Respiratory Therapy

Exciting changes for the Respiratory Therapy program! In Fall of 2021, the Respiratory Therapy program changed to a hybrid program where all academic coursework is completed online. Labs and clinicals are completed in-person at medical centers all across Montana. We can now accommodate students from Great Falls, Billings, Bozeman, Kalispell, and surrounding areas. Please contact Advising and Career Center with questions at 406-771-5100.

Respiratory Care is a healthcare specialty that offers a set of unique challenges in prevention, treatment, management, and rehabilitation of people with lung problems. Respiratory Care involves a wide variety of life saving, life supporting situations, working side by side with physicians, nurses, and others on the healthcare team, and treating patients ranging in age from newborns to senior citizens.

The work of respiratory care practitioners, involves the administration of treatments using sophisticated medical equipment to patients with lung disorders such as asthma, emphysema, pneumonia, and bronchitis. The respiratory care practitioner also works as a member of the critical care team, in laboratories, in rehabilitation, and in home care. Excellent judgment, assessment, and communications skills are essential for the respiratory care practitioner.

Problem solving and creative thinking are also essential skills for respiratory care professionals. The curriculum is designed to develop critical thinking and analytical skills including collection and organization of data as well as the ability to develop logical actions based on data analysis.

All RTs help people breathe easier.

They're some of the most tech savvy employees in the job market, and their patients are their top priority. They might work with anesthesiologists to monitor patients' breathing during surgery or help diagnose sleep disorders like apnea. Sometimes they help people kick the tobacco habit, work one-on-one with patients in home health care environments or treat asthma sufferers. Some RTs are "first responders" who provide emergency care to people with lung injuries from fires or other disasters.

A day in the life of an RT might include:

Diagnosing lung and breathing disorders and recommending treatment methods.
Analyzing breath, tissue and blood specimens to determine levels of oxygen and other gases.
Managing therapy to help patients recover lung function.
Monitoring and maintaining mechanical ventilation and artificial airway devices for patients who can't breathe normally on their own.
Conducting smoking cessation classes for their patients and their communities.

Roughly 115,000 health care workers in the United States are respiratory therapists. The demand is growing fast and will keep growing for a long time, so if you decide to become an RT, you'll insulate yourself from a lot of the downsizing your liberal arts and business major friends may have ahead of them.

Day In The Life Of An RT

Catalog Overview

Most people take breathing for granted. It’s second nature, an involuntary reflex. But for the thousands who suffer from breathing problems, each breath is a major accomplishment. Those people include patients with chronic lung problems such as asthma, bronchitis, and emphysema; heart attack and accident victims; premature infants; and people with cystic fibrosis, lung cancer, and AIDS.

In each case the patient will likely receive treatment from a Respiratory Therapist (RT) under the direction of a physician. RTs work to evaluate, treat, and care for patients with breathing disorders. They are a vital part of a hospital’s lifesaving response team that answers patient emergencies.

While most RTs work in hospitals, an increasing number have branched out into alternative care sites, such as nursing homes, physicians’ offices, home health agencies, specialized care hospitals, medical equipment supply companies, and patients’ homes.

RTs perform both diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, such as:

Obtaining and analyzing sputum and breath specimens;
Taking blood specimens and analyzing them to determine levels of oxygen, carbon dioxide, and other gases;
Interpreting data obtained from specimens;
Measuring the capacity of patients' lungs to determine if there is impaired function;
Performing studies on the cardiopulmonary system;
Studying disorders of people with disruptive sleep patterns;
Operating mechanical ventilators for patients who cannot breath adequately;
Delivering inhaled medications and medical gases;
Teaching patients with lung disorders to maintain meaningful and active life systems.

RTs work collaboratively with other healthcare practitioners. Critical thinking and problem solving skills are mandatory for success in this environment. Strong verbal and written communication skills are necessary when interacting with other members of the multidisciplinary health care team as well as the patients and families. Such a role also requires a broad educational background in English composition, communication, and interpersonal relations. Computer literacy is especially important in today’s health care environment.

The RT Program is a two-year program designed to help students develop the knowledge, skills, and professional attitude necessary for a successful career in RT. Upon completion of the AAS degree in RT, graduates will be prepared to begin a career as an Advanced Practitioner RT. Graduates are eligible to take the National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC) Entry Level and the Advanced Practitioner examinations.

