For media information, contact:
Dana Urrutia, 678-495-3638
durrutia@gwinnetttech.edu

August 01, 2012

Gwinnett Tech's Respiratory Care Program is Among Nation's Elite

GTC is One of Only 32 Programs to Receive Credentialing Success Award

Gwinnett Tech's Respiratory Care program recently received the Distinguished Registered Respiratory Therapist Credentialing Success Award, one of only 32 programs in the nation to earn this designation.

In order to receive this recognition, the program was required have three or more years of outcomes data, have earned accreditation, and have students earning a 90 percent or better on their Registry (RRT) Exams, contributing to success and positive job placement.

"We are so pleased to have earned this benchmark, and believe it reflects the excellence of our program. We're committed to providing exemplary respiratory care education and training. I'm proud of each of our student's accomplishments and I know they are well-prepared as graduates to provide outstanding care to their patients," said Bob DeLorme, program director of the Respiratory Care program.

Gwinnett Tech's Respiratory Care program prepares graduates to obtain jobs as respiratory therapists, who care for and assist patients that struggle with breathing difficulties. Classes focus on the areas of pulmonary and cardiac pharmacology, advanced critical care monitoring, mechanical ventilation, pulmonary function testing, neonatal pediatric respiratory care and more. GTC offers an associate degree in Respiratory Care and a certificate as a Polysomnography Technician.

Students graduating from the Respiratory Care program may become certified by taking the Entry Level Certification Examination administered by the National Board for Respiratory Care. Upon successful completion of the Certification (CRT) Exam, the student is eligible to take both parts of the Registry (RRT) Exams. To work in the state of Georgia, all respiratory care practitioners must apply and be granted a license.

Respiratory Care is one of more than a dozen healthcare career programs offered by Gwinnett Tech. The college is among the region's largest providers of life science and healthcare professionals and continues to grow, both in terms of programs offered and students served. Currently, more than 43 percent of Gwinnett Tech students are enrolled in one of the college's health sciences programs.

Gwinnett Tech offers more than 50 degree, diploma and certificate options that can be completed in two years or less. For more information, visit www.GwinnettTech.edu or call 770-962-7580.

# # #

About Gwinnett Tech
Gwinnett Technical College, one of Georgia's largest technical colleges, is committed to delivering relevant knowledge to meet the workforce training needs of its community. The college offers more than 50 associate degree, diploma and certificate programs and hundreds of seminars, workshops and courses providing specialized training. GTC is Gwinnett County's largest provider of corporate training and now serves residents and businesses in north Fulton County. Gwinnett Technical College is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award the associate degree. Contact the Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097,404-679-4500, www.sacscoc.org for questions about the accreditation of Gwinnett Technical College. For more information, visit www.GwinnettTech.edu.

A unit of the Technical College System of Georgia.