Respiratory Therapy

Respiratory care is a diagnostic and therapeutic healthcare specialty utilizing technologically advanced equipment and medical procedures to assess and treat patients with both acute and chronic dysfunction of the cardiopulmonary system. Respiratory Care Practitioners have demanding responsibilities related to patient care and serve as vital members of the healthcare workforce by applying broad knowledge of the pathophysiology of the cardiopulmonary system and the complex procedures required to properly diagnose and treat patients; from the very young to the very old.

Student in front of Simulation Center mannequin

Respiratory Therapy at Salisbury University

Find out how SU's respiratory therapy program invests in you to give you the best education possible.

Our Academic Program

The program leads to the Bachelor of Science in respiratory therapy, preparing highly trained health care practitioners who administer care to patients with disorders of the cardiopulmonary system.

Learn more about the Respiratory Therapy major.

Meet the Respiratory Therapy Program faculty.

The current emphasis of the American Association for Respiratory Care is to move toward requiring a baccalaureate degree to enter into the profession of respiratory care. Salisbury’s program is nicely poised to support this and, in doing so, provides excellent career opportunities for students.

Lisa Joyner Program Chair

Program Information

Salisbury University’s School of Health Sciences offers a professional program leading to a Bachelor of Science in Respiratory Therapy. The program is designed to prepare graduates for entry into the profession of respiratory care, a specialized area of healthcare grounded in pulmonary medicine and focused on the assessment and therapeutic management of patients with cardiopulmonary disorders across the lifespan.

The program defines minimal expectations to prepare competent respiratory therapists and emerging leaders in the field of respiratory care by including curricular content with clearly defined objectives related to the acquisition of skills in one or more of the following areas: management, education, research, and advanced clinical practice, which may include areas of clinical specialization.

In accordance with accreditation standards, students must graduate from a program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC) to be eligible for national credentialing examinations. Graduates must successfully pass these examinations and, in most states, obtain licensure to practice as respiratory therapists.

Admission to the Program
Admission to the Salisbury University respiratory therapy program is competitive. Admission standards include the following:
1. Enrollment in the respiratory therapy major is a two-step process: first admission to the University and second, submission of the Application for Admission for entry into the respiratory therapy program by February 10. Admission to the University does not guarantee acceptance to begin upper-division respiratory therapy courses.
2. Successfully complete the following prerequisite courses with a grade of “C” or better:
  - BIOL 215
  - BIOL 215
  - RESP 210
  - CHEM 121
  - HLSC 301
  - HLSC 201
  - BIOL 211
  - MATH 155
3. A GPA of 2.5 is required for admission but does not guarantee admission. Priority for admission into the professional program is given to students with the highest cumulative grade point average from all institutions.
Program Policies
- The program follows a cohort model that requires all students to be enrolled full time for two academic years.
- The courses in the respiratory therapy curriculum are sequenced, with each semester’s courses a prerequisite for the succeeding semester. If a student earns a grade less than ‘C’ in any respiratory therapy program didactic or clinical course, the student’s progress in the program is halted. You must submit a resubmission form. Progression in the subsequent year is not guaranteed and is based on seat availability in the program.
- A student may repeat a respiratory therapy course ONE time. Therefore, if a student earns a grade of less than “C” in any more than one course with a RESP prefix they will be dismissed from the respiratory program.
Programmatic Outcomes Data: Annual Report of Current Status
CoARC Accreditation
The Respiratory Therapy Program number: 200322 is accredited by CoARC, the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care.
- The CoARC’s main webpage
“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.”
- The CoARC’s outcomes webpage

1 Only Maryland Baccalaureate RT Program
5 Simulation Training Manikins
23 Required Courses

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