The RT program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care.

Information about Great Falls College MSU’s Respiratory Therapy Program is posted on the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC) web site. You can see information about our program by selecting the interactive map of CoARC program data and then Great Falls from the map. Graduate job placement and credentialing success as well as program attrition data for all CoARC accredited program is also posted at this site. Click on Outcomes data from the Annual Report of Current Status. Programs are listed by state.

Local & Online

Full Details

We are so excited to be able to meet students where they live and offer our classes to more Montanans with our respiratory therapy distance hybrid style program. This will help you earn your degree and earn employment while helping to fill combat the shortage of respiratory therapists across the state and nation. In this delivery method, there is a combination of online learning activities where one or more types of technologies are used to deliver instruction to students who are separated from the instructor in space and time.

Academic course content such as lectures, quizzes, and exams will be available online asynchronously, meaning students are required to work through this material according to the course schedule, but the content is available to you 24/7. This is designed to allow students flexibility yet ensure that learning outcomes are achieved. Additionally, students are required to attend weekly live online sessions with faculty and other students. These live sessions will be “zoom” style meetings and will be used for Q&A’s, content review, program updates, and reminders as necessary. The times of these sessions will vary.
Clinical and laboratory attendance is required according to the schedule designed by faculty and the local clinical sites. The days, hours, and locations of these sessions will vary but an advance schedule will be provided to allow students to plan accordingly. Full details of clinical and lab sessions will be provided once students are in the program. In general, students should expect to be in a lab session at a local clinic around three hours per week and in a clinical session 2-3 days a week with varying times. Labs begin the first semester and Clinical the second semester.

The Local (clinical) and Online (classwork) components of this program allow students to become a Respiratory Therapist where they live and offers flexibility in learning times to accommodate busy lives. However, this type of learning requires a great level of self-control, motivation and dedication to their studies and schedule. Make no mistake, this is a FULL-TIME commitment, and students should expect to spend a minimum of 40 hours per week working on coursework and clinical sessions, usually more.

In addition to the amount of time students are investing in their education, participating in this distance program means they also have to take the initiative to establish connections with the community for their clinical locations. They must be resilient in an environment that requires them to self-advocate, be vocal about their needs and be self-motivated to arrange what they need in order to succeed.

The face-to-face component of the program is utilized for the lab and clinical where the students must be in a clinical facility with an identified preceptor. Additionally, due to the distance nature of the program, reliable and high-quality technology and computer competency are necessary. Students in this program must have:

a reliable computer
easily accessible and reliable high-speed internet
quick adaptability to technology
have a wireless mobile device with network and GPS functionality

Selecting a Clinical Site

Great Falls College has existing agreements with regional clinical facilities that you may work with in the following communities:

Great Falls
Billings
Bozeman
Kalispell/Whitefish

In addition, students may attend labs and clinical in other communities either in part or full depending on that facility's ability to provide the level of competency required by the program. For example, a student living in Butte, Lewistown, Helena, Anaconda, Sidney, Wolf Point, Glendive, Cody or any other community may be able to complete portions of their clinical courses locally but will require travel and lodging to attend a regional medical facility to complete adult and neonatal critical care training and specialty care rotations.

For more detailed information on the Local & Online aspects of the program, contact Melissa Wells at melissa.wells1@gfcmsu.edu..

Employment Data

Job Title	Average Wage	Annual Job Openings	Expected Growth
Respiratory Therapist	MT: $65,060 US: $70,540	MT: 32 US: 9,400	MT: 24.4% US: 13.5%

Career Opportunities

Respiratory Therapists have the opportunity to work in an incredibly rewarding career where they help others with their health care needs. RTs are critical to the delivery of quality healthcare in hospitals, clinics and private practice settings, to name a few options.

Demand continues to grow across Montana and the United States for educated and highly skilled respiratory professionals. Students graduating from the Great Falls College MSU Respiratory Therapy program have the opportunity to help others, make a difference in healthcare delivery, earn competitive wages, grow and advance professionally. The RT program at Great Falls College MSU prepares students to take and pass the national credentialing exams (NBRC) and enter the workforce ready to work and make a difference. Once the NBRC exam is successfully passed, a graduate may be eligible to apply for licensure in any of the 50 states, U.S. territories and Canada in some circumstances.

