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Respiratory Care plus Pre-Physician Assistant

Bachelor of Applied Science, Allied Health

Four-year Degree

180 Units

If you are new to healthcare and need clinical training and a bachelor's degree, the Respiratory Care Pre-Physician Assistant (PA) option is a great choice. You will get training in a high-demand field and become academically qualified to apply for PA graduate programs.

There is no specific pre-PA Respiratory Care application and the courses are exactly the same. At the end of the program, you have the choice to add the pre-PA option on your transcripts. 

The Respiratory Care track is a full-time, face-to-face, rigorous bachelor’s degree program that combines classroom training with practical, hands-on experience. This program will prepare you to become a member of a dedicated healthcare team that treats patients with cardiopulmonary disorders.

After you have completed the pre-requisites (about two years of work), the Respiratory Care track is one part-time quarter plus seven full-time quarters (two more years) after which you graduate with a Bachelor of Applied Science and are ready to apply for a license as a Respiratory Therapist.

Earning a bachelor's degree will help you be more competitive for jobs as a Respiratory Therapist and qualify you to work in a variety of healthcare settings, including:

  • Hospitals 
  • Physicians' offices 
  • Extended care facilities 
  • In-home care providers 
  • Rehabilitation 
  • Emergency services

Get Started

College Application Steps

Visit our Enroll Now page to learn more about how to apply (the application is always free).

Additional Program Specific Steps

  1. Attend a Respiratory Care Information Session (required).
  2. Complete the enrollment process for Seattle Central College, which includes placement testing and transcript evaluations to ensure you meet the eligibility requirements.
  3. Meet with an Advisor to create an education plan.
  4. Apply to the Respiratory Care program.

Additional Useful Information

Info Sessions

Watch a Respiratory Care Info Session.

Watch on YouTube to view transcript.

College Tuition

Learn more about the tuition and fees to attend college.

Save money at Central. Tuition and fees at a two-year college are significantly lower than a four-year college or university.

Financial Aid

It's time to apply for Financial Aid for next year by completing either the FAFSA or the WASFA.

Need help paying for college?

To apply for financial aid, including grants and scholarships you don’t have to pay back, visit our Paying for College page for details. Part-time and full-time students can qualify for financial aid funds.

Workforce Funding

This academic plan may be eligible for additional funding through Workforce Education. Students in this program may be eligible for:

  • Worker Retraining
  • Opportunity Grant

This is a cohort-based program and typically begins in winter quarter.

Program Information

The Respiratory Care plus Pre-Physician Assistant pathway can lead to various career opportunities.

Examples include:

Career titles and data are supplied by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). For current employment and wage estimates, please visit O*NET OnLine.

A Bachelor's degree or higher may be required for some careers listed above.

Graduates of the Allied Health: Respiratory Care plus Pre-Physician Assistant program may continue their education through transfer pathways or advanced degrees. Some students choose to pursue graduate programs to further enhance their credentials including pre-physician assistant programs.

  • Complete a Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS) and submit results for approval.
  • Complete the Prerequisite Courses with a 2.0 GPA or higher. Classes include:
    • BIOL& 160 General Biology
    • BIOL& 241 Human Anatomy and Physiology I (must be within the past 5 years)
    • BIOL& 242 Human Anatomy and Physiology II (must be within the past 5 years)
    • BIOL& 260 Microbiology
    • CHEM& 121 Introduction to Chemistry
    • CHEM& 122/131 Organic Chemistry
    • MATH& 146 Introduction to Statistics
    • ENGL& 101 English Composition I
    • ENGL& 102 Composition II
    • PSYC& 100 General Psychology OR PSYC &200 Lifespan Psychology
    • HUM 105 Intercultural Communication
    • Additional 5 credit Visual, Literacy and Performing Arts (VLPA) class
    • AHE 168 Medical Terminology (recommended)

Please note that BIOL& 241 and BIOL& 242 must be taken within 5 years of applying to the program. There are no time limits on the other prerequisite classes.

180 Units

Prerequisites

AHE 168: Medical Terminology is recommended to be completed prior to program enrollment.

Click course row to read description.
Course Course Title Units
BIOL& 160 or BIOL& 211 Choose a course 5
CHEM& 121 or CHEM& 161 Choose a course 6
CHEM& 122 or CHEM& 131 Choose a course 5
HUM 105 or CMST 205 Choose a course 5
Visual, Literary and Performing Arts (VLPA) course 5
Math Statistics Choose a course 5
PSYC& 100 or PSYC& 200 Choose a course 5

General Education

Click course row to read description.
Course Course Title Units
ENGL& 101 English Composition I 5
ENGL& 102 Composition II 5
BIOL& 241 Human Anatomy and Physiology 1 W/ Lab 5
BIOL& 242 Human Anatomy and Physiology 2 W/ Lab 5
BIOL& 260 Microbiology W/ Lab 5

AAS-T Technical Courses

Click course row to read description.
Course Course Title Units
AHE 128 Introduction to Healthcare Practice 4
AHE 129 Introduction to Healthcare Appplied Practice 1
AHE 168 Medical Terminology 5
AHE 202 Respiratory Care Orientation 1
AHE 209 Introduction to Respiratory Care 2
AHE 213 Respiratory Care Clinical Assessment 2
AHE 215 Basic Pharmacology 2
AHE 217 Cardiopulmonary Anatomy and Physiology 5
AHE 218 Basic Therapeutic Approaches 4
AHE 219 Basic Therapeutic Approaches Equipment and Techn 1

