Respiratory Care

Application to the college and program are to be completed on the college website at www.ecc.edu.  Applications are processed on a continuous basis and students are encouraged to apply early. Applicants are selected in the spring semester for the following fall start. Due to the competitive nature of the program, applicants are ranked based on their academic history and preparation. Once a student applies, they should contact the Respiratory Care department for further information and advisement.

Coursework older than ten years and (P-pass) or (S-satisfactory) grades will not be transferred, and any SUNY Erie Community College course older than ten years will not be accepted or used in the ranking of the applicant. Courses with grades less than C will not be transferred, and any SUNY ECC course with a grade less than C will not be accepted or used in the ranking of an applicant. There is no advanced placement based on work, previous college
credits or otherwise.

Because of the competitive nature of the program and the number of applicants, most students complete most, if not all, the general education courses prior to beginning the professional coursework. Applicants who do not meet minimum requirements will be individually advised to improve their academic success. This path provides an opportunity to meet program requirements and improve ranking. Students may begin this option at any time, spring, summer or fall semester. The Respiratory Care Program faculty will act as the student’s adviser along the way. Acceptance to begin Respiratory Care Program coursework will be based on a student’s academic success and space availability.

Clinical Experiences:

• the program utilizes many clinical affiliates throughout Western New York
• students will be assigned to several clinical sites throughout the educational experience
• students must provide his/her own transportation to clinical affiliates
• students must purchase uniforms and other specific equipment prior to clinical coursework
• students must provide evidence of updated required immunizations and a completed physical exam ensuring that they are in good physical and mental health and are capable of completing the requirements of the clinical part of the program
• students must maintain current CPR certification throughout their clinical experience
• students in the program may be subjected to drug testing and criminal background checks at their own expense; failure to meet clinical site requirements may preclude completion of the Respiratory Care Program
• students will never be used as a substitute for clinical, instructional, or administrative staff and cannot receive any form of payment for patient care provided while acting as a student during a clinical course period

Licensure Compliance Statement: Erie Community College, Respiratory
Care Program

SUNY Erie Community College Respiratory Care curriculum and its program of study meets the educational requirements by the Board of Regents in New York State to award an associate in applied science degree (AAS) with a major in Respiratory Care. Graduates are then eligible to take the National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC) credentialing exams required to become a Respiratory Therapist.

“Effective July 1, 2024, federal regulation requires institutions of higher education to make a determination whether a Title IV eligible academic program that leads to professional licensure or certification meets the educational requirements for licensure/certification in the U.S. State  where the institution is located and the U.S. States where “distance education” students are located at the time of initial enrollment in the program, as well as U.S. States where the program is advertised as meeting such requirements, and if applicable, the U.S. State where students attest they intend to be licensed. The Respiratory Care program at Erie Community College is registered by the New York State Education Department and thus meets the educational requirements for licensure for New York State.

Through a good faith effort, and for the purpose of complying with the federal regulation, we have determined that the Respiratory Care program at Erie Community College meets the educational requirements for licensure in all U.S. States that require licensure for Respiratory Therapists; however, it is important to note that Erie Community College is not the licensure authority in these U.S. States and cannot assess whether an individual candidate will be issued a license in these U.S. States and instead it is incumbent on each individual candidate to contact the licensure/certification authority in the applicable U.S. State for any further guidance on the requirements for licensure requirements and application processes.

The SUNY Erie Community College North Campus Respiratory Care Program (program #200130) offers an AAS degree and is accredited by the: Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care. www.coarc.com 
 
The Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (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. Our program outcomes can be found at: www.coarc.com/students/programmatic-outcomes-data/