Cardiovascular Invasive Specialist Associate of Applied Science

An Affiliated Program with Mayo Clinic School of Health Sciences

Program Overview:

In this program, you will learn the technical skills and competence to assist physicians in performing diagnostic and therapeutic invasive cardiology procedures. The curriculum exposes you to a variety of roles within cardiovascular technology, including the scrub tech, circulator, and monitor roles. Areas of study include interventional and invasive cardiology, electrophysiology (EP), and pacing. The ability to be cross-trained opens doors to different careers, such as working in a stress-test facility or as an EKG tech or monitor technician. Additionally, the clinical curriculum is designed for students who may want to further their education in the future as a nurse or in other healthcare professions, such as a nurse practitioner, physician assistant, nurse anesthetist, or cardiac perfusionist.

Program Outcomes:

Upon completion of the Cardiovascular Invasive Specialist program at RCTC, students will achieve the following outcomes:

• Fundamental understanding of the principles underlying the clinical profession of cardiovascular technology.
• Ability to demonstrate a working clinical knowledge of modalities utilized for diagnostic and interventional cardiology procedures.
• Ability to articulate the basics of skill acquisition for self-directed learning for continuing education relating to the field of invasive interventional cardiology after successful completion of their formal studies.
• Ability to demonstrate the technical skills in the clinical setting in primary areas of cardiovascular technology practice.
• Ability to demonstrate the basic clinical skills, techniques, and competencies required to practice as a cardiovascular technologist in order to perform and assist with a broad base of diagnostic and interventional cardiovascular procedures.
• Awareness and commitment to practicing according to the clinical standards, ethical principles, and the legal requirements of the profession of cardiovascular technology; and to the values of the Mayo Clinic, and Mayo Clinic School of Health Sciences.
• Demonstrate the awareness of cultural and diversity differences in the workplace as evidenced by the ability to practice in a continuum of diverse health care environments.
• Exemplify appropriate and professional skills of interpersonal communication with all patients and with all other members of the health care team.
• Actively engage in multifaceted roles of an active professional, including technologist, educator, researcher, collaborator, advocate and life-long learner.
• Ability to demonstrate an understanding of the responsibilities of all health care workers to contribute to the enhancement of the health and welfare of society.

Additional Information:

Students are admitted into this program through the Mayo Clinic School of Health Sciences Cardiovascular Invasive Specialist Program. Admission is competitive. Admission and application requirements can be found: https://college.mayo.edu/academics/health-sciences-education/cardiovascular-invasivespecialist-minnesota/how-to-apply/.

Upon successful completion of the program, all graduates receive a Certificate of Completion by the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science and the Mayo Clinic School of Health Sciences, and an Associate in Applied Science Degree by RCTC.

Graduates are eligible to take professional certification examinations given by Neurodiagnostic Credentialing and Accreditation (ABRET), American Association of Electrodiagnostic Technologists (AAET), American Board of Electrodiagnostic Medicine (ABEM)) and the Board of Registered Polysomnographic Technologists (BRPT).

CARDIOVASCULAR INVASIVE SPECIALIST AAS

MINNESOTA TRANSFER CURRICULUM (MnTC)/GENERAL REQUIREMENTS (28 CREDITS)

GOAL 1: COMMUNICATION (7 CREDITS)

• COMM 1114 – Fundamentals of Public Speaking (3 cr) OR COMM 1130 – Interpersonal Communication (3 cr)
• ENGL 1117 – Reading and Writing Critically I (4 cr)

GOAL 3: NATURAL SCIENCES (15 CREDITS)

• BIOL 1217 – Anatomy and Physiology I (3 cr)
• BIOL 1218 – Anatomy and Physiology II (3 cr)
• CHEM 1117 – General, Organic and Biological Chemistry I (4 cr)
• PHYS 1103 – Principles of Physics (3 cr)

GOAL 4: MATHEMATICAL/LOGICAL REASONING (3 CREDITS)

• MATH 1115 – College Algebra I (3 cr)

GOAL 6: HUMANITIES AND THE FINE ARTS (3 CREDITS)

• PHIL 1125 – Ethics (3 cr) OR PHIL 1135 – Bioethics (3 cr)

MAYO CLINIC CVIS CORE REQUIREMENTS (33 CREDITS)

The following courses are offered through the Mayo Clinic School of Health Sciences:

• CVIS 1101 – Introduction to Cardiology (3 cr)
• CVIS 1020 – Introduction to Electrocardiography (3 cr)
• CVIS 2010 – Cardiovascular Physiology & Pathophysiology (3 cr)
• CVIS 2020 – Invasive Cardiology I (3 cr)
• CVIS 2021 – Invasive Cardiology II (3 cr)
• CVIS 2030 – Cardiovascular Pharmacology (3 cr)
• CVIS 2040 – Clinical (4 cr)
• CVIS 2060 – Diagnostic Imaging and Fluoroscopy (3 cr)
• CVIS 2070 – Internship (8 cr)

RECOMMENDED COURSE SEQUENCES

FULL-TIME

• Semester 1 – Fall (11 CREDITS): BIOL 1217, CHEM 1117, PHYS 1103
• Semester 2 – Spring (11 CREDITS): BIOL 1218, ENGL 1117, PHIL 1125 OR PHIL 1135
• Semester 3 – Fall (9 CREDITS): CVIS 1020, CVIS 1101, CVIS 2060
• Semester 4 – Spring (6 CREDITS): CVIS 2020, CVIS 2030
• Semester 5 – Summer (3 CREDITS): CVIS 2021
• Semester 6 – Fall (8 CREDITS): CVIS 2010, CVIS 2040
• Semester 7 – Spring (8 CREDITS): CVIS 2070

Course descriptions can be found at: RCTC course descriptions