BAS Technical Courses

Click course row to read description.
Course Course Title Units
AHE 330 Information Literacy for Health Sciences 5
RCP 320 Acute Care Clinical I 4
RCP 323 Pathophysiology for Respiratory Care 2
RCP 328 Advanced Therapeutic Approaches 4
RCP 329 Advanced Therapeutic Approaches Equip and Tech 1
AHE 401 Principles of Research 5
RCP 330 Acute Care Clinical II 5
RCP 338 Fundamentals of Mechanical Ventilation 4
RCP 339 Mechanical Ventilation Equipment and Techniques 1
CHED 304 Principles of Higher Education In Allied Health 2
RCP 340 Adult Critical Care Clinical I 4
RCP 347 Cardiology for Respiratory Care 2
RCP 348 Advanced Mechanical Ventilation 5
RCP 349 Adv Mechanical Ventilation Equipment & Technique 1
RCP 450 Adult Critical Care Clinical II 6
RCP 451 Neonatal/Pediatric Pathophysiology 2
RCP 455 Advanced Pharmacology (Respiratory Care) 2
RCP 458 Neonatal/Pediatric Respiratory Care 4
RCP 459 Neonatal/Pediatric Equipment and Techniques 1
RCP 463 Advanced Pathophysiology for Respiratory Care 2
RCP 464 Pulmonary Rehabilitation and Home Care 2
RCP 467 Advanced Cardiopulmonary Physiology 2
RCP 468 Adv Cardiopulmonary Diagnostics 3
RCP 469 Diagnostic Equipment and Techniques 1
RCP 472 Advanced Practitioner Exam Review 1
RCP 476 Advanced Patient Assessment 3
RCP 479 Senior Capstone Project I 2
RCP 460 Neonatal/Pediatric Clinical 6
RCP 470 Adult Critical Care Clinical III 6
RCP 480 Senior Capstone Project II 2

Business Requirement

Click course row to read description.
Course Course Title Units
BTM 236 or AHE 107 Choose a course 5

Units

The sample schedule and quarterly to-do list below will help you explore courses and complete tasks on time. The sample schedule assumes a fall quarter start. Please work with your advisor to create a customized education plan that meets your goals.

Before you begin:

Quarter 1, 18 Units

Click course row to read description.
Course Course Title Units
RCP 320 Acute Care Clinical I 4
AHE 213 Respiratory Care Clinical Assessment 2
RCP 323 Pathophysiology for Respiratory Care 2
RCP 328 Advanced Therapeutic Approaches 4
RCP 329 Advanced Therapeutic Approaches Equip and Tech 1
RCP 330 Acute Care Clinical II 5

Quarter 2, 18 Units

Click course row to read description.
Course Course Title Units
RCP 330 Acute Care Clinical II 5
RCP 338 Fundamentals of Mechanical Ventilation 4
RCP 339 Mechanical Ventilation Equipment and Techniques 1
AHE 401 Principles of Research 5
AHE 107 Introduction to Healthcare Leadership 3

Quarter 3, 14 Units

Click course row to read description.
Course Course Title Units
RCP 340 Adult Critical Care Clinical I 4
RCP 468 Adv Cardiopulmonary Diagnostics 3
RCP 469 Diagnostic Equipment and Techniques 1
RCP 451 Neonatal/Pediatric Pathophysiology 2
CHED 304 Principles of Higher Education In Allied Health 2
AHE 209 Introduction to Respiratory Care 2

Quarter 4, 15 Units

Click course row to read description.
Course Course Title Units
RCP 450 Adult Critical Care Clinical II 6
RCP 347 Cardiology for Respiratory Care 2
RCP 467 Advanced Cardiopulmonary Physiology 2
RCP 458 Neonatal/Pediatric Respiratory Care 4
RCP 459 Neonatal/Pediatric Equipment and Techniques 1

Quarter 5, 18 Units

Click course row to read description.
Course Course Title Units
RCP 460 Neonatal/Pediatric Clinical 6
RCP 348 Advanced Mechanical Ventilation 5
RCP 349 Adv Mechanical Ventilation Equipment & Technique 1
RCP 455 Advanced Pharmacology (Respiratory Care) 2
RCP 463 Advanced Pathophysiology for Respiratory Care 2
RCP 479 Senior Capstone Project I 2

Quarter 6, 14 Units

Click course row to read description.
Course Course Title Units
RCP 470 Adult Critical Care Clinical III 6
RCP 472 Advanced Practitioner Exam Review 1
RCP 476 Advanced Patient Assessment 3
RCP 464 Pulmonary Rehabilitation and Home Care 2
RCP 480 Senior Capstone Project II 2

***Not present on current website. We need to post these as it is a requirement from NWCCU***

The Seattle Central College Respiratory Care Track for the Bachelor of Applied Science (BAS) in Allied Health program, CoARC Program #200344 in Seattle, Washington is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (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. View CoARC programmatic outcomes data.

Please contact the Respiratory Care Program with any questions at jennifer.clark@seattlecolleges.edu

This program meets the educational requirements for preparing students to take the national certification exams administered by the National Board for Respiratory Care (nbrc.org). Students who complete the program and achieve the appropriate credentials can apply for licensure anywhere in the United States where a license is required. A list of contacts for license by state is available at aarc.org/advocacy/state-society-resources/state-licensure-contacts.

Program data from ctcLink:

  • Academic Plan: HSAAHBAS
  • Sub Plan: BAS_AHRPPA
  • Degree: BAS_AlliedHealth
  • Plan Transcript Description: Bachelor of Applied Science - Allied Health
  • Academic Plan Currently Offered: Yes
  • Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP): 51.0000

Faculty and Staff

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