Home to approximately 12,000 students, Trident Technical College is a public, two-year institution in Charleston. The college's respiratory therapy program culminates in an Associate of Applied Science degree. To enroll in the program, students must have a high school diploma and take a placement test or submit scores from a college admission test like the ACT or SAT. Admission is competitive, and qualified students are accepted on a first-registered, first-admitted basis. The program requires six semesters of full-time study to finish, and students can typically complete all of the requirements in two calendar years by continuing their coursework during the summer months. Courses required for the degree include medical terminology, anatomy, pharmacology, pediatrics, hemodynamic monitoring, infant and pediatric therapy and microbiology. Each semester, students complete one clinical rotation at area hospitals and medical centers. In addition to federal and state financial aid programs, Trident offers a limited number of work-study placements and institutional scholarships. Job placement assistance is available.
Trident Technical College
P.O. Box 118067
Charleston, SC 29423
843-574-6111
tridenttech.edu
Located in Columbia, Midlands Technical College offers more than 100 programs for its 15,000 degree-seeking students and 30,000 continuing education students. Before entering the professional phase of the college's respiratory therapy associate degree program, students must complete prerequisites in a variety of courses, including English, math, anatomy and natural sciences. Students can complete the prerequisites on a full or part-time basis and receive a certificate in pre-respiratory therapy upon completion. With the certificate, students can then transfer to a four-year school to complete their respiratory therapy training or apply for the professional phase at Midlands. Those who choose the later option complete two years of full-time coursework and clinical experiences at Columbia-area hospitals. Eligible students can participate in state and federal loan and grant, private lending, veteran's benefits, scholarship and work-study financial aid programs while attending Midlands. The Career Services Center provides job placement assistance.
Midlands Technical College
P.O. Box 2408
Columbia, SC 29202
803-738-8324
midlandstech.edu
Greenville Technical College is in the city of Greenville and has an enrollment of more than 15,000 degree-seeking and 21,000 continuing-education students. The college's Associate of Applied Science degree program in respiratory therapy begins with one year of pre-professional coursework in anatomy, statistics, computer science, composition, microbiology, public speaking and psychology. After completing the prerequisites, students enter the professional phase, studying pharmacology, pathophysiology and newborn and pediatric care. Five clinical rotations are mandatory for graduation, and most students can complete the professional degree requirements with just five semesters of full-time study. Federal and state financial aid, scholarships and work-study placements are available for eligible students. An on-campus daycare provides low-cost child care for students' children. The college's Career Services department offers help with resume-writing, interview preparation and job searches.
Greenville Technical College
P.O. Box 5616
Greenville, SC 29606
864-250-8111
gvltec.edu