Accelerated Technical Certificate

ACCELERATED ADVANCED TECHNICAL CERTIFICATE (Invasive Cardiovascular Technology)

The Accelerated Invasive Cardiovascular program is a one-year (3-term) selective enrollment certificate program that begins each fall. Upon completion, graduates from this program may seek employment in hospital cath labs as cardiovascular technologists trained to assist physicians during diagnostic and interventional cardiac and peripheral arterial catheterizations.

Applicants applying for this program must be graduates of an accredited allied health program with an AS degree in Radiography, Diagnostic Medical Sonography, Respiratory Therapy, Nursing, or other approved allied health programs and be currently employed in one of the listed medical modalities. The accelerated track includes core courses specific to invasive cardiology (35 credit hours) including three clinical rotations at multiple affiliate partners (800 clinical hours).

Applicants who complete the accelerated program will be eligible to sit for the Cardiovascular Credentialing International (CCI) Registered Cardiovascular Invasive Specialist (RCIS) registry.

Active registered radiologic technologists who graduate from the Accelerated Invasive Cardiovascular Program have the option to sit for both the CCI exam for RCIS as well as the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) exam for Cardiac Intervention (CI).

Currently these registries are not required for employment in the cath lab. However, the trend is to hire personnel in cardiac critical care areas with one or both of the listed registries (CCI’s RCIS or ARRT’s CI credential). Responsibility for completing the registry application, including associated fees, and mailing the application form rests with the graduate.

 Admission Criteria

The following are minimum requirements for admission to the Accelerated Invasive Cardiovascular program:

1.    Acceptance to Polk State College as a credit student with all required admission documents received by the Registrar

2.    Completion of any of the listed AS degree programs or approved allied health program from an accredited institution

3.    Overall completed AS program GPA of 2.5 or higher:

Ø    Applicants with a final GPA of less than 2.5 will be required to submit a letter of recommendation on facility letterhead from their current manager to be considered for admission to the Accelerated Cardiovascular Program.

4.    Scheduled meeting with program director to receive and discuss program application and additional program requirements

5.    Completed Cardiovascular Technology program application

 ADDITIONAL PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS

These additional admission requirements are to be completed after acceptance into the Accelerated Cardiovascular program:

1.       Complete medical physical

2.       Immunization Records and Communicable Disease Screening

3.       10 Panel Drug Screening

4.       Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) background check

5.       Signed Affidavit of Moral Character attesting to the non-committance of specific criminal acts

6.       Current Healthcare Provider CPR certification

The program director will provide information regarding the completion of these additional admission requirements with the letter of acceptance to each student.

Click here for a copy of the Accelerated Invasive Cardiovascular Program application.

PROGRAM ACCREDITATION

The Cardiovascular Technology program is accredited through the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) upon the recommendation of the Joint Review Committee on Education in Cardiovascular Technology (JRC-CVT).