Respiratory Therapy

General Information 
To better enable individuals to validate the course competencies required for admission into the Muskegon Community College (MCC) Respiratory Therapy Program, and to enhance their chance for success, the following high school educational preparation is recommended: 

• Biology: 1 unit 

• Chemistry: 1 unit 

• General Math: 1 unit 

• Algebra: 2 units 

• English: 3-4 units 

Counseling services are available to assist students in career and educational planning in Room 1050, or call (231) 777-0362. Prospective students are strongly advised to make an appointment with the Respiratory Therapy Department in Room 2090, or call (231) 777-0223. 

Individuals interested in pursuing admission are advised to apply by April 1^st of each year, as spaces are limited to 30 students. Potential students must apply and be accepted to Muskegon Community College and must also apply to the Respiratory Therapy Program separately. A new class starts each Fall semester. When applicants complete the required pre-requisites, they are placed on a ready list. Students who have completed the required pre-requisites and the general education courses (or non-Respiratory Therapy courses), will be given preference into the program over those students who have not done so. Any applicants remaining after the available spaces are filled will need to re-apply for admission for the following year. Students who are notified of admission may defer admission once but will need to re-apply for the following year. 

MCC also accepts students from Grand Valley State University (GVSU) who have met the GVSU and MCC RT Program requirements. 

Applicants with prior post-secondary respiratory education are candidates for advanced placement admission into the Muskegon Community College Respiratory Therapy Program. Admission requirements: 

• Submit a completed Muskegon Community College Admission Application. (Online at www.muskegoncc.edu) 

• Submit a completed Muskegon Community College Respiratory Therapy Program Admission Application

• Meet with the Director of Respiratory Therapy. Room 2090-B or call (231) 777-0389. 

• Meet all generic admission entry level requirements. 

• Submit official evidence of prior post-secondary Respiratory Therapy education. 

• Validate competency in the required Respiratory Therapy and non-Respiratory Therapy courses, up to the point of placement, on established competency examinations. 

• Submit a completed Muskegon Community College Admission Application. 
  (Online at muskegoncc.edu) 

• Submit a completed Muskegon Community College Respiratory Therapy Program Admission Application.

• Submit official evidence of high school graduation or successful completion of the General Education Development (GED) tests. Enrollment Services, Room 1043, or call (231) 777-0366 

• Students must be able to meet the Program Technical Standards (www.) muskegoncc.edu/pages2283.asp), pass a criminal background check and drug screen, and provide immunization records. (need to provide the correct inks to these, but I need help) 

• The following courses, or their transferred equivalencies, are required to be completed and passed prior to starting the RT courses: ENG-101 English Composition, Math-100H Math for Health Sciences, BIOL-152L&L Anatomy, BIOL-252 L&L Physiology, CHEM-109 Chemistry for Health Sciences L&L or CHEM-100 Fundamentals of Chemistry L&L, and AH- 101 Medical Terminology, (which can be taken in the Fall semester of entry into the Respiratory Therapy Program). 

Credits for courses completed at Muskegon Community College or other post-secondary educational institutions will be accepted toward fulfillment of the Respiratory Therapy curriculum requirements provided all the following criteria are met: 

• The courses are deemed equivalent to the courses required in the Respiratory Therapy curriculum. 

• The courses were completed with a minimum grade of “C” (2.0). 

Official transcripts from institutions other than Muskegon Community College should be sent to the Office of the Registrar for credit evaluation Room 1048J, or call (231) 777-0310. 

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Progression and Retention 
To progress, students in the Muskegon Community College Respiratory Therapy Program must attain a minimum grade of “C” (2.0) in each science and Respiratory Therapy course in each semester of the Respiratory Therapy curriculum. Students failing to meet this requirement will be dismissed. Students are strongly advised to complete all non-RT courses before the Fall semester when they enter the Program. Failure to do so could extend the student’s expected completion date or prevent them from entering the Program. 

Students may apply for readmission providing they meet all general education and course competency requirements and have not repeated a Respiratory Therapy course more than once. When readmission requirements have been met, the student will be readmitted according to availability of space in the program. This does not guarantee a student a seat in the program simply because they re-apply. Failure to attain a passing grade in a repeated Respiratory Therapy course will render student’s ineligible for readmission. For the full Readmission Policy, visit the RT website or the link listed. In all instances where a student is considering readmission, the student must meet with the Program Director to determine eligibility.

RT Program-Re-admission-Policy 

To be eligible for graduation from the Respiratory Therapy Program, students must meet all the following requirements: 

1. Complete the Respiratory Therapy curriculum requirements for the degree with a minimum grade point of 2.0. 

2. Complete not fewer than the last 15 credit hours required in the Respiratory Therapy curriculum at Muskegon Community College. 

