Pemex Consultancy Gurgaon : Career Info for a Cardiovascular Technologies Degree

Degrees in cardiovascular technology prepare students to treat problems with the vascular system and arteries. Find out about the curricula of these programs, and learn about career options, job growth and salary info for cardiovascular technology graduates.

Essential Information

Under the direction of physicians, cardiovascular technologists perform different procedures to determine the health of a patient's vascular system and arteries. These procedures include stress tests and echocardiograms. Cardiovascular technologists monitor patients during procedures and may also schedule appointments and care for specialized equipment. Students interested in working in the cardiac care environment usually get their associate's degree. In these programs, students can take classes like pharmacology, patient care, and human anatomy. In order to be considered for a lot of the careers in this field, students must pass certification exams.

Career	Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians	Diagnostic Medical Sonographers
Education Requirements	Associate's degree	Associate's degree
Other Requirements	Certification recommended	Certification recommended
Job Growth (2012-2022)*	30%	46%
Mean Salary (2014)*	$55,210	$68,390

Source: *U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Career Options

Those looking to get their degree in cardiovascular technology have many routes to take in the medical field. Most of the career options focus on treating patients with cardiovascular and artery problems. Below are descriptions and overviews of three possible career choices for cardiovascular technology graduates.

Cardiovascular Technologist

Cardiovascular technologists employ non-invasive and invasive procedures in order to diagnose and determine appropriate treatment for heart disorders. An example of an invasive diagnostic test is cardiac catheterization in which the technologist checks for blockages by inserting a small tube into a blood vessel and maneuvering it into the heart with the use of X-rays and a monitor. Non-invasive procedures include echocardiography, vascular Doppler and electrocardiography. The cardiovascular technologist performs the test, and the data is relayed to a physician for a diagnosis. Other duties may include recording and reviewing medical history and equipment maintenance.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the field of cardiovascular and vascular technology will experience job growth of 30% for the years 2012-2022 (www.bls.gov). The BLS also reported that cardiovascular technologists and technicians earned $55,210 as a mean annual salary in 2014.

Vascular Technologist

Vascular technologists aid physicians in diagnosing disorders that affect the circulation. These technologists examine arteries and veins for abnormalities and perform non-invasive procedures, including ultrasound imaging, in order to uncover irregularities or illnesses. They use ultrasound instrumentation in recording vascular information such as vascular blood flow, changes in limb blood volume, oxygen saturation and peripheral circulation. Vascular technologists report the information gathered by vascular testing to cardiologists, who then make decisions regarding diagnosis and treatment.

Cardiac Sonographer

Cardiac sonographers, or echocardiographers, use ultrasound techniques to examine and obtain images of the heart chamber, vessels and valves by creating echocardiograms. An echocardiogram may be taken while the patient is either physically active or resting. Technologists may give medication to patients who are physically active to assess their heart function. Cardiac sonographers may also assist physicians in performing transesophageal echocardiography, which is the insertion of a tube in the patient's esophagus to obtain ultrasound images.