Respiratory Therapy

Answer: Yes; however, it is strongly advised that ALL GE degree requirements be completed before the start of the program. It is MANDATORY that ALL general education degree requirements be completed PRIOR to the start of the clinical courses, and must be verified by an ELAC academic counselor before the student will be permitted to enroll in RT-015. Please note that RT students are exempt from taking the Health requirement.

We highly suggest you reach out an Academic Counselor to see where you are in your GE courses as well as to know how many pre-requisites you have completed for the RT Program. You can click on the link below to have a LIVE CHAT conversation with one of our Academic Counselors: https://elac-stg.laccd.edu/student-services/counseling/live-chat-counselor

Answer: No. A complete application, including transcripts, must be submitted via the USPS to the following address:

Attention: Respiratory Therapy Program
East Los Angeles College.
1301 Avenida Cesar Chavez
Monterey Park, California 91754

Transcripts:

• Official Transcripts: Official Transcripts need to be sent directly from college to college. They are needed only if you took classes outside of ELAC or our LACCD sister colleges.
  • You will send one set of Official Transcripts to: ATTN: ELAC Respiratory Therapy Department (1301 Avenida Cesar Chavez, Monterey Park, CA, 91754),
  • Another set of Official Transcripts must be sent to our ATTN: ELAC Admissions Department, (1301 Avenida Cesar Chavez, Monterey Park, CA, 91754)
• Unofficial Transcripts: Unofficial Transcripts need to be attached to the RT Application when submitting it. These are for classes taken at ELAC or any of our sister LACCD Colleges.

Answer: At this time, most of the on-campus theory classes are scheduled in the morning and afternoons. In the clinical (2^nd) year, some clinical rotations many occur at night or on a weekend.

Answer: All courses are scheduled in sequential order each semester, and must be completed with a grade of “C” or better before progressing to the next semester. All RT courses are only offered once / year.

Answer: Once formally admitted, the student will be assigned to an Respiratory Therapy Advisor, who will work with the student to establish their written "RT Education Plan." Once this plan is created, a student may not make any changes to their schedule WITHOUT prior written permission form their faculty advisor and/or the Respiratory Therapy Program Director.

Withdrawal form any RT class constitutes a withdrawal form the entire Program.

Answer: If an applicant has completed all of the required prerequisite classes WITHIN the 9 campus LACCD system, unofficial (internet generated) transcripts will suffice. For coursework completed OUTSIDE of the LACCD system, official transcripts must be attached to the application.

Students who wish to use coursework from a college or university located outside of the U.S. may not do so UNTIL those transcripts have been evaluated by a College-sanctioned evaluation service. Please check with the campus counseling department for more information about this process.

Students will submit the ELAC RT Application, Official and/or Unofficial Transcripts, and the ELAC Academic Counseling Advisement Form (which must be filled by an ELAC Academic Counselor.)

• To download the RT Application and Academic Counseling Forms: Click here
• For Academic Counseling Appointments: Click here.

Answer: Providing the following:

1. A clear background check
2. A complete physical examination, including lab work and chest radiography.
3. A clear vaccination (immunity) status
4. Purchase of malpractice insurance
5. Equipment and uniform
6. LA County fire and AHA BLS cards that will not expire during the clinical rotation.
7. Fit Test

Answer: From the 1^st day of the fall semester until the last day of the spring term in the following year. (Check the ELAC RT Home Page Website for any changes to our dates.)

• For ELAC RT Home Page: Click Here.

Answer: At the start of each fall semester, a cohort of students begins the two-year program curriculum. Changes have occurred during covid, the number maybe higher until 2022 depending on the approval from Administration. An accurate number will be determined after the RT Application Submission Deadline.

Answer: To both the RT office and the Admissions Office to initiate a "General Petition." However, transfer students (those students that were in another RT Program) must FIRST schedule a meeting with the RT Program Director BEFORE they may submit an application and transcripts.

For appointments, please email us at @email