physical and vaccination guidelines set forth within the clinical affiliation agreements AVC Health programs have with various hospitals and doctors office's. If you fail to meet those requirements, you will not be able to proceed in the Respiratory Therapy Program.

Students must complete the following:

1. Full physical exam with vision, hearing CBC and urinalysis. Student must also be able to participate in the following activities without restriction:

  • Maintain emotional stability and to understand how to cope with stress during crisis situations.
  • Exhibit written and verbal communication skills.
  • Use hands to finger, handle or feel objects, tools or controls; reach with hands and arms, and talk or hear and smell.
  • Walk, stoop, kneel, crouch, and crawl. Occasionally to sit and climb or balance, push, pull or bend.
  • Lift and/or move up to 30 pounds; perform all direct patient care activities, transferring, bathing, ambulating, and feeding procedures.
  • Manipulate various sizes of equipment and supplies; perform CPR and charting activities.
  • Use close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and adjust focus.  

2. Proof of vaccination against Measles, Mumps and Rubella (two doses) within the last five years OR proof of immunity (titer) within the last year.

3. Proof of vaccination against varicella (two doses) within the past five years OR proof of immunity (titer) within the last year

4. Proof of vaccination against Hepatitis B (3 doses) within the past five years OR proof of immunity (titer) within the last year.

5. Two step TB test, chest x-ray or Quantiferon blood test within the last year (TB Test and Quantiferon blood test will have to be renewed yearly      while in program)

6. Proof of vaccination against TDAP (Tetanus and Pertussis) within last ten years. 

7. Seasonal Flu Vaccination

8. Covid 19 Vaccination

9. Drug Screening with Alcohol (Urine). Students must be tested for the following:

  • Alcohol
  • Amphetamines
  • Barbiturates
  • Benzodiazepines
  • Benzoylecgonine (Cocaine)
  • Cannabinoids
  • Meperidine (Demerol)
  • Methadone
  • Methaqualone
  • Opiates
  • Oxycodone
  • Phencyclidine
  • Propoxyphene

Questions?

Helpful Links