The Cardiopulmonary Science (CPS) Program at LSU Health Shreveport is fully-accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC) as Program #200493. CoARC accredits respiratory therapy education programs in the United States. To achieve this end, it utilizes an ‘outcomes based’ process. Programmatic outcomes are performance indicators that reflect the extent to which the educational goals of the program are achieved and by which program effectiveness is documented.

The CPS Program provides academic and clinical education leading to the Bachelor of Science in Cardiopulmonary Science degree. The standard educational track consists of 56 hours of pre-requisite courses that can be taken at any regionally accredited U.S. college or university with an additional 64 hours (two years) of professional courses that are completed at LSU Health Shreveport. The CPS courses at LSU Health Shreveport are offered in a traditional, on-site, didactic format with integrated labs and clinical rotations, however, certain didactic courses are offered in a hybrid and/or online format. Through the CPS curriculum, students have many educational and clinical opportunities as they gain professional experience in the allied health specialty of respiratory care. 

Completion of the CoARC-accredited Cardiopulmonary Science Program at LSU Health Shreveport meets educational requirements to apply for the Therapist Multiple Choice (TMC) exam by the National Board for Respiratory Care in order to qualify for the certification and registry credential as a Respiratory Therapist. Completion of our Program also meets educational requirements to apply for licensure in Respiratory Care in the State of Louisiana. For all other US States, Respiratory Care licensure eligibility will be determined by individual States specifically. 

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Tim Gilmore, PhD, RRT - Program Director

"Cardiopulmonary Science allowed a lot of autonomy in my career. We have a lot of graduates who go all over the United States, who become involved in things that were not carved out to just be a respiratory therapy or cardiopulmonary science type profession. They created a niche for themselves."

Hear more from our Faculty on the benefits of a career in Cardiopulmonary Science.

About the Respiratory Therapy Profession

Program at a Glance

Degree: Bachelor's
Accreditation: CoARC
Program length: 2 years
Delivery: Full-time, predominantly on-site, live day classes
Start term: Summer
Application: AHCAS

Residents of AR and TX are eligible for in-state tuition rates

Distinguished RRT Credentialing Success Award Recipient - 8 Years in a Row!

The Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC) annually presents this honor to those programs with Registered Respiratory Therapy (RRT) credentialing success of 90% or above.

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Cardipulmonary Science Alumni

"When I was deciding on a career field, I knew I wanted to go into healthcare. A respiratory therapist has many roles in the healthcare field and they play such an integral part. I know that the training and the clinical skills that I've gained from my time doing respiratory therapy and in the Cardiopulmonary Science Program will definitely serve me being a better physician in the future."
- Cynthia Noguera, MD

Hear more Alumni Testimonials

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CONTACT 

For more information about working as a licensed Respiratory Care Practitioner outside of Louisiana, you may contact Dr. Tim Gilmore, Program Director for CPS (Tim.Gilmore@lsuhs.edu) or contact the licensure board for the specific state or region for which you intend to pursue licensure.

Cardiopulmonary Science