HCC Respiratory Therapy earns distinguished credentialing award for 10 straight years

Jul 19, 2023

(L-R) Program faculty: Dr. Herbert Jackson III, instructor; Teodoro Tovar, program director; Ebong Ekwere, instructor; and James Campbell, clinical education director.

For the 10th straight year, the Respiratory Therapy program at Houston Community College – Coleman College for Health Sciences has earned the Distinguished Registered Respiratory Therapist Credentialing Success Award from the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care.

Programs that receive this honor achieve at least 90 percent credentialing success for graduates who become registered respiratory therapists and reach the required standards of professional achievement.

Teodoro Tovar, director of the HCC program, attended an awards ceremony on July 14 in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., to accept the honor on behalf of the faculty, staff and students.

Faculty drive program success

“We’re proud to receive this honor again. It validates all the hard work our faculty and students put forth,” Tovar said. “Our goal isn’t necessarily to win awards but to ensure student success. When our students succeed in the program, they go on to enjoy a rewarding, in-demand career in the health care industry.”

Providing a steady pipeline of respiratory therapists is vital to the success of medical facilities, including the many represented in the Texas Medical Center where Coleman campus resides. Indeed, Texas is one of five states with the greatest demand for respiratory therapists and the medical center is a ready employer of HCC grads.

The mean annual salary for a respiratory therapist in Texas is almost $74,000.

Classes taught in Texas Medical Center 

For second-year student Giovanna Sosa (pictured on the right with fellow second-year student Oscar Quiroz), the HCC program is a path toward working within health care and serving as a meaningful contributor in her community while making a difference in the lives of patients.

“It’s been the best chapter of my life so far,” Sosa of Houston said. “The program is strong because of our professors. They take the time and effort to not only teach us on a personal level but also to show they truly care about our success.”

How to learn more

Reach the HCC Coleman Respiratory Therapy program at hccs.edu/Respiratory-Therapy or by phone at 713-718-7385.