Career Opportunities

Why Choose Great Falls College MSU's Respiratory Therapist Program?

Graduates are prepared to:

Practice as a registered RT in the healthcare delivery system.
Comply with the standards-of-practice and ethical code of the American Association for Respiratory Care.
Apply critical thinking and problem solving skills to patient care.
Demonstrate effective verbal and written communication as well as good interpersonal skills.
Safely and correctly utilize current technology and equipment in the practice of Respiratory Care.

What Our Graduates Say

"I can honestly say that going through the RT program changed my life for the better! I went into the program at the suggestion of my parents, who were tired of me working minimum wage jobs (two or three at a time), and living in their house, basically being irresponsible and refusing to grow up! While I can't say I have been thrilled with the "growing up" part, I learned responsibility as well as job skills I will have to fall back on for the rest of my life.

While I do not currently practice in the RT field, it is my past RT experience and education that led to my current position as Compliance Officer for General Distributing Company. I also keep my license current, and keep abreast of current trends in RT, so that some day I can return to the profession.

While practicing as an RT, I was an active member in the AARC, and the MSRC, even serving as MSRC president. This was a truly valuable experience that taught me many skills to be used in other aspects of life.

The rewarding feeling you get from caring for your patients and earning the trust of them, as well as their families, and going home each day knowing you have improved the quality of life for even one person, is a feeling that can not be replaced."

- Tavi Townsend, RRT - Compliance Officer, General Distributing Company
"Great Falls College MSU-COT has a terrific respiratory therapy program. Following graduation I spent my first 5 years working in critical care and on the flight team and have been working as a Pulmonary Rehabilitation Specialist at Deaconess Billings Clinic for the past several years. 2 years of specialized education in respiratory therapy made it possible to have a challenging and rewarding career with a great income.even in MT. It also helped me develop lasting personal and professional relationships."

- Christine Stanish, RRT
"Montana State University - College of Technology's Respiratory Care Program provided a highly organized and structured agenda to meet the requirements I needed to become an excellent therapist. Throughout this two-year program the primary focus was to teach in a method that enabled me as a student to pass the certification and registry on a first time basis. In addition, the layout of the clinical rotations allowed me to see exactly what I needed to accomplish within a given semester. In comparing the MSU program to colleges on the east coast, I think I was much more prepared to meet the challenges of the medical field than students I teach at Concord Hospital. I like to think of MSU-COT RCP program as a great example for other colleges to follow to ensure the students get a quality education.

MSU-COT Respiratory Care program has so much to offer for students looking for a quality education in Respiratory Therapy. I love a challenge and this was certainly an excellent foundation to build my knowledge of the medical field. Furthermore, I liked the fact that the student to teacher ratio was small so the professor was available to answer questions and overall it's a fun place to learn."

- Gayleen R. Bedwell, B.A., RRT - Respiratory Therapist - Concord Hospital, Concord, New Hampshire
"Great Falls College MSU-COT has a terrific respiratory therapy program. Following graduation I spent my first 5 years working in critical care and on the flight team and have been working as a Pulmonary Rehabilitation Specialist at Deaconess Billings Clinic for the past several years. 2 years of specialized education in respiratory therapy made it possible to have a challenging and rewarding career with a great income.even in MT. It also helped me develop lasting personal and professional relationships."

- Christine Stanish, RRT
"Montana State University - College of Technology's Respiratory Care Program provided a highly organized and structured agenda to meet the requirements I needed to become an excellent therapist. Throughout this two-year program the primary focus was to teach in a method that enabled me as a student to pass the certification and registry on a first time basis. In addition, the layout of the clinical rotations allowed me to see exactly what I needed to accomplish within a given semester. In comparing the MSU program to colleges on the east coast, I think I was much more prepared to meet the challenges of the medical field than students I teach at Concord Hospital. I like to think of MSU-COT RCP program as a great example for other colleges to follow to ensure the students get a quality education.

MSU-COT Respiratory Care program has so much to offer for students looking for a quality education in Respiratory Therapy. I love a challenge and this was certainly an excellent foundation to build my knowledge of the medical field. Furthermore, I liked the fact that the student to teacher ratio was small so the professor was available to answer questions and overall it's a fun place to learn."

