Cardiovascular Technicians assist doctors in patient diagnosis and treatment in a cardiology setting. Some of the functions they perform include ultrasound procedures, monitoring of patients’ heart rates, cardiovascular procedures, review of patient files, explanations of test procedures to the patient, and operation and care of testing equipment. Cardiovascular technologists may specialize in any of three areas of practice: invasive cardiology, echocardiography, or vascular technology. Specialists in invasive cardiology assist doctors with invasive cardiac procedures such as heart catheterizations and angioplasty. Specialists in echocardiography render assistance with non-invasive procedures which do not require the insertion of probes or other instruments into the patient’s body. Some common examples are ultrasound or echocardiograms, electrocardiograms (EKGs), and stress tests. Specialists in vascular technology assist physicians in the diagnosis of disorders affecting circulation and blood flow.

Education, Certification, Licensing

Although some cardiovascular techs (most notably those who focus on administering EKGs) tend to be trained on the job, most receive training in 1- to 4-year programs. Two-year programs offered by junior or community colleges are most popular, although four-year programs are increasingly available. Those who specialize in ultrasound and vascular study will need at least a 2-year program. Those specializing in invasive cardiology procedures will need the 2-4 year program, since this specialty entails the highest degree of complexity. Cardiovascular techs who undergo on-the-job training usually take about 8 to 16 weeks to complete their training. Most employers prefer to train people with at least a minimal degree of experience in a medical setting or who are already in the health care field in some capacity. Some states require cardiovascular techs to be licensed. Those that do mandate licensure usually require some combination of education, experience, and/or certification for earning a license. Information on a particular state’s requirements can be obtained by contacting the state’s medical board. The two principal organizations which offer certifications in this field are the American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonographers (ARDMS) and Cardiovascular Credentialing International (CCI). Certification is always beneficial because many employers prefer to hire certified cardiovascular techs even in those states that do not require certification for licensure.

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As a cardiovascular technician, your job is to monitor the heart, collect the appropriate data, help doctors diagnose problems, and prescribe optimal treatments. The US Department of Labor admits that some technicians are trained on the job, but it is quick to point out that the majority of them attend 2-4 year programs in vascular or cardiac medicine. Obviously, formal education in this field will make you better qualified in the long run.

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