Plan to study at home as well as at school. Most students average two to four hours of study a day. The time you spend depends upon how fast you read and how quickly you comprehend what you are reading.
 

Attending class is the first requirement for success. More than two absences per semester will negatively effect your grade. The Respiratory Care classes meet Monday through Friday. Classroom times vary each semester and class. There will be no evening classes, but Clinical times may vary according to available clinical experiences. Punctuality is expected. If you are to be absent, you must contact your instructor by telephone. The usual school holidays are observed as noted in the MTC school calendar.
 

We are very lucky that clinical sites are close to the school and located in Columbia and Lexington County. You will attend all clinical sites at sometime in you program of study. You must arrange your individual transportation to the clinical experiences. At times carpooling will be convenient and at times it will be impossible. The clinics generally begin at 6:40 a.m. Sometimes the clinical experiences will end at 2:30 p.m. and sometimes later. Be sure to make timely and adequate child care arrangements that will enable you to arrive at the clinical site on time and complete the scheduled clinical shift. If you are to be absent on your assigned date, you must notify the facility and the clinical director of your absence prior to that shift starting.
 

Graduates of the Respiratory Care program are eligible to take license and credential exams (entry level and advance practice registry) given by the National Board of Respiratory Care (NBRC). While you are a student, it may be possible to begin working in area hospitals on a part-time basis.
 

The support of your family will be necessary for you to complete school. There are times of discouragement when one is working hard and striving toward any goal, and the support of your family at these times is a necessity for your mental health and well-being. You will also need more concrete help. If you must spend two to four hours studying each evening, someone will have to help you with the usual chores of family life (laundry, cooking, grocery shopping, childcare, etc.) Talk with your family before you begin school and make decisions in these areas.
 

Due to the intensity of study in the Respiratory Care program, we do not recommend working more than a maximum of 16 hours per week while in school. Our experience has proven that students who work more than 16 hours per week have trouble keeping their grades at a passing level and difficulty passing the licensing examination.
 

This is a dynamic profession that has much to offer and many employment opportunities, but first you must train, learn and graduate.