Cardiac Care

Overview

Get a job at a medical practice, cardiac care center, or a hospital when you choose this career path. At MTC, you’ll learn how to prepare patients for testing and monitoring the electrical activity of the heart.

The Cardiac Care Technician certificate will provide a foundation in health care careers, communication, soft skills, computers, and anatomy and physiology. Students will develop the basic skills necessary to monitor patients for any type of cardiac involvement in a healthcare setting. The student will be able to interpret basic ECGs and recognize cardiac dysrhythmias. Instructional methods will be varied including classroom, lab, online/hybrid, simulation/virtual reality, and clinical rotations.

The Cardiac Care Technician certificate can be combined with the Nursing Assistant Certificate and the Phlebotomy Certificate to earn stackable, short-term, entry-level certificates in the health care arena. Upon completion of this certificate, the student will be eligible to take a nationally recognized certification exam. Employment opportunities in South Carolina include positions in hospitals, medical and diagnostic laboratories, and doctors’ offices.

Students must receive a grade of “C” or better on all Cardiac Care Technician certificate courses. Students must pass a final comprehensive exit examination to graduate from the program. Students may not repeat certificate courses more than once, nor may they progress to the next semester until that course is passed. Students may repeat only two Cardiac Care Technician certificate courses. Students are required to purchase uniforms, name tags, and other supplies needed for labs/clinicals.

Students will rotate through hospitals, medical and diagnostic laboratories, and clinics in the MTC service area for practical experience in ECG and cardiac monitoring. Students will be required to comply with regulations required by off-campus clinical sites, which might include fingerprinting, background checks, and drug screenings.

How to Enroll

To pursue this degree, you must apply to MTC using our online application.

Apply Now

Questions?

Print Plan

Sample Program Plan and Costs

On-Campus Traditional. Classes meet on campus.
Virtual 100% online. Meets with a live instructor and classmates on specific days, at specific times. Uses web conferencing software, like Zoom.
Hybrid Some classes on campus. Some classes online or virtual.
Online 100% online. Due dates for projects and assignments. Self-paced work on your time.
Semester Course ID Course Title Classroom Online Hybrid Virtual Credits
Semester 1
(12 Credit Hours)
ENG-160 Technical Communications

Technical Communications

ID: ENG-160

Credit Hours: 3

This course is a study of various technical communications such as definitions, processes, instructions, descriptions, and technical reports.

3
AHS-180 Health Careers Preparation

Health Careers Preparation

ID: AHS-180

Credit Hours: 3

This course includes selected topics such as study skills, test-taking skills, critical thinking, problem solving, ethics, health careers test preparation and other topics to promote student success.

3
AHS-102 Medical Terminology

Medical Terminology

ID: AHS-102

Credit Hours: 3

This course covers medical terms, including roots, prefixes, and suffixes, with emphasis on spelling, definition, and pronunciation.

3
BIO-110 General Anatomy and Physiology

General Anatomy and Physiology

ID: BIO-110

Credit Hours: 3

This course is a general introduction to the anatomy and physiology of the human body. Emphasis is on the organ systems of the human and their interrelationships.

3
Semester 2
(9 Credit Hours)
AHS-145 Electrocardiography

Electrocardiography

ID: AHS-145

Credit Hours: 2

This course provides the basic skills necessary to perform ECGs in a hospital, physician's office or other health care setting. The student will be able to perform and interpret basic ECGs.

2
AHS-156 Electrocardiography Prac

Electrocardiography Prac

ID: AHS-156

Credit Hours: 1

This course provides a detailed study and practice necessary to perform ECGs in a hospital, physician's office or other health care setting. The student will be able to perform and interpret basic ECGs.

1
AHS-131 Computers in Healthcare

Computers in Healthcare

ID: AHS-131

Credit Hours: 3

This course is the study of the hardware and software used in various healthcare settings including information systems, computerized medical interfaces, telemedicine, networking, as well as other basic computer applications.

3
AHS-205 Ethics and Law for Allied Health Profess

Ethics and Law for Allied Health Profess

ID: AHS-205

Credit Hours: 3

This course is an introduction to ethical, bioethical and legal concepts related to allied health professions.

3
Semester 3
(4 Credit Hours)
AHS-177 Cardiac Monitoring Application

Cardiac Monitoring Application

ID: AHS-177

Credit Hours: 4

This course is a study of cardiac monitoring techniques including basic cardiovascular anatomy and physiology, electrophysiology, rhythms and dysrhythmia recognition and equipment maintenance.

