Associate of Science (AS) Degree in Respiratory Care

Gwynedd Mercy University is a distinguished respiratory therapist school and has one of the best respiratory therapy programs in PA.

Our students have a 100% pass rate on the Certified Respiratory Therapist exam (administered by the National Board for Respiratory Care) and 100% pass rate on the Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) exam.

In 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020, the program has been recognized by the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC) to receive the Distinguished RRT Credentialing Success Award with a 90+% pass rate over the 3-year cycle.

The program is fully accredited as a Base Program for entry into Respiratory Care Professional Practice by the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care, www.coarc.com.* 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 School CoARC number is 200274.

Gwynedd Mercy University is proud to offer educational opportunities unrivaled to other Associate of Science in Respiratory Care programs in PA.

*To register a complaint, please contact: Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC) https://coarc.com/students/complaint-process/

In just three years, you can:

• Receive an Associate Degree in Respiratory Care
• Attain the program goal of acquiring the knowledge, skills and professional behaviors to practice as a competent, caring and compassionate health care practitioner
• Be eligible to sit for the NBRC Therapist Multiple Choice Examination and the NBRC Clinical Simulation Examination
• Apply for a temporary permit from the State of Pennsylvania (or other state agency) and secure temporary employment as a graduate therapist
  • Your temporary permit becomes a permanent license once you successfully complete the NBRC Therapist Multiple Choice Examination at the designated level
  • After completion of the NBRC Therapist Multiple Choice Examination at the designated level, you will be eligible to sit the NBRC Clinical Simulation Examination and secure the title of Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) -- the highest level credential of professional practice.

In your program, you will:

• Gain hands-on experience from clinical specialists at world-renowned health care institutions
• Benefit from our low student-faculty ratios (16:1 in the classroom setting and 8:1 in the laboratory)
• Work with junior and senior respiratory care students serving as tutors and mentors 
• Make the most of GMercyU’s 21 regional health care affiliations 
• Have the flexibility to extend your studies by one year for a BS degree in Respiratory Care and greater employment opportunities
• Learn in GMercyU’s state-of-the-art Respiratory Care Laboratory with the latest technology, including a broad array of equipment, models, mannequins, and simulators

The Role of a Respiratory Therapist

As a respiratory therapist, you’ll use a combination of physical examination and sophisticated technology to diagnose and treat patients with cardiopulmonary disorders. You will learn to administer oxygen therapy, deliver inhaled medications, and initiate and monitor patients on life support, such as mechanical ventilators. This fulfilling work can take you to a variety of settings, from hospitals to home care, and provides the opportunity to work with patients of all ages, from neonatal to elderly.

Undergraduate Minors

Increase the value of your associates in respiratory therapy degree by adding an undergraduate minor. GMercyU offers a wide variety of minors so you can choose the one that best meets your personal and professional goals.