- Gayleen R. Bedwell, B.A., RRT - Respiratory Therapist - Concord Hospital, Concord, New Hampshire

Figure Out Your Finances

Respiratory Therapy Program Estimated Costs

Estimated Resident Program Cost^*

Estimated Resident Program Cost
Item	Cost
Tuition and Fees	$8,829
Course Fees	$405
Program Fee	$316
Books/Supplies	$2,311
Total	$11,892

*: Fall 2023 MUS Student Health Insurance Premiums may be changing. Please check the Health Insurance website and/or Student Central for confirmed premium rates. Students will be charged an additional fee of $21 per credit for online/hybrid courses for only Summer 2023.

Figure Out Your Finances

Students seeking federal financial aid (which includes grants and loans) must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) which online at fafsa.ed.gov. As a result of completing a FAFSA, an applicant will receive a federal Student Aid Report (SAR) in the mail or online. An electronic version of the SAR is automatically sent to the schools listed on the FAFSA. To list Great Falls College MSU, use our school code: 009314.

Students applying for financial aid may also be required to provide proper federal income tax information, completed verification materials, and any other information requested by the Financial Aid Office. Students must apply for financial aid annually.

Assistance is available to prospective students applying for financial aid. In addition, financial aid counseling for new students is an integral part of the admissions and orientation process. Once enrolled, students may receive counseling and assistance as needed. For assistance, please call 406-771-4334, or write to the Financial Aid Office, Great Falls College MSU, 2100 16th Ave S, Great Falls, MT 59405, or email finaid@gfcmsu.edu.

Great Falls College MSU also offers a wide variety of different scholarships to assist you in paying for your college. To view a list of current scholarship offerings, please see our scholarship page.

Explore Course Lists

Respiratory Therapy Program Requirements

Many students need preliminary math, science, and writing courses before enrolling in the program requirements. These courses may increase the total number of program credits. Students should review their math and writing placement before planning out their full program schedules.

The Great Falls College Respiratory Therapy Program is a limited enrollment program, accepting a restricted number of students each year. Interested students are urged to contact the Respiratory Therapy Program Director or Advising and Career Center Advisors for student advising specific to admission requirements and criteria for program acceptance.

Prerequisite Courses

Background in basic science and math is essential to prepare applicants to succeed in the RT Program.

Recommended (not required) courses:

Course List
Code	Title	Credits
BIOM 250	Microbiology for Health Sciences w/ Lab ^*	4
AHMS 144	Medical Terminology	3
CHMY 121	Intro to General Chem w/Lab ^**	4

Science courses with labs must be completed within five (5) years of application to the program, and other courses must be completed within 15 years of applying to the program.

Prior to formal program acceptance, the applicant must successfully complete all of the program prerequisites with a minimum grade of C-.

Prerequisite Courses

Course List
Code	Title	Credits
BIOH 201	Human Anatomy Phys I w/ Lab (= 301) ^**,+	4
BIOH 211	Human Anatomy Phys II w/ Lab (=311) ^*,+	4
NOTE: UM Western students may substitute BIOB 160, BIOH 365 & BIOH 370 for GFC MSU BIOH 201 & BIOH 211. All 3 classes are required and must have a grade of C or higher (not C-) within the last 5 years of application.
WRIT 101	College Writing I ^**,+	3
Select one of the following:
M 121	College Algebra ^**,+	3
M 140	College Math for Healthcare ^**,+	3
M 151	Precalculus ^**,+	4
M 171	Calculus I ^**,+	4
STAT 216	Introduction to Statistics ^**,+	4
NOTE: For transfer students, M 115 Probability and Linear Math will be accepted.
Subtotal		14-15

+: A grade of C- or above is required for graduation.
*: Indicates prerequisites needed.
**: Placement in course(s) is determined by placement assessment.

Program Course Requirements After Formal Acceptance

The courses below are to be taken in the order that they are listed. Admission into the RT Program and completion of the previous semester are required.

A grade of C- or above must be earned in all required courses to continue in and graduate from the program. CPR certification is a prerequisite for entrance into clinical courses. Each student is required to sign a clinical contract defining their professional responsibilities and behavior.

