CVT: Invasive Cardiovascular Technology (3510)

After receiving your Associate in Science in invasive cardiovascular technology, you will be ready to enter the healthcare field as an invasive cardiovascular technologist.

An Invasive cardiovascular technologists is a highly specialized and knowledgeable healthcare professional who is educated and trained to perform invasive diagnostic and therapeutic procedures under the direction of the physician to evaluate, diagnose and treat patients with cardiac disease.

As a cardiovascular technologist, specializing in the invasive field, you will have the skills to work specifically in a cardiac catheterization laboratory in a hospital setting.

Individuals who are successful in this field usually have these skills:

• Critical thinking and problem-solving ability
• Medical knowledge including anatomy, physiology and psychophysiology
• Possess sufficient skills to handle equipment and provide safe and effective patient care
• Are physically fit to handle long hours on your feet and help move and lift patients
• Able to pay attention to details
• Able to perform procedures with a high-level of skill and expertise
• Communicate effectively and hold strong interpersonal skills to interact with patients, family members, physicians and co-workers

Explore YOUR career with Career Coach! Career Coach is a helpful tool that will assist you in developing a path from your education to the job market. With Career Coach, you can find:

• Average hourly wages
• Information about possible careers of interest through a variety of search options
• Discover what occupations are in demand within the region you select
• Number of individuals currently employed within that occupation
• Anticipated number of job openings available – just to name a few! 

 Begin exploring your options now!

Our Invasive Cardiovascular Technology Program gives you the knowledge and skills to become an invasive cardiovascular technologist, who works in cardiac catheterization laboratories performing diagnostic and interventional procedures on patients with heart disease. Our clinical component allows you the opportunity to gain hands-on experience in affiliated healthcare facilities and apply the skills and techniques taught in the classroom to real-life situations.

Our program is selective, which means that you must meet special entry requirements that go beyond your standard admission criteria for HACC. Before starting the clinical portion of the program, you must complete the following items at your own expense:

• Pennsylvania Child Abuse History Clearance, State Police Criminal Record Check and FBI background check
• Physical examination and immunizations
• Drug and alcohol screens
• CPR certification

Please visit the health careers section of our website or email us for more information on these admission requirements.

At the completion of our program, you will be able to: 

• Prepare competent entry level cardiovascular technologists in the cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills), and affective (behavior) learning domains for invasive cardiovascular technology

• Be knowledgeable in anatomy, pathology, physiology and technical methods required for entry-level invasive cardiovascular specialists
• Possess problem-solving, critical thinking, and analytical abilities
• Possess the professional and ethical characteristics of a healthcare provider
• Possess effective communication skills
• Demonstrate an understanding of the importance of professional growth, continuing education and professional certification
• Possess the knowledge and skills required of an entry-level invasive cardiovascular specialists

Our program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP).

• View summaries of every course at HACC by browsing our class schedules database.

• Review our program guide (pdf) to view a list of required courses, recommended course sequencing and program competencies.

Yes! Our program is designed to lead you directly into the workforce, but transfer opportunities are available if you wish to continue your education. Our degree programs are designed to be flexible enough to transfer to a wide variety of colleges and universities with no loss of credit. However, each individual college has its own unique program. Therefore, we encourage you to select a four-year school as soon as possible. This will allow you to learn the transfer college’s program requirements so that you can take the proper classes at HACC.

Browse our various transfer options:

You may complete this program at our Lancaster Campus through various modalities (e.g., on-campus/in-person instruction, hybrid, synchronous remote instruction and/or asynchronous instruction).

Yes! Thanks to the HACC Foundation, scholarships are available. Please visit hacc.edu/scholarships to learn how you can apply.

We offer courses in the spring, summer and fall. To apply anytime, please visit our website. When enrolling into our Invasive Cardiovascular Technology Program, you must first enroll into the Pre-Health Professions AS degree. Therefore, please use program code 3150 on your application and then select the Cardiovascular Technology concentration.

Future students, we are excited to connect with you and answer your questions. Please choose the option that works best for you to meet with us.

Current HACC students, please contact our Advising Department with any questions.