Respiratory Therapy Education in Saudi Arabia was written as a collaborative effort between Russell Robinson MBA, RRT and Mohammed Al-Ahmari MSc, RRT 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 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 contine their education abroad obtaining the BSc and MSc degrees. Most postgraduate education is accomplished in the USA, though some Respiratory Therapists have obtained further education at the Master's level in the UK.

Many graduates are currently employed as RT Department Directors, RT Department Assistant Directors, Directors of Respiratory Therapy Training Programs, Senior Respiratory Therapy Lecturers, Respiratory Therapy Instructors, and RT Clinical Staff working in all areas of the hospital.

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.

***NEWS FLASH***Recently, the National College of Health, Loma Linda University, Riyadh Satellite Campus has announced a new and exciting program to prepare Bachelor of Science and/or Diploma graduates of the King Faisal University and Prince Sultan Military College of Health Sciences respiratory therapy programs for the NBRC Registered Respiratory Therapist credential exam. The Certificate issued Certificate in Respiratory Care, Advanced Respiratory Therapist (Specialist) will give the graduate registry eligibility status with the National Board for Respiratory Care. Those interested in this program can read all about it by clicking the above link.

Program Founder's:

Dr. Joyce W. Hopp, PhD, MPH, dean of the SAHP
Dr. Mohammed Al-Fargih
Dr. Richard Nelson MD, RRT

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.

Director of RT Program:
Total program graduates in Saudi Arabia (as of year 2004): Unknown

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)

Director & Sr. RT Instructor, Mr. Mohammed Al Ahmari MSc, RRT
Director RT Clinical Education & RT Instructor, Mr. Joe Zorich MScEd, RRT
Total program graduates (as of 2004): Est. ~45

Institute of Health Sciences located in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, has been offering an accredited RT diploma program for the past two years. The program is taught by two NBRC credentialled Saudi Arabians. Their RT program culminates in:

• Diploma in Respiratory Therapy plus an Associate of Applied Sciences Respiratory Care from California College for Health Sciences, which allows the graduate to take the exams offered by the NBRC.

Additional programs include: Dental Assistant, X-Ray Technology, Pharmacy Technology, Practical Nursing.

Director of Academic Affairs: Professor, Dr. Aziz Al-Jafari
Director of Respiratory Therapy Program: Unknown
Total program graduates (as of year 2004): Est.~ 10

King Faisal University located in Dammam, has a Program in Respiratory Therapy five academic years in length, training both male and female respiratory therapists. The program has graduated 12 respiratory therapy students each of the past two years who will have completed their internships in hospitals located within the Eastern Province or at King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Center in Riyadh.

The program is taught by faculty holding doctorates, masters and bachelor degrees. Many are also credentialed as Respiratory Therapists by the NBRC.

• Bachelor of Science in Respiratory Therapy awarded on completion.

Chairman of the Department of Respiratory Care, Hatem O. Qutub, MD
Vice-Dean for Training and Academic Affairs for the College of Applied Medical Sciences, Dr Ghazi Alotaibi, PhD
Associate Professor for Respiratory Physiology and Pulmonary Function Testing, Dr Amr Noueam, PhD
Associate Professor for Chest Diseases, Dr Moustafa Shaheen, PhD
Assistant Professor, Dr Ghazi Otaibi
Lecturer, Mr. Mohammad Yadak MSc
Lecturer, Mr. Ghazi Ahmed Hussein MSc
Clinical Coordinator, Ms. Abigail Trinidad-Argarin, BSc
RC Skill Laboratory Director, Mr. Ahmed Mansi, BSc
Demonstrator, Mr. Hajed Al-Otaibi, BSc
Demonstrator, Ms. Shoug Al-Humoud, BSc
Demonstrator, Ms. Maali Al-Qahtani, BSc
Clinical Instructor, Mr. Jose Rex Navarrosa, BSc
Clinical Instructor, Mr.Omar al-Omar, BSc
Clinical Instructor, Mr. Rommel Constantino, BSc
Clinical Instructor, Ms. Claire Constantino, BSc
Clinical Instructor, Mr. Omar Al-Omar, BSc
Clinical Instructor, Ms. Russell Villapando, BSc
Clinical Instructor, Mr. Adriano Lozano, BSc
Department Secretary, Cynthia Navarrosa
Total program graduates (as of year 2004): Est. ~ 24

Riyadh Armed Forces Hospital, Respiratory Care Professional School 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
Principal & Didactic Instructor: Mr. Sajid H. Manzoor, BS,MEd, RRT, RPSGT
Vice-Principal and Didactic Instructor: Mr Essam Aljamhan BS, RRT-NPS
Clinical Coordinator and Instructor: Mr.Saad Muhaisen Al Harthi BS. RRT
Total program graduates (as of 2008): Unknown

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

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), Washington, USA
• Mohammed Al-Ahmari MSc, RRT - RT Director & Sr.Lecturer PSMCHS, Dhahran
• Mansoor Al-Asmari MScRC, RRT, RPSGT, NPS - Director RT, King Fahd Specialist Hospital, Dammam

As you can see over the past twenty-five plus years there have been many efforts towards the provision of Respiratory Therapy Education 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 four 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.