About the Respiratory Therapy Program
The Respiratory Therapy degree program grants the Bachelor of Science in Respiratory Care. Graduates are eligible to earn the credential of Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT). The program accepts up to 30 students.
The 22-month Bachelor of Science program equips students for entry-level as well as advanced-level practice. The coursework is designed specifically to prepare graduates for the following:
- To become excellent bedside, respiratory therapists
- To practice a wide variety of Respiratory Care specialties
- For careers in education, leadership, and research - the distinct advantage of a bachelor's degree vs. an associate's degree
Graduates are eligible to take examinations administered by the National Board for Respiratory Care, Inc., passage of which is the basis for licensure in all 49 states, including New York, that regulate respiratory care practice. Information on licensure contacts for each state can be obtained at www.aarc.org/advocacy/state-society-resources/state-licensure-contacts/
Program Strengths
Our program has a long tradition of producing excellent respiratory therapists. Our graduates have outstanding critical thinking and bedside care skills. These skills are highly valued by employers across the United States. This tradition continues through an ever-evolving, cutting-edge curriculum and collegial mentoring with our program faculty as well as other college and campus faculty and affiliate organization staff.
Upstate provides a high-quality education through valuable experiences and opportunities. This is possible through our expert faculty, state-of-the-art equipment and classrooms, and excellent clinical experience through our many exceptional clinical affiliates. Program graduates continue to be promoted to and thrive in leadership positions including:
- Educational specialists in hospitals, home care, alternative care, and medical device companies
- Staff supervisors/coordinators
- Directors and mangers of hospital departments, home care companies, alternative care sites, and sleep laboratories
- Faculty in respiratory care educational programs
- Clinical instructors/preceptors in various clinical settings
- Hospital administrators at the presidential and vice-presidential levels
- Cardiopulmonary and pharmaceutical research coordinators
Clinical Education
Upstate Medical University is tied to the only academic medical center in the region. From the first semester, students learn to assess patients and deliver therapies by working in the hospital alongside a Registered Respiratory Therapist.
Our clinical affiliates give students a wide range of opportunities. Students experience pulmonary function testing, sleep laboratory diagnostics, neonatal intensive care support, cystic fibrosis management and assessment of patients in the operating room for intubation.
Our Clinical Affiliates
- Albany Medical Center
- Bassett Medical Center - Mary Imogene Bassett Hospital
- Boston Children's Hospital
- Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
- Crouse Health
- Dept. of Veterans Affairs Medical Center Syracuse NY
- Ellis Medicine
- Glens Falls Hospital
- Guthrie Cortland Medical Center
- Health Quest Systems (Nuvance)
- Highland Hospital
- Kaleida Health, Inc.
- Loretto
- Oneida Healthcare
- Our Lady of Lourdes Memorial Hospital
- Rochester Regional Health
- Rome Memorial Hospital
- Samaritan Medical Center
- St. Joseph’s Health
- St. Peter’s Health Partners Medical Associates
- University of Rochester/Strong Memorial Hospital
- Syracuse Community Health Center
- UHS Chenango Memorial Hospital
- Upstate University Hospital including Community Campus
Mission & Goals
“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).”
“To prepare leaders for the field of respiratory care by including curricular content with objectives related to the acquisition of skills in one or more of the following: management, education, research and advanced clinical practice (which may include an area of clinical specialization).”
Student Learning Outcomes
Expand allKnowledge and Skills Specific to Respiratory Care (CLIN)
Students will:
- Demonstrate competence performing all diagnostic and therapeutic procedures required of a Registered Respiratory Therapist entering the profession.
- Demonstrate entry-level knowledge of respiratory care prior to graduation by successfully completing the National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC) 1 Therapist Multiple Choice (TMC) 2 Self-Assessment Examination before graduation.
- Demonstrate entry-level knowledge and clinical judgment by achieving the NBRC’s high cut score on the TMC examination on the first attempt.1
- Demonstrate advanced-level knowledge and clinical judgment by passing the NBRC Clinical Simulation Examination 3 within six months of graduation.
- Employers will report that all graduates, within their first year of practice, demonstrate entry-level knowledge and competence in performing all diagnostic and therapeutic procedures required of a Registered Respiratory Therapist.
Teaching, Research, and Leadership (TRL)
Students will:
- Demonstrate foundational knowledge of teaching and education as part of the core curriculum.
- Demonstrate foundational knowledge of research principles and methods included in the core curriculum.
- Demonstrate foundational knowledge of leadership and management concepts within the core curriculum.
- Demonstrate advanced expertise in one of the following focus areas through independent study: teaching/education, research, leadership/management, or advanced practice.
Communication Skills (COM)
Students will:
- Demonstrate effective written communication skills.
- Demonstrate effective oral communication skills.
- Communicate effectively with inter-professional teams of varied backgrounds encountered in clinical settings.
- Communicate effectively with diverse patient populations including, but not limited to, individuals of varying ages, abilities, and ethnicities encountered on clinical settings.
- Employers will report that all graduates demonstrate effective communication skills in the clinical settings during the first year following graduation.
Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving Skills (CRIT)
Students will:
- Analyze and evaluate peer-reviewed literature and apply its findings to clinical practice.
- Demonstrate critical thinking skills and problem-solving strategies in patient care settings.
Professionalism and Ethical Behavior (PROF)
- Demonstrate professionalism in accordance with the standards 5 set by
the American Association of Respiratory Care (AARC) 4 during clinical practice. - Demonstrate ethical decision-making skills in clinical environments.
- Demonstrate an understanding of continued professional education.
- Demonstrate a commitment to service within the respiratory care profession and community.
- Employers will report that graduates demonstrate professionalism and ethical behavior during their first year of employment after graduation.
1National Board for Respiratory Care (www.nbrc.org)
2Therapist Multiple-Choice (TMC) Examination (https://www.nbrc.org/examinations/rrt/)
3NBRC Clinical Simulation Examination (https://www.nbrc.org/examinations/cse/)
4American Association for Respiratory Care, Inc. (https://www.aarc.org)
5AARC Statement of Ethics and Professional Conduct (https://www.aarc.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/statement-of-ethics.pdf)
Want to learn more about becoming a Respiratory Therapist?
The American Association for Respiratory Care (AARC) has an excellent resource - Be An RT, which can answer many of your questions.
Have Questions
Need more specifics about the program? Questions about admissions requirements? Contact the College of Health Professions Admissions Counselor:
Wendy MeyerSenior Assistant Director of Admissions
Undergraduate Admissions Advisor
Virtual Information Sessions
The Office of Admissions is conducting virtual information sessions for those who are interested in College of Health Professions programs.