(a) Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, all applicants for licensure under this chapter shall have completed an education program for respiratory care that is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care or its successor and been awarded a minimum of an associate degree from an institution or university accredited by a regional accreditation agency or association recognized by the United States Department of Education.

(b) Notwithstanding subdivision (a), meeting the following qualifications shall be deemed equivalent to the required education:

(1) Enrollment in a baccalaureate degree program in an institution or university accredited by a regional accreditation agency or association recognized by the United States Department of Education.

(2) Completion of science, general academic, and respiratory therapy coursework commensurate with the requirements for an associate degree in subdivision (a).

(c) An applicant whose application is based on a diploma issued to the applicant by a foreign respiratory therapy school or a certificate or license issued by another state, district, or territory of the United States that does not meet the requirements in subdivision (a) or (b), shall enroll in an advanced standing and approved respiratory educational program for evaluation of his or her education and training and furnish documentary evidence, satisfactory to the board, that he or she satisfies all of the following requirements:

(1) Holds an associate degree or higher level degree equivalent to that required in subdivision (a) or (b).

(2) Completion of a respiratory therapy educational program equivalent to that required in subdivision (a) or (b).

(3) Possession of knowledge and skills to competently and safely practice respiratory care in accordance with national standards.

(d) Notwithstanding subdivision (c), an applicant whose application is based on education provided by a Canadian institution or university that does not meet the requirements in subdivision (a) or (b) shall furnish documentary evidence, satisfactory to the board, that he or she satisfies both of the following requirements:

(1) Holds a degree equivalent to that required in subdivision (a) or (b).

(2) Completion of a respiratory therapy educational program recognized by the Canadian Board of Respiratory Care.

(e) A school shall give the director of a respiratory care program adequate release time to perform his or her administrative duties consistent with the established policies of the educational institution.

(f) Satisfactory evidence as to educational qualifications shall take the form of certified transcripts of the applicant’s college record mailed directly to the board from the educational institution. However, the board may require an evaluation of educational credentials by an evaluation service approved by the board.

(g) At the board’s discretion, it may waive its educational requirements if evidence is presented and the board deems it as meeting the current educational requirements that will ensure the safe and competent practice of respiratory care. This evidence may include, but is not limited to:

(1) Work experience.

(2) Good standing of licensure in another state.

(3) Previous good standing of licensure in the State of California.

(h) Nothing contained in this section shall prohibit the board from disapproving any respiratory therapy school, nor from denying the applicant if the instruction, including modalities and advancements in technology, received by the applicant or the courses were not equivalent to that required by the board.

(Amended by Stats. 2009, Ch. 307, Sec. 33. (SB 821) Effective January 1, 2010.)