1) How long is the program?
The Associate in Applied Science Degree program is a 2 year dedicated program. This is a consecutive 5 semester curriculum. This is depending on the general education courses which have already been taken or did not transfer toward CPCC courses.

2) What is the cost of the program? 
Total educational costs vary from one person to another depending on when and where the general education courses are taken and residency status. Out-of-state residents have a higher tuition rate as opposed to in-state residents and tuition rates vary between colleges and universities.

However, once accepted into the Cardiovascular Technology Program at CPCC the cost of tuition, books, white lab coat, student ID and CVT patch, scrubs, radiation monitoring badge and medical health forms is approximately as follows:

• $3,500 for residents
• $18,000 for non-residents

 
3) What are the prerequisites for entrance into the program?
The only prerequisite for entry into the CVT program concerns Chemistry.

If a student has completed CHM 131 or higher (and associated lab) with a grade of "C" or higher, the 10 year limit will be waived.

As a program prerequisite the student must have earned a grade of "C" or higher in high school or college level chemistry (CHM 121/121A) by the end of the spring semester of the application year. 

Applicants must complete CIS110/111 or complete the CLEP examination by the end of the fall semester after acceptance into the CVT program. 

Any CHM or BIO coursework transferred to CPCC from another college or university must have been completed within 10 years of the application date.

4) May I take general education courses prior to admission to the Cardiovascular Technology Program?
Yes. Any general education course can be completed prior to application, although you are not all required to have completed all course prior to submitting the application.

If completed prior to turning in the application, Chemistry 130/130A, Physics 110/110A, and Basic anatomy and physiology BIO 163 and CIS 110 all gain the applicant "bonus points" that count towards the total points for admission selection. Any CHM or BIO coursework transferred to CPCC from another college or university must have been completed within the 10 years prior to application date as described in the application.

5) When do I need to apply to the College?
It is advised to apply to the College 1 to 2 semesters prior to the Cardiovascular Technology Program Deadline. This will allow your transcripts to be transferred into the CPCC system and meet with the counselors and take related general education courses.

6) I would like to apply to the Cardiovascular Technology Program: what steps do I need to work toward admission?
• Complete the CPCC college admission application.
• Complete the Computerized Placement Test (CPT)
• Meet with an Academic Counselor.
• View the On-line CVT Program Orientation at http://www.cpcc.edu/cvt; follow the link to the “Application Process and On-line Orientation.”
• Submit an official high school and any college transcripts to Student Records, and request them to be evaluated.
• Submit with your application an additional set of official copies of all transcripts.
• Attach an original validation letter, on the organization’s original letterhead, validating all work or volunteer experience, including job responsibilities. Copied, faxed, scanned or unsigned letters will not be accepted.
• Select DESIRED AREA OF SPECIALTY on page 4 of this packet.
• Submit the completed Application (pages 4, 5,and 6), and all required supporting documentation, to the Admissions Clerk in room TE325, 704-330-6958, by the deadline shown on the application.

7) Do I need to take the placement test if I have a college degree?
Yes. Documentation of your current level of reading and math is required. To be eligible for entry into the Cardiovascular Technology Program, you must have a minimum reading score of 90 points.

8) What is the anticipated pay range for a cardiovascular technologist?
Typically, the starting salary is $45,000 - $55,000 a year. This is depending on location and facility. The cardiovascular technologist is required to cover call in off hours and holidays. The call pay arrangement varies from institution to institution. This is a supplemental income to your base annual pay. The working hours for a cardiovascular technologist are Monday through Friday, with call after hours, weekends, and holidays. The hours may start at anywhere between 6:30 – 9:00 AM and end at 3:00 – 5:30 PM, depending on the rotation.

9) Explain the role of a cardiovascular technologist in the medical field? Is there a difference between a cardiac catheterization technologist and an echocardiography technologist?

Invasive Cardiovascular Technologist:

The invasive cardiovascular technologist is a health care professional who, through the use of specialized high-tech equipment and at the direction of a qualified Cardiologist, assists in performing procedures on patients in a surgical environment with the goal of diagnosing and treating heart disease and peripheral vascular disease.

As a member of the cardiac catheterization team, the invasive cardiovascular technologist performs in any one of several roles, such as a surgical scrub assistant, monitoring the patient's condition, or operating specialized equipment and administering medications within the cardiac cath lab. The invasive cardiovascular technologist also works with physicians in the field of interventional cardiology, which attempts to prevent or treat heart attacks by restoring blood flow to diseased areas of the heart.

