Bachelor of Science in Respiratory Care
The Bachelor of Science degree program in Respiratory Care prepares students for exciting and dynamic careers as advanced level respiratory therapists. Respiratory therapists are the allied health professionals who specialize in the promotion of optimum cardiopulmonary function and health. The Respiratory Care Program at the UT Health Science Center is designed to prepare excellent advanced level clinicians as well as providing a foundation for leadership in management, education, research, and clinical specialty areas.
The Program
The Department of Respiratory Care in the School of Health Professions at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio is dedicated to clinical and academic excellence in teaching, research, service and patient care. The bachelor's degree program is designed to provide students with an outstanding education in preparation for a satisfying professional career as advanced respiratory care practitioners as well as to provide a foundation for leadership in management and supervision, education, 
research and clinical specialization.
The bachelor's degree program involves motivation, curiosity, professional fulfillment and personal satisfaction. The work is both hard and rewarding.
Interaction with faculty, therapists, physicians and nurses is essential and is the key to the program. Students engage in seminars, intensive classes and laboratories, and clinical training in hospitals. The result is an outstanding education in respiratory care, but it is more than that. There is a sense of personal growth and a real commitment to serving people.
The overall purpose of the program is to provide a high-quality education that is relevant and professionally sound to meet the respiratory care leadership needs in the health care community. Inherent in this purpose is the goal to prepare respiratory care practitioners who can demonstrate the attitudes, skills and knowledge required to meet the changing needs in the community.
It will be necessary for the respiratory therapist to cooperate with all members of the health care team in identifying and solving the problems that relate to respiratory diseases and disorders of the cardiopulmonary system. The respiratory therapist must be able to think critically, communicate effectively, demonstrate judgment and provide self-direction. It is a primary objective of the program to educate well-qualified, competent respiratory therapists who demonstrate leadership ability.
The Department of Respiratory Care is dedicated to the philosophy and goals of the School and University. The bachelor's degree program is designed to offer the student planned learning experiences and to provide knowledge, skills and attitudes that will culminate in successful employment of the graduate as a respiratory therapist.