Starting January 1, 2027, NBRC's Respiratory Therapy Examination replaces the Therapist Multiple-Choice (TMC) exam. One exam with two cut scores leads to the CRT or RRT credential, and there is no separate Clinical Simulation Examination.
Exam format at a glance
| Format | 185 multiple-choice items (160 scored, 25 pretest) in 4 hours: 100 Breadth of Knowledge items and 60 Depth of Clinical Judgment items. |
| Cost | NBRC lists exam fees on its website — check NBRC for current pricing. |
| Scoring | Two cut scores: the lower earns the CRT, the higher earns the RRT. NBRC does not publish a percent-correct equivalent, so practice scores here use a 70% line as an estimate, not a prediction. |
| Validity | Credential maintenance follows NBRC's Credential Maintenance Program — check NBRC for current requirements. |
Who this exam is for
- Respiratory therapy students graduating in 2027 and later
- Graduates preparing for the CRT or RRT credential
- TMC candidates checking the new exam's content
How to actually study for it
- Interventions are half of the Breadth portion — master airway care, oxygen therapy, ventilation and pharmacology.
- Practice interpreting ABGs, pulmonary function tests and chest radiographs quickly.
- Work through adult cases on COPD, ARDS, heart failure and trauma, plus neonatal resuscitation.
- For each case, decide what to assess first and what to add, change or stop.
Where to go next
Start with the free 10-question diagnostic to see where you actually stand, or go straight to the one-page TMC cheat sheet. The full TMC practice exam covers every domain at the real exam's weighting, with every answer explained.