3. File an application for graduation at the beginning of the semester of the anticipated graduation. 

Students in the Muskegon Community College Respiratory Therapy Program are required to have a health status evaluation (a physical), done by a licensed health practitioner prior to beginning the first clinical RT course. Each student admitted into the program will be given specific health information requirements during a mandatory orientation. Along with the health requirements each student will be given instructions for obtaining a required Drug Screen. A student must have a clean drug screen to remain in the program. Random drug screens may be administered at any time throughout the program. Since all students will be in clinical rotations throughout various hospitals, it is recognized they may come in contact with various organisms in the environment that can cause illness. Therefore, a strict immunization and health policy is followed. 

Muskegon Community College provides a 28-month program which began in 1980. It prepares advanced practitioners who can earn an Associate of Applied Science Degree (AAS). This program is fully accredited by the Commision on Accreditation for Respiratory Care, or CoARC (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 outcomes data for the MCC program (#200329), can be reached by accessing the following webpage: https://coarc.com/students/programmatic-outcomes-data/. The outcomes data for the Munson Medical Center Program (program #300016) can be reached by accessing the following webpage: https://coarc.com/students/programmatic-outcomes-data/. 

The Muskegon Community College Respiratory Therapy Program, 221 S. Quarterline Road Muskegon, MI 49442, is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care. 

Job opportunities are growing and expanding dramatically in Respiratory Care. The hospital is the primary workplace for Respiratory Care Practitioners but increasing numbers are being employed in the growing area of home health care. Additionally, employment opportunities can be found in outpatient and rehabilitative clinics, education, research, medical equipment manufacturing and sales. Graduates from this program are being hired in the Muskegon, Grand Rapids and Traverse City areas but can find employment through a variety of national classified ad publications. Median Pay is approximately $33.91 per hour (2022). The Job Outlook for Respiratory Therapy is expected to be “faster than average” from 2022-2032. Click here for the Job Outlook. 

Munson Medical Center

NMC Welcome Center

Thank you for your interest in Respiratory Care. Muskegon Community College (MCC) is pleased to be a partner with Northwestern Michigan College (NMC) and Munson Medical Center to offer a collaborative program leading to an Associate in Applied Science Degree (AAS) in Respiratory Therapy. This program is offered in Traverse City. All liberal arts and science courses can be taken through NMC, while all respiratory classes will be offered at Munson Medical Center via live interactive television from Muskegon Community College. This program is fully accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC). 

The Respiratory Therapy program begins each fall semester. Enrollment in the program is based on the student meeting the following criteria: overall GPA of 2.0 and completing all required pre-requisites. Students who have completed the non-RT courses will be given preference over those who have not completed the requirements. Class size is 6-8 students in the Munson Medical Center interactive classroom. 

After completing two years and a semester of instruction, the therapist student receives an Associate in Applied Science Degree (AAS) from Muskegon Community College. The student must pass the advanced practical examination given by the National Board for Respiratory Care to receive credentials.  

Application and Registration Procedures for NMC Students 

Students interested in pursuing a degree in Traverse City for Respiratory Therapy from Muskegon Community College should follow these guidelines for application. 

1. Apply to Northwestern Michigan College (NMC). Applications are available by calling Admissions at 231-995-1054 or by visiting www.nmc.edu/admissions 

2. Meet with the Respiratory Therapy Advisor, Tamella Livengood, MSN FNP-BC to complete your Educational Development plan for Pre RT-Program and your Liberal Arts and Sciences at NMC. 

3. Complete the required pre-requisites for admission to the Respiratory Therapy program at Muskegon Community College. 

4. Apply for Admission to Muskegon Community College and the Respiratory Therapy Program by completing the online application form. 

5. If interested, contact Duane Croel, RRT at Munson Medical Center for the opportunity to job shadow a Respiratory Therapist. 

Contact Information: 

Northwestern Michigan College 

• Tamela Livengood, MSN FNP-BC 
  Director of Nursing & Allied Health 
  (231) 995-1242 
  tlivengood@nmc.edu 

• Margaret Fox 
  Health Occupations Office Manager 
  mfox@nmc.edu 

Munson Medical Center 

• Duane Croel, BSRT, RRT 
  Clinical Coordinator – Respiratory Care 
  (231) 935-2433 
  dcroel@mhc.net 

Muskegon Community College 

• Debbie Grube MSM, RRT 
  Director, Respiratory Therapy 
  (231) 777-0389 
  grubed@muskegoncc.edu 

• Chris Nowak 
  Administrative Assistant 
  (231) 777-0223 
  chris.nowak@muskegoncc.edu