The Lakeland Community College respiratory therapy program has been selected by the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC) to receive the Distinguished Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) Credentialing Success Award for the sixth consecutive year.

The award is presented as part of CoARC's continued efforts to value the RRT credential as a standard of professional achievement. From a program effectiveness perspective, CoARC views the RRT credential as a measure of a program's success in inspiring its graduates to achieve their highest educational and professional aspirations.

In selecting programs for this recognition, the CoARC Board used objective criteria based on key accreditation metrics documented in the 2024 Annual Report of Current Status. Programs receiving this honor were required to have three or more years of outcomes data, hold accreditation without a progress report at the end of the year, document RRT credentialing success of 90% or above, and meet or exceed established CoARC thresholds for TMC high cut score and retention.

"This continued recognition reflects our program's commitment to excellence in respiratory care education," said David Goswick, MPA, BS, RRT, program director for respiratory therapy at Lakeland Community College.

The CoARC Awards ceremony will be held on July 11, 2025, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Lakeland's respiratory therapy program offers an Associate of Applied Science degree completed in five semesters, preparing students to sit for the national registered respiratory therapist exam. The program accepts a new cohort of students each fall.

Students may also opt for dual enrollment with Ursuline College to pursue a Bachelor of Science in respiratory care (BSRC), which is available through Lakeland's Holden Partnership Program—creating a seamless transition from an associate degree to a bachelor's degree, which will be the industry standard by 2030.

CoARC accredits degree-granting programs in respiratory care throughout the country that have undergone a rigorous process of voluntary peer review and have met or exceeded minimum accreditation standards. The RRT credential must be submitted as part of the application for licensure to work as a respiratory therapist in the state of Ohio.

For more information about Lakeland's respiratory therapy program, contact David Goswick at dgoswick1@lakelandcc.edu or 440.525.7181.

By: Levi Rex, Marketing Communications Specialist