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How to Become a Respiratory Therapist in California

If you want to become a respiratory therapist (RT), you need both passion and drive — passion for helping people improve their health and quality of life through breathing treatments, and drive to complete the steps it takes to become a licensed RT in your state. This Career Guide covers the requirements for becoming a respiratory therapist in California.

Table of Contents

Respiratory Therapist Education Requirements in CA
What Will I Learn in the ACC Program?
Licensure Requirements: How Do You Become Licensed As a Respiratory Therapist in California?
What’s on the Exams for the RRT Credential?
Ready to Get Started on Your Journey to Becoming a Respiratory Therapist?

Want more details about the Respiratory Therapy program?

By submitting this form, I provide my signature, expressly consenting to calls, prerecorded messages, emails and/or texts regarding my educational options from American Career College using an automated dialing system to the number and email address provided. I understand my consent is not required to enroll at American Career College, and that I can withdraw my consent at any time. To request information without consenting, please call 877-832-0790. I also understand that I may revoke my consent at any time in accordance with ACC's Opt-Out Disclaimer. All information provided is subject to ACC's Privacy Policy. (**Standard rates may apply.) Disclaimer I understand that if I no longer wish to receive text messages from ACC, I may revoke my consent at any time by texting back "Stop" to unsubscribe from the service. I understand that if I no longer wish to receive emails, I may revoke my consent at any time by clicking the "Unsubscribe" link within any email I receive from ACC. I understand I may revoke my consent to receive calls by informing any ACC associate calling me that I no longer want to receive calls from ACC.

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Respiratory Therapist Education Requirements in CA

To obtain a respiratory therapist license in California, you will need to meet certain education or training requirements set by the Respiratory Care Board (RCB) of California. These requirements include the following:

RT Education Requirements: California requires respiratory therapists to have at least an associate degree from an education program for respiratory care. The program must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC), and it also needs to be from an institution or university that is accredited by a regional accreditation agency or association recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Alternate Requirements: The RCB may choose to waive educational requirements for a prospective licensee if the applicant has other training or experience that the board considers to be appropriate for the safe and competent practice of respiratory care.

These exceptions may include:

It usually takes about two years or less to complete an associate degree program. The Respiratory Therapy program at American Career College can be completed in as little as 20 months.

What Will I Learn in the ACC Program?

What Will I learn: Respiratory procedures, Neonatal/pediatric cardiopulmonary pathophysiology, Critical Care Monitoring, Respiratory Care Review, Clinical Practicum I

Learn more about ACC's Respiratory Therapy program

View full program details

Licensure Requirements: How Do You Become Licensed As a Respiratory Therapist in California?

Once you have met the education or training/work experience requirements, you will need to take certain steps to obtain your so you can work as an RT in California.

These steps include:

  1. Submitting an official copy of your transcript(s) demonstrating that you earned at least an associate degree from an accredited respiratory care program.
  2. Providing proof that you obtained a Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) credential from the National Board of Respiratory Care (NBRC). (An RRT credential requires that you pass certain exams. See the next section for more information.) You must also submit a passport photo and pay a $300 application fee.

See the full instructions for more details about what you will need to apply for an RCP license in California.

What’s on the Exams for the RRT Credential?

In order to receive an RRT credential from the National Board of Respiratory Care, you must first pass the Therapist Multiple-Choice (TMC) Examination and the Clinical Simulation Examination (CSE).

These exams are designed to objectively measure the essential knowledge, skills, and abilities that are required of respiratory therapists.

Here’s what you need to know about the two NBRC exams for respiratory therapists:

TMC Overview:

CSE Overview:

The three main areas covered in both the TMC and CST exams include:

  1. Patient data
  2. Troubleshooting and quality control of devices, along with infection control
  3. Initiation and modification of interventions

You may be interested in these additional resources as you prepare for your exams:

You can also find exam FAQs, access to free practice exams, information about paid self-assessment exams, and more on the NBRC’s RRT page.

Ready to Get Started on Your Journey to Becoming a Respiratory Therapist?

American Career College can help you lay the right educational foundation needed to achieve your goals. In our CoARC-accredited Respiratory Therapy program, you can earn your associate degree in as little as 20 months.

The RT program is blended, allowing you to complete the program through a combination of online study and hands-on instruction at one of our three Southern California campuses in Los Angeles, Ontario, or Anaheim.

Once the program is completed, students are eligible to take the Certified Respiratory Therapist (CRT) and RRT exams (written and clinical simulation) offered by the National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC).

Learn more about the Respiratory Therapy program at ACC and apply today!

Want more details about the Respiratory Therapy program?

By submitting this form, I provide my signature, expressly consenting to calls, prerecorded messages, emails and/or texts regarding my educational options from American Career College using an automated dialing system to the number and email address provided. I understand my consent is not required to enroll at American Career College, and that I can withdraw my consent at any time. To request information without consenting, please call 877-832-0790. I also understand that I may revoke my consent at any time in accordance with ACC's Opt-Out Disclaimer. All information provided is subject to ACC's Privacy Policy. (**Standard rates may apply.) Disclaimer I understand that if I no longer wish to receive text messages from ACC, I may revoke my consent at any time by texting back "Stop" to unsubscribe from the service. I understand that if I no longer wish to receive emails, I may revoke my consent at any time by clicking the "Unsubscribe" link within any email I receive from ACC. I understand I may revoke my consent to receive calls by informing any ACC associate calling me that I no longer want to receive calls from ACC.

*Required

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