Plan of Study Grid
First Year
Fall		Credits
AHRC 150	Respiratory Care Laboratory I ^*,+	1
AHRC 152	Respiratory Care ^*,+	3
AHRC 155	Respiratory Physiology ^*,+	3
AHRC 170	Respiratory Care Techniques and Procedures I ^*,+	5
AHRC 254	Pulmonary Assessment ^*,+	3
	Credits	15
Spring
AHRC 140	Respiratory Care Clinic I ^*,+	4
AHRC 160	Pharmacology for Respiratory Diseases ^*,+	2
AHRC 171	Respiratory Care Techniques and Procedures II ^*,+	5
AHRC 180	Ventilator Management ^*,+	3
AHRC 250	Respiratory Care Laboratory II ^*,+	1
	Credits	15
Second Year
Fall
AHRC 240	Respiratory Care Clinic III ^*,+	5
AHRC 245	Respiratory Care Clinical Seminar I ^*,+	1
AHRC 251	Hemodynamic Monitoring ^*,+	4
AHRC 262	Neonatal Respiratory Care ^*,+	3
ECP 212	Advanced Cardiac Life Support ^*,+	1
	Credits	14
Spring
AHRC 241	Respiratory Care Clinic IV ^*,+	5
AHRC 246	Respiratory Care Clinical Seminar II ^*,+	1
AHRC 264	Alternate Sites for Respiratory Care ^*,+	2
ECP 222	OB/Neonate/Pediatrics Lab and NRP and PALS ^*,+	2
Select one of the following:
COMX 115	Introduction to Interpersonal Communication ⁺	3
PSYX 100	Introduction to Psychology ⁺	3
PSYX 230	Developmental Psychology ⁺	3
	Credits	13
	Total Credits	57

TOTAL PROGRAM CREDITS: 71-72

+: A grade of C- or above is required for graduation.
*: Indicates prerequisites needed.
**: Placement in course(s) is determined by placement assessment.

Application Deadlines

Program Admission Process

The Respiratory Therapist Program Admissions Committee reviews application packets and uses established admissions criteria to rank applicants for admission. The Application Evaluation form used by the committee is enclosed. Criteria for selection emphasize academic performance in prerequisite course work and previous education.

The priority deadline for applications to the Respiratory Therapist Program is May 12, 2023. Completed Program Application Packets may be hand delivered to Health Science Program Assistant at the College or mailed to the College.

Contact Information

Health Science Administrative Assistant
Room R227
406.771.4350

Mailing Address

Respiratory Therapy Program Admissions Committee
Attention: Respiratory Therapy Program
Great Falls College MSU
2100 16th Avenue South
Great Falls, MT 59405

Please send all application items as a completed packet. Items sent separately and at random are easily lost or misfiled. We are not responsible for any late, lost or misfiled information. Please only send required documentation as other supplemental items will be discarded.
Priority Application Due Date: May 12, 2023
It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure that all requirements are met by the established deadline. Deadlines, guidelines, and policies apply equally to all students; thus, there can be no exceptions.
Great Falls College MSU’s Respiratory Therapist Program does not maintain a waiting list. Applicants must reapply each year.

Respiratory Program Application

Certification/Accreditation

Information about Great Falls College MSU’s Respiratory Therapist Program is posted on the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC) web site, https://coarc.com/students/programmatic-outcomes-data/. You can see information about our program by selecting interactive map of CoARC program data and then Great Falls from the map. Graduate job placement, and credentialing success as well as program attrition data for all CoARC accredited program is also posted at this site. Click on Outcomes data from the Annual Report of Current Status. Programs are listed by state.

The Associate of Applied Science Program in Respiratory Therapy at Great Falls College - Montana State University (#200327), is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (www.coarc.com).

The Board of Respiratory Care Practitioners:

The Board of Respiratory Care Practitioners are the licensing authority for the State of Montana.

Professional Association

The American Association for Respiratory Care (AARC) encourages students and graduates to become members and participate in national and state meetings. The AARC's aim is to foster professional growth, encourage research, and provide services and representation to its members. Further information may be obtained from the national office.

Earn Your Bachelor's

RRT-BS Degree Advancement Program (Online)

Great Falls College MSU Respiratory Therapist Program has teamed up with Boise State University to help you seamlessly finish up your Bachelors of Science in Respiratory Therapy after you complete your degree here at MSU.

There are some things you will want to know about degree advancement early in your time with us here at MSU so please visit the Boise State Degree Advancement Program for information about what you can do now to take the first step towards your BSRT degree and then schedule a meeting with your program faculty to discuss this important next step.