Central Virginia Community College

 

CVCC’s Respiratory Therapy Program Given Full Accreditation

Two-Year Degree Grads Exceed National Averages

 

Lynchburg, Va. /Media Release/ -- The Respiratory Therapy program at CVCC has received notice that the College’s Associate in Applied Science Degree (AAS) for Respiratory Therapy Technology has received full accreditation.  The Committee on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC) made the announcement on June 5, 2006, following a three year process that began with an initial accreditation at the start of the degree program in 2002.  CVCC is one of only eight institutions in the Commonwealth to offer an associates degree in respiratory therapy.

 

According to William M. Sandidge, Dean of Business and Allied Health, the accreditation was granted only after the College’s respiratory therapy graduates successfully demonstrated a track record for passing exams distributed by the National Board for Respiratory Care.  Over the three-year review period, 97% of CVCC graduates have passed the entry level exam (compared to 79% nationally), 90% have passed the Clinical Simulation Exam (compared to 64% nationally), and 93.5% have passed the Written Registered Respiratory Therapist Exam (compared to 75% nationally).  Eleven members of the Class of 2006 have taken the CRT exam (though not included in the report), all passing with an average score of 115% of the national mean.

 

Respiratory Therapy instruction began at CVCC in 1973 as a certificate program.  Recent mandates handed down from CoARC to all accredited educational institutions within the Virginia Commonwealth require candidates to have earned AAS degrees prior to taking the entry level and advanced level exams.  CVCC graduates from 2003 to 2005 were entitled to take the exams under the initial accreditation granted to the school.

 

Sandidge credits Associate Professors Martha Crawley, RRT, and Lisa Hodges, RRT, for the tremendous success of the program. 

 

Related Links

http://www.cv.cc.va.us/Brochures/Brochure Respiratory.htm

http://www.vsrc.org

 

Release Date: 12:15 PM (EDT) 06/12/06

Release Number: 060612.respiratory

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Media Contact:

Kennan J. Meyer

Coordinator, Public Relations and Marketing

Central Virginia Community College

(434) 832-7609

meyerk@cvcc.vccs.edu

 

Copyright © 2006 Central Virginia Community College. All Rights Reserved.

A Member Institution of the Virginia Community College System.