Respiratory Therapy

Welcome to Respiratory Therapy

Dear Prospective ELAC/SMC RT Program Applicant:

Thank you for your inquiry into the ELAC / SMC RT Program. The Program has been jointly managed between the East Los Angeles and Santa Monica colleges via a consortia agreement since 1996. Students may take the first year (theory) classes at either the ELAC or SMC campus; starting in the following summer, all on-campus coursework is offered only on the ELAC campus. Students may obtain their degree from one or both of the consortia partners.

The program accepts a new cohort (group) of 62 students once a year, every fall. Once a student has successfully completed all four (4) of the current program prerequisites classes with a grade of "C” or better, in all courses, they are eligible to submit the application to the program.

Students may have a repeated class(es) on the application. Students may also submit an “In-Progress” application provided they can show proof of enrollment in the remaining prerequisite classes on the attached transcript. Please follow the instructions on the application regarding the submission of transcripts carefully.

Applications will be accepted from the start of the fall semester through the end of the following spring semester of each year, with admission notifications sent approximately two weeks after the application period closes. Should the number of applications exceed the number of spaces permitted, all non-priority cohort members will be selected by a blind lottery draw, with five (5) extra students selected as alternates. Applications will still be accepted after that date IF the cohort maximum has NOT been reached by that date.

IF you are planning to utilize coursework from ANY institution OUTSIDE of the 9-campus LACCD system or Santa Monica College, you will first need to petition the college to ensure that all transferred work will be accepted. Check the website of the college you plan to obtain your degree from the links to their respective counseling department.

International students will need to have all coursework taken outside of the United States evaluated before both the College academic counselors AND the RT Program can review transcripts. Additionally, applicants will need to have that work reviewed by one of the College academic counselors to determine what courses (if any) still need to be completed for the GE requirements of the AS degree. It is always advised that students contact the Counseling department on either campus to schedule a face-to-face appointment, but they have also offer e-chat, email and other electronic counseling options.

If you are just beginning to take the prerequisite classes, pay close attention to which classes (Microbiology & Physiology, for example) have prerequisites (Anatomy & Chemistry) that need to be completed in order to enroll in those more advanced classes. For students who are only taking one or two classes a semester, this can add an extra year or more to the prerequisite completion process.

Please be advised that despite an average semester total of 11 units, the ELAC/ SMC RT Program, like most clinical training programs, is a full-time program. At this time, all RT classes are offered only once a year, and there is no part-time option available. There is no application fee, and you do not need to submit a high school diploma with the application.

Once your application has been reviewed by the Admission’s committee, you will be notified if it is complete or incomplete. All complete applications will be kept until the application submission period closes; applicants with incomplete applications will be notified electronically with instructions for providing the missing information. All applicants, whether admitted or not, will be notified via email approximately 2 weeks after the application period closes as to their acceptance status.

Thanks again for considering the ELAC / SMC RT Program. For any questions or comments, please fill out the RT Inquiry form on the left-hand side of this page.

Sincerely,

THE ELAC/SMC RESPIRATORY THERAPY PROGRAM

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 6, 2020
Office of the President
(323) 265-8663 | PresidentsOffice@elac.edu

ELAC Respiratory Therapy Alumni, Andrew Ta, Recognized on ABC7 Health Care Heroes

Monterey Park, CA – On August 4th at 5:00 p.m., ABC7 aired a video showing local Health Care Heroes featuring an alumnus of the East Los Angeles College Respiratory Therapy program, Mr. Andrew Ta. ABC7 Eyewitness News features individuals and groups who make SoCal strong every week.

Andy was nominated for this recognition by his Nurse Case Manager at Torrance Memorial Medical Center, where he currently works. Andy attended ELAC from the Summer of 2014 through the Fall of 2017, graduating with an AS degree in Respiratory Therapy. When asked what he enjoyed most about attending ELAC, Andy said, “It was a very engaging and fun environment to learn the field of respiratory therapy.” After he graduated from ELAC, it took Andy about three months to find a job in the field that he studied for. “It’s all about consistency,” he said, referring to his job placement skills.

“Like so many of our students, Andy struggled at the beginning of the program, but he had a terrific work ethic that helped him persevere,” said ELAC Respiratory Therapy Program Director and Professor, Ms. Kevin M. Booth. “Once he entered the clinical environment, he really 'got' it. Andy was very personable with and considerate of both his peers and instructors, but the most distinguishing factor for me was his smile, which unfortunately because of the COVID crisis, isn't visible in the ABC7 photo. I'm betting that it's there, though: a big, contagious grin that just makes everyone who sees it want to start smiling, too.”

“It is truly rewarding to see one of our former students doing great work in our community, especially during these unprecedented times,” said ELAC Interim President, Dr. Alberto J. Román.

Andy has been working at Torrance Memorial Medical Center for close to three years now, and is also currently enrolled at Boise State University to earn a BS degree in Respiratory Therapy.

The ABC7 Health Care Heroes video segment can be viewed below.

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Announcements

The Respiratory Therapy Program is happy to announce the start of the Fall 2021 RT Application Period. Click on the above picture to download the Application.

Application Submission:
Until further notice, the program is not accepting electronic applications, and the ONLY approved method to submit applications will be through the USPS sent directly to the campus. Please note that due to the continued LACCD Covid-9 campus access restrictions, applications may not be able to be reviewed until later in the spring semester.
Deadline: Last Day of Spring 2021.

Questions: Email us at RTProgram@elac.edu.

Veteran Information
The Respiratory Therapy Program is happy to announce that Veterans and their current spouses get priority entry status if all pre-requisites are fulfilled.