Associate Degree in Cardiovascular Technology
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About This Program
The Cardiovascular Technology program provides graduates with the skills necessary to work with medical professionals in cardiac catheterization laboratories, cardiac surgery, electrocardiography/stress laboratories, or echocardiography departments. Students complete a combination of general education and required core courses in cardiovascular physiology and pathophysiology, medical electronics and instrumentation, and applied cardiovascular techniques in either invasive cardiology or echocardiography. Clinical opportunities in patient care areas at various health care sites will be completed throughout their educational experience. The clinical component of the program includes more than 1,000 hours of patient care experience over four of the five semesters and is closely aligned with the cardiovascular curriculum. Graduates of the Cardiovascular Technology program are eligible to take either the Registered Cardiac Sonographer (RCS) or the Registered Cardiovascular Invasive Specialist (RCIS) upon graduation from Cardiovascular Credentialing International. Echocardiography students also may choose to take the two exams administered by the American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography to earn their Register Diagnostic Cardiac Sonographer® (RDCS®).
The growth in cardiovascular surgeries, diagnostic procedures and interventional techniques, as well as the continued advances in echocardiography and non-invasive cardiology, has increased the demand for qualified cardiovascular technologists throughout the nation.
Accreditation
The Southern Maine Community College Cardiovascular Technology Program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Educational Programs (CAAHEP) on the recommendation of the Joint Review Committee on Education in Cardiovascular Technology (JRC-CVT).
Commission on Accreditation of
Allied Health Education Programs
9355 113th St N, #7709
Seminole, FL 33775
(727) 210-2350
www.CAAHEP.org
The Southern Maine Community College Cardiovascular Technology Program is accredited for two specialty areas:
- Noninvasive Cardiovascular Technology (Adult Echocardiography)
- Invasive Cardiovascular Technology
Out-of-State Licensure Information
If you are completing this program and will be seeking licensure in another state, please download our Out-of-State Licensure document.
Additional Admissions Requirements
Please note this program has additional requirements. For more information, visit our Health Science Applicants webpage.
Your Degree Courses
Cardiovascular Technology offers an Associate in Science degree requiring a mix of general education and hands-on courses. Students self-select a track of study (Invasive or Non-Invasive) with corresponding course selections. Course offerings are subject to change as medical technology advances or changes.
Program Course Sampling
Prerequisites
- BIOL 132: Anatomy and Physiology I with Lab (4 credits)
- BIOL 138: Anatomy and Physiology II w/Lab (4 credits)
- ENGL 100: English Composition (3 credits)
- MATH 130: Technical Math (3 credits)
- PHYS 110: Technical Physics w/Lab (4 credits)
Core Courses for All CVT Students:
- Introduction to Cardiovascular Technology (3 credits)
- Medical Instrumentation (3 credits)
- Noninvasive Testing (3 credits)
- Vascular Imaging and Pathology (3 credits)
- Pathophysiology I & II (3 credits each, totaling 6)
- Clinical Rotation I – IV (21 credits/1,100 clinical hours)
Core Courses for Students Choosing the Noninvasive Arm (Echo):
- Ultrasound Physics and Instrumentation (3 credits)
- Echocardiography I w/Lab (4 credits)
- Echocardiography II (3 credits)
Core Courses for Students Choosing the Invasive Arm (Cath Lab):
- Invasive Cardiovascular Technology I w/Lab (4 credits)
- Clinical Hemodynamics (2 credits)
- Dosage Calculations (1 credit)
- Invasive Cardiovascular Technology II (3 credits)
Current Major-Specific Courses Available
Interested in seeing some of the current major-specific courses being offered as a part of this degree program?
Graduation Requirements
Prospective Students
If you are thinking about attending SMCC and are curious what the current program course requirements are to earn your degree, download the current SMCC Course Catalog.
Current Students
If you are a current student, your program requirements may be different than those listed for the current catalog year. To view your specific program requirements or to search and register for courses, log in to MySMCC and visit the MyDegree webpage.
Graduation Outcomes
- Prepare competent entry-level cardiovascular technologists in the cognitive
(knowledge), psychomotor (skills), and affective (behavior) learning domains for
invasive cardiovascular technology - Prepare competent entry-level cardiovascular technologists in the cognitive
(knowledge), psychomotor (skills), and affective (behavior) learning domains for
adult echocardiography - Prepare competent entry-level cardiovascular technologists in the cognitive
(knowledge), psychomotor (skills), and affective (behavior) learning domains for
cardiovascular anesthesia technology
Estimated Degree Completion Time
Please note, these estimates are based on a student taking an average of 15 credits per semester and do not include college preparatory or developmental courses.
Program Costs
View an estimate of costs to complete this program:
SMCC Graduates