Procedures routinely performed in cardiac catheterization labs include coronary and cardiac angiography, coronary and peripheral angioplasty (using tiny balloons and stents to open clogged arteries), right heart catheterization (measuring the flow of blood and performing cardiac calculations), electrophysiology procedures (where irregular heartbeats are studied and treated), and implanting permanent pacemakers and defibrillators to correct dangerous arrhythmias of the heart. Invasive CVT's also administer clot dissolving drugs, operate cardiac assist pumps, and assist in other cardiac emergency procedures.

Noninvasive Cardiovascular Technologist:

The non-invasive cardiology technologist is an allied health professional who utilizes ultrasound images for the diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of patients with cardiovascular diseases. The non-invasive technologist, often referred to as a cardiac ultrasound sonographer, performs an ultrasonic examination for specific disease states ordered by a referring physician. The technologist will systemically assess the anatomical and physiological data with evaluation of the pathology, during the exam, resulting in a diagnostic echocardiogram for the interpreting physician.

The major role of a non-invasive technologist is to apply a strong knowledge base of cardiovascular hemodynamics with a combined ability to obtain high quality ultrasound images of the heart and related structures for a diagnostic examination. The echocardiogram is a technologist dependent exam and requires a highly skilled operator to obtain imaging data adjusting proper instrumentation of the ultrasound equipment. An echocardiogram is an interactive procedure involving the patient, the ultrasound system, the instrumentation (production of images with applied knowledge) and the interpreting cardiologist. Non-invasive technologists will adapt or perform specific protocols to obtain all the images/data based on the pathology to provide a comprehensive and diagnostic echocardiogram.
Several modalities of echocardiography are performed by the technologist such as M-mode, Two-Dimensional, and Doppler echocardiograms which is a comprehensive exam. Other procedures performed in the echocardiography lab, involving a team, are stress or Dobutamine echocardiograms and trans-esophageal echocardiograms. These procedures may also be performed in the cardiac catheterization lab, electrophysiology lab, or the cardiac operating room.

10) Is there a pay difference between a cardiac catheterization technologist and an echocardiography technologist?
The pay scales are essentially the same.

11) Since this is a specialized field, what is the future of this field?
With all the awareness in prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases, the field will continue to grow. There is a shortage of trained personnel to meet the increasing demand.

12) What if I do not know which specialty, cardiac catheterization technology or echocardiography technology, I would like to pursue?
The decision as to which track to choose is a personal decision and one not to be taken lightly. It is recommended that you take the opportunity to observe both fields and talk to people who work in the fields to find out what your desire is. To do this, open the admission process tab and click on the Observation opportunities link. Here you'll find information regarding how to spend a day observing in the cardiac cath lab and/or echo lab at CMC-Main/Sanger Clinic.

13) Why choose cardiovascular technology as a career?
Most of all, it is a career that is extremely rewarding. The opportunity to work one on one with a patient and converse with a cardiologist about the care of the patient is rewarding.  You see immediate results of steps taken to better their every day life and can take pride in the fact that you are part of the relationship that makes people's lives better. The camaraderie between the staff and the cardiologists make you an integral part of a patient’s quality well being.

14) What are the career advances?
They are several avenues to pursue. Management, medical applications, medical sales, consulting, and ability to be a traveler.

15) What is meant by a clinical internship?
The first year of the program, students will observe in the echocardiography and cardiac catheterization departments at surrounding hospitals or clinics. The second year of your chosen track, the fall term is dedicated to 2 full days of on site clinical hands-on skill development. The spring term of the second year, students assigned to a clinical site for 4 full days a week.

16) What is the selection process for applicants?
The program selects 16 students each fall – 8 non-invasive and 8 invasive students. The selection is made from the applicant pool that year and is based on point accrual through the reading test and completed academic courses, as well as through work experience and the top point earners  go on to gain entry into thier chosen track of study. The applicant pool normally is between 35 and 50 people annually.

17) What can I do to improve my points for admission?
As outlined in the application, entry is based on point accrual and in order to obtain the highest number of points possible you may:

• Improve your academic performance through obtaining the best grades possible on the education experience page of the application (A=3 pts, B=2 pts, C=1 pt)
• Completion of Physics 110/110A, CHM 130/130A, CIS 110 or higher and BIO 163 or higher prior to the application date will earn the applicant 1 additional bonus point per course to be applied to the total points accrued
• Currently active licensure, certification or registry level in select healthcare fields will earn the applicant additional point to be applied to the total points accrued