Q: What are the requirements for the Respiratory Care Program?
A: Students requesting the application to the Respiratory Care Program must have the following:
1. Clear criminal background check.
2. High School Diploma or GED
3. Minimum of 2.0 college cumulative grade point average (excluding college preparatory courses)
4. Click to view current prerequisite courses
Q: On what campus are the Respiratory Care courses offered?
A: All Respiratory Care program courses will be offered at the Dale Mabry Campus.
Clinical courses will be offered at hospitals and clinical facilities in the greater Hillsborough County area. The clinical sites are assigned.
Q: What type of experiences will be offered and what is the expected time commitment?
A: Coursework includes classroom, laboratory, and clinical instruction and selected community projects. Both the Basic and the Transition Programs require a full-time commitment.
Classes are held Monday through Friday and are generally between the hours of 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM for classes and 6:30 AM to 7:00 PM for most clinical experiences.
Q: How many credit hours is the program and how long will it take to complete?
A: The student must complete 76 credit hours. The duration of the program for Basic students is six terms and four terms for the Transition student.
Q: How can I obtain an application?
A: Applicants who are new to HCC must complete an application for admission to the College. Students may obtain an HCC application. You can also obtain an application for any Health Science Program.
Q: What are the application deadlines?
A: The deadline for application is May 15 for the following Fall semester.
Q: Are there any additional requirements once a student is accepted into the Respiratory Care Program?
A: Yes. Applicants must:
- have and maintain current American Heart Association BCLS for Healthcare Providers certification.
- have a current physical examination submitted on the Health Sciences Department physical exam form. A licensed physician or a Licensed Nurse Practitioner must complete the form. A copy of the form will be provided during the Respiratory Care program orientation.
- attend orientation. Final acceptance into the program will be contingent upon the student attending the scheduled orientation session. Students will be notified of the time and place in their acceptance letter through their HCC Hawkmail email account. It is usually scheduled for the middle of July.
- pass a drug-screening test and background check.
Q: Can I transfer into the Respiratory Care Program?
A: Yes, but the following policies apply:
No one may transfer into the first term of a restricted access Health Sciences program. Such person must apply and be accepted into the program through the regular admission procedures.
At least 75% of the credit hours applicable to the program course requirements for any restricted access Health Sciences program must be earned in residence at HCC.
The GPA of the prerequisite courses for any transfer student cannot be lower than the lowest GPA of the accepted students in that program of study.
The student must apply in writing to the Dean of Health Sciences at least three months before the semester entering the program. The entry date cannot exceed one calendar year (12 months) from the date of matriculation at the transferring institution.
All transfer students must meet the Final Acceptance Requirements. Contact the Dean of Health Sciences office for more information.
All transfer students must be in good standing in the transferring institution and must present a letter of recommendation from the program administrator of the transferring institution indicating the student’s standing in the program.
For information on transferring into the Respiratory Care Program, contact the Program Manager Gina Ricard at 813.253.7459 or gricard@hccfl.edu.
If you have a CRT credential you may apply for the transitional program and must inform the program manager via email.
Q: What does the program cost?
A: The total cost of the program is approximately $12,000. This includes tuition, books, uniforms, and the NBRC self-assessment exam.
Q: What do I do if I need more information?
A: Contact the Program Manager Gina Ricard at 813.253.7459 or gricard@hccfl.edu