The Respiratory Therapy Program at Monroe County Community College recently received one of the highest forms of recognition an RT associate degree program can receive – the Distinguished Registered Respiratory Therapist Credentialing Success Award.
According to CoARC, the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care, the MCCC RT program is among a very select group of programs to receive the recognition. “This award is presented as part of the CoARC’s continued efforts to value the Registered Respiratory Therapist credential as the standard of professional achievement,” said Dr. Allen Gustin, president of CoARC. “From a program effectiveness perspective, the CoARC views the RRT credential as a measure of a program’s success in inspiring its graduates to achieve their highest educational and professional aspirations.”
The CoARC Board uses objective criteria based on key accreditation metrics documented in the Annual Report of Current Status in selecting programs for the recognition. Programs that attain the Distinguished RRT Credentialing Success Award are required to have three or more years of outcomes data; hold full accreditation; document RRT credentialing success of 90 percent or above; and meet or exceed established CoARC thresholds for certified respiratory therapist credentialing success, retention, on-time graduation rate, and overall employer and graduate satisfaction.
In fact, MCCC’s Respiratory Therapy Program exceeds even the distinguished program standards in nearly every category including:
- 100 percent (average for three years) passage of CRT (80 percent threshold)
- 93 percent (average for three years) retention rate (70 percent threshold)
- 98 percent (average for three years) job placement (10 percent threshold)
- 81 percent (average for three years) on-time graduation rate (70 percent threshold)
- 100 percent (average for three years) employer satisfaction (80 percent threshold)
- 100 percent (average for three years) graduate satisfaction (80 percent threshold)
“While it is not technically one of the required standards for the award, MCCC’s
98 percent (average for three years) passage rate for RRT certification is also testimony to the quality of instruction and professional preparation our students receive,” said Dr. Ijaz Ahmed, director of the RT program at MCCC. “For this reason we are recognized not only by CoARC, but also by our peers across the nation as one of the finest RT programs in the country.”
MCCC’s RT program also has articulation agreements with several four-year universities, which can be an important consideration for students interested in pursuing a bachelor’s degree. “We currently have articulation agreements Eastern Michigan University, University of Toledo and University of Michigan-Flint and we are working to secure more in the near future.”