Respiratory Care program receives 2nd consecutive award for success in student credentialing

Academics, Faculty & Staff, Success Stories

Aug 4, 2026

Julie Klensch receives award from CoARC president-elect Jill Sand — Julie Klensch (right) received the success award from CoARC president-elect Jill Sand

For the second year in a row, Cincinnati State’s Respiratory Care program has been recognized with the Distinguished Credentialing Success award presented by the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC).

Program Chair Julie Klensch accepted the award in July 2026 while attending a professional conference.

CoARC is the accrediting organization for undergraduate, graduate, and post-professional respiratory care education programs. To earn the CoARC award, Respiratory Care programs must demonstrate success levels of 90% or higher for graduates taking credentialing exams.

Earning the RRT (Registered Respiratory Therapist) credential requires graduates to successfully complete a rigorous two-step process:

First, graduates must achieve a qualifying score on the Therapist Multiple-Choice (TMC) Examination to become eligible for the Clinical Simulation Examination (CSE).
Then, after passing the CSE, graduates earn the RRT credential, which is the national standard for respiratory therapists and is the minimum credential required to obtain licensure as a Respiratory Care Professional (RCP) in Ohio.

Julie said, “Receiving this recognition for the second consecutive year reflects our program’s commitment to academic excellence and student achievement. We’re proud to prepare highly qualified respiratory therapists to meet growing healthcare needs in our community.”