Cardiovascular Technology, Adult Echocardiography, A.A.S. - CVTN
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 Adult Echocardiography.
Adult Echocardiography 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: Acceptance into Piedmont Technical College’s CVTN program is competitive and is limited to 12 students to begin fall semester. See the college calendar or website for application dates.
To become eligible for entry into the Cardiovascular Technology major studies coursework, applicants must complete the following:
- Complete the following courses (minimum "C" grade required):
Course List Courses Course Title Credit Hours BIO 210 Anatomy and Physiology I 4 BIO 211 Anatomy and Physiology II 4 ENG 101 English Composition I 3 MAT 120 Probability and Statistics 3 or MAT 110 College Algebra PSY 201 General Psychology 3 - Minimum grade point average for the above courses of 3.0. A grade point average calculator can be found under the Application and Advising tab.
- Good academic standing at the college.
Students are required to maintain a current American Heart Association “Basic Life Support” certification throughout the major studies courses.
Major Studies Courses: Completion of the Associate in Applied Science with a major in Cardiovascular Technology requires four (4) semesters upon acceptance to the major studies coursework.
Requirements
| Courses | Course Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| General Education Courses | ||
| BIO 210 | Anatomy and Physiology I | 4 |
| BIO 211 | Anatomy and Physiology II | 4 |
| ENG 101 | English Composition I | 3 |
| MAT 120 | Probability and Statistics | 3 |
| or MAT 110 | College Algebra | |
| PSY 201 | General Psychology | 3 |
| SPC 205 | Public Speaking | 3 |
| Elective Humanities/Fine Arts | 3 | |
| Subtotal | 23 | |
| Required Core Subject Areas | ||
| CVT 101 | Introduction to Cardiovascular Technology | 2 |
| CVT 106 | Introduction to Non-Invasive Physics | 3 |
| CVT 107 | Non-Invasive Cardiovascular Physics | 3 |
| CVT 112 | Cardiovascular Principles | 3 |
| CVT 115 | Echocardiography Fundamentals | 3 |
| CVT 140 | Non-Invasive Cardiology I | 3 |
| CVT 141 | Non-Invasive Cardiology II | 3 |
| CVT 142 | Non-Invasive Cardiology Clinical I | 5 |
| CVT 145 | Non-Invasive Cardiology Clinical II - Applications | 5 |
| CVT 243 | Non-Invasive Cardiology III | 3 |
| CVT 245 | Non-Invasive Cardiology Clinic III | 8 |
| CVT 246 | Non-Invasive Cardiology Special Topics | 2 |
| Subtotal | 43 | |
| Other Courses Required for Graduation | ||
| AHS 102 | Medical Terminology | 3 |
| Subtotal | 3 | |
| Total Hours | 69 | |
Note: Each student is required to complete BIO 211 Anatomy and Physiology II (before the end of the first semester) and SPC 205 Public Speaking (before the end of the second semester). Students are encouraged to complete all general education coursework prior to beginning program coursework.
Our semester-by-semester graduation plans will show you when required courses in your major are offered. Following this plan will help you stay on track and graduate on time.
Enrollment in clinical coursework requires admission to the program. See Application and Advising section for more information.
Fall Start
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall Semester | Hours | |
| BIO 210 | Anatomy and Physiology I | 4 |
| ENG 101 | English Composition I | 3 |
| MAT 120 or MAT 110 |
Probability and Statistics or College Algebra |
3 |
| PSY 201 | General Psychology | 3 |
| Hours | 13 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| AHS 102 | Medical Terminology | 3 |
| BIO 211 | Anatomy and Physiology II | 4 |
| SPC 205 | Public Speaking | 3 |
| Elective Humanities/Fine Arts | 3 | |
| Hours | 13 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| CVT 101 | Introduction to Cardiovascular Technology | 2 |
| CVT 112 | Cardiovascular Principles | 3 |
| CVT 115 | Echocardiography Fundamentals | 3 |
| Hours | 8 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| CVT 106 | Introduction to Non-Invasive Physics | 3 |
| CVT 140 | Non-Invasive Cardiology I | 3 |
| CVT 142 | Non-Invasive Cardiology Clinical I | 5 |
| Hours | 11 | |
| Summer Semester | ||
| CVT 107 | Non-Invasive Cardiovascular Physics | 3 |
| CVT 141 | Non-Invasive Cardiology II | 3 |
| CVT 145 | Non-Invasive Cardiology Clinical II - Applications | 5 |
| Hours | 11 | |
| Third Year | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| CVT 243 | Non-Invasive Cardiology III | 3 |
| CVT 245 | Non-Invasive Cardiology Clinic III | 8 |
| CVT 246 | Non-Invasive Cardiology Special Topics | 2 |
| Hours | 13 | |
| Total Hours | 69 | |
Application Process
This is a limited enrollment program that has special admissions requirements. These requirements must be completed before you can be accepted.
