Respiratory Therapy Education in Saudi Arabia was written as a collaborative effort between Russell Robinson MBA, RRT and Professor Dr. Mohammed Al-Ahmari to educate and inform the world of the positive progress in respiratory medicine and accomplishments of qualified Saudi Arabian nationals in this highly technical profession.

The success of training institutions and trained individuals has assisted hospitals of Saudi Arabia to provide some of the most progressive and technological complex services available anywhere in the world.

The respiratory care/therapy curriculum as currently taught in Saudi Arabian institutions is in most part based upon didactic and clinical training programs being utilized in North America. Supervised clinical training occurs in the best Saudi Arabian hospitals. Upon graduation some students find it to their advantage to further their education abroad in the USA, Canada and the UK eventually obtaining bachelor's, master's and doctor's degrees.

Today qualified respiratory care professionals work in academia, medical centers, research centers, and the healthcare industry. Many graduates are currently employed as RC Department Directors, RC Department Assistant Directors, Directors of Respiratory Care Training Programs, Professors, Senior Respiratory Care Lecturers, Respiratory Care Instructors, Senior Respiratory Therapists and Respiratory Therapy Clinical Staff.

The undisputed first endeavors to establish respiratory therapy training in Saudi Arabia belongs to efforts by Loma Linda University School of Allied Health Professions.

In 1986 Loma Linda University established a respiratory therapy training program headquartered at Prince Sultan Cardiac Research Center in Riyadh. Clinical experience and practice was accomplished at Prince Sultan Cardiac Research Center, King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Center, and Al-Kharj Hospitals.

Loma Linda University known in Saudi Arabia as LLU-Riyadh Campus successfully produced respiratory therapy graduates until 2001 when they held graduation ceremonies for their final class. From their years of dedicated service in Saudi Arabia, the total NBRC credential eligible graduates equals 75 students. You can read more about their efforts during those years at the following web site: Loma Linda University-Riyadh Campus.

***2014 NEW INFORMATION*** CoARC - the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care no longer accredits foreign satellite programs.

California College for Health Sciences of Independence University has been educating respiratory therapists since 1978. Beyond respiratory therapy this distance learning college which is accredited by the Distance Education and Training Council, has been responsible for educating motivated persons in a variety of disciplines throughout the world. They currently offer the AAS degree in Respiratory Care, and several bachelor and Master degree programs at a distance. You can find out more about their programs at their web site.

Prince Sultan Military College of Health Sciences located in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia on the King Fahd Military Medical Complex, has a capacity of 300 students. The college formerly known as; The Military College of Health Sciences has been in continual operation since 1988. The College currently offers several allied health training programs culminating in either the:

• Diploma in Respiratory Therapy (3 1/2 years program)
• Bachelor of Science in Respiratory Therapy (5 years program)

Deputy Dean for Research and Graduate Education
Director of Respiratory Care Program: Professor Dr. Mohammed Al-Ahmari

University of Dammam, College of Applied Medical Sciences, located in Dammam, Saudi Arabia, has a Respiratory Care program since 1999. The program culminates in:

• BSc in Respiratory Care.

King Faisal University located in Dammam, has a Program in Respiratory Therapy five academic years in length, training both male and female respiratory therapists. .

• Bachelor of Science in Respiratory Therapy awarded on completion.

Chairman of the Department of Respiratory Care, Hatem O. Qutub, MD

King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences located in Riyadh, KSA has a Bachelor of Science program in Respiratory Therapy since 2006.

Prince Sultan Military Medical City, located in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, has been offering a RCP program since 2008. Please click on the above link to read about their Respiratory Care Program. The curriculum is taught by several NBRC credentialed faculty members. The Respiratory Care Professional program culminates in:

• Respiratory Care Professional Diploma (three year program)

Medical Director: Dr. Yasser Mandourah, MD

King Saudi University, College of Allied Health Sciences, Program in Respiratory Care. Located in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, has been offering a RCP program since 2010. The Respiratory Care program culminates in:

• BSc degree in Respiratory Care (five years program)

Program Director:

Almaarefa Colleges for Science and Technology, College of Applied Sciences, Program in Respiratory Care. Located in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, has been offering a RCP program since 2012. The Respiratory Care program culminates in:

• BSc degree in Respiratory Care (five years program)

Program Director: Abdulaziz Saleh Alshehri MSc, RRT

Inaya Medical College, Program in Respiratory Care. Located in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, has been offering a RCP program since . The Respiratory Care program culminates in:

• BSc degree in Respiratory Care

Program Director:

Jazan University, Program in Respiratory Care. Has been offering a RCP program since . The Respiratory Care program culminates in:

• BSc degree in Respiratory Care

Program Director:

Affiliated Hospitals:

• ARAMCO Hospital
• King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Center
• Riyadh Armed Forces Hospital
• King Fahd Specialist Hospital
• National Guard Hospitals
• Prince Sultan Cardiac Research Center
• King Fahd Military Medical Complex
• King Abdulazziz Air Base Hospital







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Resources for this project:

• Prof., Dr. Aziz Al-Jafari - Director of Academic Affairs - IHS, Riyadh
• Dale K. Bean RRT - Consultant and Co-founder of CCHS
• Russell Robinson MBA, RRT, CPFT, CCPT - RT Director & Sr.Lecturer MCHS (1994-1997)
• Professor Dr. Mohammed Al-Ahmari - Deputy Dean for Research and Graduate Education & Director of Respiratory Care Program - PSMCHS
• Mansoor Al-Asmari MScRC, RRT, RPSGT, NPS - Director RT, King Fahd Specialist Hospital

As you can see over the past thirty years there have been many efforts towards the provision of Respiratory Therapy Education and the advancement of respiratory care in Saudi Arabia. With the Saudiazation Program to provide employment for Saudi Arabians, healthcare technical programs have gained in popularity with there being at least six indigenous government funded programs operating in Saudi Arabia. California College for Health Sciences a private institution, provides training in a distance learning format for those already employed in a healthcare facility.

Information on this web page is for educational purposes only and is accurate to the best of our knowledge or otherwise indicated. If you have any comments or corrections you would like to see on this page please send them to the authors for update of this material. Thanks for visiting, we hope your time here has been well spent and most importantly informative.