Piedmont Technical College

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The cardiovascular technologist is a health care professional who, at the direction of a licensed physician, performs diagnostic tests which are used in the diagnosis, treatment and serial follow-up of patients with cardiovascular disease.

Cardiovascular Technology is a title used to describe two basic areas of expertise: Invasive Cardiology and Non-Invasive Cardiology.

Invasive Cardiology utilizes highly sophisticated equipment to perform procedures on patients for diagnostic and interventional treatment of cardiovascular diseases as part of the cardiac cauterization team. The invasive technologist assists a qualified cardiologist in all aspects of the cardiac cauterization.

Non-Invasive Cardiology utilizes ultrasound to perform diagnostics examinations on patients. The non-invasive technologist will utilize state-of-the-art equipment to recognize, calculate, interpret and analyze hemodynamic data derived from the cardiac study.

Admission: Health Science programs have special program admission criteria which must be completed prior to applying for the clinical phase of the program. A student may be admitted to the college at any time in order to complete prerequisite and general education coursework. For more detailed information, please go to the Health Science & Nursing Resources.

Program Location: Greenwood

Program Options: Invasive Track, Non-Invasive Track

Contact Information:  Christy Nichols (Invasive), Bruce Rutherford (Non-Invasive)

Required Courses

View Cardiovascular Technology Course Descriptions >>

Day Program

*The prerequisite to BIO 210 is BIO 112. Successful completion or exemption of BIO 112 is required before BIO 210.

Invasive Track

Non-Invasive Track

* Major Studies Courses: Completion of the Associate in Applied Science with a major in Cardiovascular Technology requires five (5) semesters upon acceptance to the major studies course work.

Updated 4/18/2012

Advisement Information

• This is the only Cardiovascular Technology program offered in South Carolina. Completion of the CVT program requires five semesters once accepted into the program. Twenty students are accepted each year to begin CVT clinical courses in the spring semester.

• CVT courses are offered in the day only at the Lex Walters Campus, Greenwood. Clinicals may be scheduled on days, evenings, nights, and weekends. Students entering the Invasive concentration have limited clinical sites in the areas of Greenwood, Greenville, Columbia, Charleston, and Spartanburg.

• Requirements for Clinical Entry: To be eligible to apply for clinical entry, student must have successful completion of Medical Terminology (AHS 102), English Composition I (ENG 101), Anatomy and Physiology I (BIO 210), General Psychology (PSY 201), and Intermediate Algebra (MAT 102) with a 2.5 GPA or better. Anatomy and Physiology II (BIO 211) and the humanities/fine arts elective should be completed before clinical entry. The biology courses may be repeated only once to achieve a grade of "C" or better.

• College placement test scores may indicate a student's need for developmental or prerequisite courses prior to higher level college courses. These courses should be completed before progression into required Program-Ready courses. It is also highly recommended that students take Ethics and Law for Health Professionals (AHS 205) while taking Program-Ready and General Education courses.

• By the end of the first semester, students must choose either the Non-Invasive or the Invasive concentration.

• A minimum 2.0 GPA is required for progression once in the clinical stage of the program. Students in the clinical program will only have one opportunity to repeat a failed or withdrawn semester. Two failed or withdrawn semesters will make the student ineligible to continue in the clinical program.

• Physical and Mental Standards: It is recommended that students explore their reaction to all kinds of body fluids, unpleasant odors, and dangerous/contagious diseases. Students must be in adequate physical and mental condition to participate and function within the program and clinical environment. Read the Physical and Mental Standards chart for more information.

• Background Check and Drug Screening: Students are required to have an initial criminal background check and drug screening upon acceptance into the clinical phase of the program. This cost is borne to the student and is currently $80.85. A positive report on either may prevent the student from being accepted by a clinical facility which will not allow the student to progress in the program or take the licensure exam. Additional drug screenings will occur throughout the clinical program as requested by the clinical facility. The cost of these screenings will also be borne to the student.

• Health Requirements and Immunizations: Students accepted into the clinical courses will be required to provide written documentation to the Health Records Assistant of the following: physical exam completed within one year; two-step Tuberculosis Skin Test (TST) upon admission, then an annual one-step TST thereafter; two Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR) and Varicella immunizations or positive titers; three Hepatitis B immunizations or a positive titer; Tetanus vaccine within the last 10 years; annual Influenza vaccine recommended.

• CPR and Hospital Orientation: All students will be required to have CPR certification by the date of their first clinical. All accepted students will have the opportunity to take CPR training (AHS 106) and receive proper certification determined by the program coordinator. Students that plan to seek certification outside of the college must have Healthcare Provider training through the American Heart Association or American Red Cross. A copy of certification must be submitted to the department's Health Records Assistant. Yearly attendance at the Hospital Orientation presented on campus is mandatory.

• Program Costs: In addition to tuition, fees, and books, other costs may include but are not limited to uniforms, lab supplies, malpractice insurance, licensure preparation, and graduation fees. Initial cost upon clinical acceptance, excluding college tuition, fees, and books, could be as much as $1,000.

Advisement Information updated 5/9/2012