If you are a new student, there are three key steps to complete before entering the program:
- Step 1: Apply to the college and complete the enrollment process
- Step 2: Take the necessary courses and testing (if required) to become Program-Ready
- Step 3: Apply to the program
Are you Program-Ready?
Before applying for program entry, be sure you meet the requirements for acceptance. Start by connecting with an advisor and review program requirements.
We've also provided the resources below to assist you with the program acceptance process.
Fact Sheet
Fact Sheets are designed for students and advisors to review program-specific requirements and program application procedures. Please make an appointment with your advisor to discuss your academic goals and progress, and to develop your individualized degree plan.
GPA Calculator
There are minimum GPA requirements for program-ready coursework. The Program-Ready GPA Calculator can be used to calculate your GPA.
Application Worksheet
The application worksheet is used to calculate points toward competitive program entry.
Health Care Program Acceptance Data
These are NOT the scores required to be accepted. These are scores from past applicants that were accepted. Since the applicant pool changes each time, there is no way to predict how high the application points need to be for acceptance into the program.
Guided Pathways
Guided Pathways are designed to assist students in scheduling the order of courses to become program-ready or to complete the Health Care Certificate for their desired program.
Health Care FAQ
We strongly recommend that students review the Health Care Division FAQ to be fully aware of our program entry requirements.
Apply to the Program
Once you’ve taken the necessary steps to become program ready, it’s time to apply to the program.
Applications are accepted for the fall entry into college healthcare programs on the following schedule:
- Application Dates - May 1-16
- Notification of Program Acceptance Emails Sent - Mid June*
Program applications must be submitted during the scheduled dates for this program to be considered.
Note: If you haven't already done so, you must apply to the college before completing the program application.
Complete The Program Application
* Students accepted into any Healthcare program will be required to attend a program orientation. Accepted students will NOT be excused from attending this mandatory orientation.
Current Student Program Resources
Cardiovascular Technology Handbook
Health Care Division Handbook
This handbook is designed to be utilized in conjunction with the PTC Academic Catalog, PTC Student Calendar and Handbook and PTC Health Care webpages. Please refer to them for additional information.
Health Care FAQ
We strongly recommend that students review the Health Care Division FAQ to be fully aware of our program entry requirements.
Health Care Readmission
Health Care readmission students who fail or withdraw from a Health Care curriculum class must complete and submit a readmission application in order to be considered for readmission.
Accreditation Information
The Cardiovascular Technology program is accredited by:
The Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP):
9355 - 113th St. N, #7709
Seminole, FL 33775
(727) 210-2350
www.caahep.org
upon the recommendation of:
The Joint Review Committee on Education in Cardiovascular Technology (JRC-CVT):
www.jrccvt.org
1449 Hill Street
Whitinsville, MA 01588-1032
(978) 456-5594
Program Student Learning Outcomes
Purpose Statement
The Adult Echocardiography program at Piedmont Technical College is dedicated to preparing competent entry-level adult echocardiographers in the cognitive, psychomotor, and affective learning domains for adult echocardiography. Through didactic instruction and clinical experience students will be properly prepared for licensure exams and the workforce.
Program Goal:
To prepare competent entry-level cardiovascular technologists for the communities of interest (students, graduates, faculty, sponsor administration, employers, physicians, and the public) served by the program in the cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills), and affective (behavior) learning domains for adult echography technology.
Program Student Learning Outcomes (Adult Echocardiography):
- Apply knowledge of cardiac anatomy, physiology and pathophysiology to assess and analyze the heart through cardiac sonography.
- Recognize the physical sonographic principles and apply knowledge of the physical sonographic principles and instrumentation during cardiac ultrasound.
- Demonstrate hands-on skill proficiency and good clinical decision-making to obtain quality echocardiograms that document cardiac pathology adequately.
- Demonstrate entry-level proficiency on the stress echo and transesophageal echo procedures.
- Interpret other cardiac diagnostic methods at a basic level.
- Perform advanced echocardiography techniques at entry level. (contrast, strain, 3D volume/EF)
- State effective procedures for continuing sonographic education after graduation and throughout the echocardiography career.