4
  Total Credit Hours 25
  Estimated Cost
Financial Aid
$4,700.00
Not including fees and equipment
Semester Course ID Course Title Classroom Online Hybrid Virtual Credits
Semester 1
(6 Credit Hours)
ENG-160 Technical Communications

Technical Communications

ID: ENG-160

Credit Hours: 3

This course is a study of various technical communications such as definitions, processes, instructions, descriptions, and technical reports.

3
AHS-180 Health Careers Preparation

Health Careers Preparation

ID: AHS-180

Credit Hours: 3

This course includes selected topics such as study skills, test-taking skills, critical thinking, problem solving, ethics, health careers test preparation and other topics to promote student success.

3
Semester 2
(6 Credit Hours)
AHS-102 Medical Terminology

Medical Terminology

ID: AHS-102

Credit Hours: 3

This course covers medical terms, including roots, prefixes, and suffixes, with emphasis on spelling, definition, and pronunciation.

3
BIO-110 General Anatomy and Physiology

General Anatomy and Physiology

ID: BIO-110

Credit Hours: 3

This course is a general introduction to the anatomy and physiology of the human body. Emphasis is on the organ systems of the human and their interrelationships.

3
Semester 3
(3 Credit Hours)
AHS-145 Electrocardiography

Electrocardiography

ID: AHS-145

Credit Hours: 2

This course provides the basic skills necessary to perform ECGs in a hospital, physician's office or other health care setting. The student will be able to perform and interpret basic ECGs.

2
AHS-156 Electrocardiography Prac

Electrocardiography Prac

ID: AHS-156

Credit Hours: 1

This course provides a detailed study and practice necessary to perform ECGs in a hospital, physician's office or other health care setting. The student will be able to perform and interpret basic ECGs.

1
Semester 4
(6 Credit Hours)
AHS-131 Computers in Healthcare

Computers in Healthcare

ID: AHS-131

Credit Hours: 3

This course is the study of the hardware and software used in various healthcare settings including information systems, computerized medical interfaces, telemedicine, networking, as well as other basic computer applications.

3
AHS-205 Ethics and Law for Allied Health Profess

Ethics and Law for Allied Health Profess

ID: AHS-205

Credit Hours: 3

This course is an introduction to ethical, bioethical and legal concepts related to allied health professions.

3
Semester 5
(4 Credit Hours)
AHS-177 Cardiac Monitoring Application

Cardiac Monitoring Application

ID: AHS-177

Credit Hours: 4

This course is a study of cardiac monitoring techniques including basic cardiovascular anatomy and physiology, electrophysiology, rhythms and dysrhythmia recognition and equipment maintenance.

4
  Total Credit Hours 25
  Estimated Cost
Financial Aid
$4,700.00
Not including fees and equipment

Careers

Electrocardiography Specialist or Technician

Electrocardiograph (EKG) Specialists or Technicians administer tests to determine the cardiovascular health of patients. Their duties include performing diagnostic tests on patients, monitoring patient blood pressure, and collecting medical data for use by doctors.

Average Annual Salary

$59,703
According to EMSI data as of 2022

Where Can I Work?

  • Hospitals
  • Medical Clinics

Careers

Telemetry Technician

Telemetry monitoring technicians are trained to recognize heart rhythms. Telemetry is an electronic system designed to monitor patient heart activity. Monitoring technicians assist nursing departments by monitoring patient cardiac rhythms.

Average Annual Salary

$59,703
According to EMSI data as of 2022

Where Can I Work?

  • Hospitals
  • Medical Clinics

What’s next after I complete this program?

Transfer to a four-year school to obtain a bachelor’s degree.

A bachelor’s degree in cardiovascular technology offers clinical training within one or more areas of cardiovascular diagnostics: invasive, noninvasive, and vascular specialties. This prepares the student for careers in hospitals, doctor’s offices, medical and diagnostic laboratories, and imaging centers.

Enter the workforce

Many local hospitals offer employment (full time/part-time/PRN) as an EKG Specialist or Telemetry Monitor Technician.

Continue at MTC with another credential

The Cardiac Care certificate graduate can continue at MTC and pursue the Nursing Assistant certificate, along with the Phlebotomy certificate, and gain employment as a Patient Care Technician (PCT) within the hospital setting.

Want more information?

Academic programs count as academic credit for a certificate, diploma or degree and may transfer toward future academic endeavors at four-year colleges and universities.
Training programs can be completed in a matter of weeks or months, are focused on career training, and provide credentials and certificates needed in the specific fields of study. Coursework does not transfer.
Not sure: Check out these resources to explore what fits your goals.

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