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CVT - Program Overview

The Program offers training at the facilities located at the INOVA Heart and Vascular Institute (IHVI). The IHVI is part of the INOVA-Fairfax Hospital, an 833-bed nonprofit teaching facility located in Falls Church, Virginia, approximately 12 miles west of Washington, DC. The hospital offers a full range of cardiac services and has been nationally recognized for its programs in cardiac medicine. In particular, the IHVI cardiology unit recently ranked 21st out of 1500 hospitals nationally in the US News and World Report. Our Program has been accredited by the Commission for the Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs since 2000 (www.caahep.org).

Certified to Operate by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia.

The IHVI opened in October 2004 and now houses the programs in cardiac medicine and our clinical training facilities. This is a state-of-the-art facility which consists of 11 cardiac catheterization and electrophysiology laboratories, 6 cardiovascular open surgery suites, and 156 telemetry beds. There is also a new classroom for academic instruction and student research area. The case load at INOVA provides excellent clinical education opportunities. More than 10,000 patients are seen in the cardiac catheterization labs each year.

The Program is geared to the training in the two major areas of invasive cardiology which include cardiac catheterization and electrophysiology.  Both the didactic and clinical coursework is delivered at the IHVI. The training is spread out over a total of 6 semesters.

The first year of training (3 semesters) provides the foundations of invasive cardiovascular science. This year focuses on both didactic and clinical exposure to diagnostic and interventional cardiac catheterizations. Clinical rotations occur in the second and third semesters.

The second year of training (3 semesters) focuses on electrophysiology procedures including diagnostic and interventional techniques. The last semester provides courses on management, statistics, and ethics as well as clinical expertise in electrophysiology techniques and practices. A research project is completed at the beginning of the 6th semester.

Students may elect to do one or two years of training leading either to a certificate, B.S., M.S. or combined B.S./M.S. degree. The degree earned depends upon student background and whether they are matriculating at Geneva College or at another college. These include the following:

• Certificate Cardiovascular Sciences
  In this track, students have already earned a B.S. degree in biology from Geneva College or other accredited four year institution. They can enroll as a 5th year student and earn a certificate in cardiovascular sciences by completing the first year of training (semesters 1-3). 
• B.S. Cardiovascular Sciences
  Following admission to Geneva College as a freshman, this student will matriculate at the Beaver Falls campus as a biology major (full-time residential status for six semesters and 95 credit hr). They will take most of the biology major curriculum (human biology concentration) and all the Geneva College core courses. Starting in their senior year, the student will matriculate at the INOVA campus for 12 months (semesters 1-3). 
• B.S./M.S. Cardiovascular Sciences
  Following admission to Geneva College as a freshman, this student will matriculate at the Main campus as a Biology major (full time residential status for 6 semesters and 95 credit hr).  They will take most of the Biology major curriculum (human biology concentration) and all the Geneva College core courses. Starting in their senior year, the student will matriculate at the INOVA campus for 24 months (semesters 1-6). At the end of year four of the program, students can earn the B.S. degree. In year five of the program, students can graduate with the M.S. degree. 
• M.S. Cardiovascular Sciences
  This option is for students who have a B.S. degree in biology or nursing (B.S.N. or B.S./R.N.) from either Geneva College or other accredited four year institutions. Students matriculate at the INOVA campus for 24 months (semesters 1-6). 

Students will be required to sit for the appropriate registry exam following their training in cardiovascular technology. Those who complete the certificate and B.S. tracks will sit for the RCIS exam. Students who complete the five year B.S./M.S. or two year M.S. will be required to sit for the RCIS and RCES registry exams. These registry examinations and the credentials associated are the recognized professional registrations for this allied health field.