Curriculum

This program requires two years of course work in respiratory care at KU Medical Center. Two years of undergraduate course work – including at least 43 credit hours of specific prerequisites – is required prior to entry into this program. Most KU Core requirements must be met by the prerequisites.

Students in the respiratory care degree program complete 60 hours of course credits in a prescribed sequence covering five academic semesters. Students are responsible for completing additional electives to fulfill the university's requirement of 120 total credit hours for a bachelor's degree from KU.

Year One, Fall (credit hours)	Year One, Spring	Year One, Summer
RESP 300 Introduction to Respiratory Care Procedures (4)	RESP 302 Respiratory Care Evidence-Based Practice II (1)	RESP 340 Respiratory Review I (2)
RESP 301 Respiratory Care Evidence-Based Practice I (2)	RESP 310 Clinical Pharmacology (2)	RESP 345 Clinical Application III (3)
RESP 305 Cardiopulmonary Pathophysiology (4)	RESP 325 Mechanical Ventilators (4)	RESP 400 Chronic Respiratory Disease Management (3)
RESP 315 Clinical Application I (3)	RESP 335 Clinical Application II (4)
	RESP 620 Community and Global Health (3)
Total: 13 credit hours	Total: 14 credit hours	Total: 8 credit hours
Year Two, Fall	Year Two, Spring
RESP 405 Advanced Critical Care (4)	RESP 330 Pulmonary Function (2)
RESP 410 Neonatal Respiratory Care (4)	RESP 420 Health Care Management, Ethics and Law (2)
RESP 415 Clinical Application IV (4)	RESP 610 Scientific Investigation Part II (1)
RESP 605 Scientific Investigation Part I (1)	RESP 615 Registry Review (2)
	RESP 625 Clinical Application V (4)
Total: 13 credit hours	Total: 12 credit hours

Please refer to the KU Undergraduate Catalog for detailed course descriptions

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Clinical experience

An integral part of the curriculum, students begin clinical rotations at one of the clinical affiliate sites starting in their sixth week of the program. Clinical rotations provide exposure to patient care and experience in performing respiratory care procedures.

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Professional Credentialing

Graduates from an accredited program are eligible to take a two-part examination with the National Board for Respiratory Care. First, the graduate will take the Therapist Multiple-Choice (TMC) examination. A passing score on the TMC allows the graduate to take the clinical simulation examination. Passing this two-part examination confers upon the graduate the registered respiratory therapist (RRT) credential. Graduates are eligible to take other credentialing specialty examinations such as neonatal/pediatric, pulmonary function, asthma, pulmonary rehabilitation, and critical care.