BAS in Allied Health Degree Approved at Seattle Central College

I just returned from the State Board of Community and Technical Colleges meeting where they voted unanimously to approve the Bachelors of Applied Science degree in Allied Health at Seattle Central Community College. The degree will initially house four tracks; Respiratory Care, Dental Hygiene (starting next year) Community Health and Education and Health Services Management (Starting in the near future). The Respiratory Care program at Seattle Central is in the process of transitioning to this degree and will accept the first cohort to enter the degree in Fall 2014. This degree approval brings the existing RCP program up to the baccalaureate level as well as opens up opportunities for credentialed working professionals to complete a baccalaureate degree.

Deana Orth HMC lead therapist and 2002 SCCC grad hit it on the head while presenting to the SBCTC board members “This degree will give me upward mobility, I am stuck at the top of my game with an AAS and can’t pursue higher level positions.” She went on to point out that we have been outsourcing our education to out of state online institutions, making a Bachelor’s degree for Respiratory Care Practitioners an important move for our state. I want to thank her profusely for taking time to come to the board meeting and share her thoughts. She spoke along with two other students/graduates of SCCC programs. The board was highly receptive to hearing from our intended audience for this degree.

For the Respiratory care program this news could not be better, we are able to effectively integrate higher level concepts like biostatistics, research methods, evidence based practice, management and education into our curriculum while simultaneously driving up the level of respiratory physiology and practice. All of this will be situated on a robust foundation of general sciences and humanities. The goal being to prep graduates for the ever changing paradigm of health care and help them compete in an increasingly competitive market. As the field progresses toward an advanced practitioner model, we feel that having degree(s) like this one prepare entering and existing RCPs for a higher level of practice. We hope that this is a step toward keeping Washington State on the national map as leaders in our field.

Fred Goglia M.Ed, RRT
Program Director Respiratory Care Program
Seattle Central Community College
206-934-6955
Fred.goglia@seattlecolleges.edu