Student experiences

The curriculum for the Cardiovascular Invasive Specialist Program is taught in cooperation with Rochester Community and Technical College. The program requires full-time attendance.

For the first two semesters of the program, you take classes at Rochester Community and Technical College.

Areas of study include:

• Cardiovascular anatomy and physiology and cardiovascular pathophysiology, which concentrate on the structures, functions, and disease processes of the heart
• Angiography and interventional cardiology, which concentrate on the coronary anatomy and treatment(s) for diseases of the heart
• Electrophysiology and cardiac pacing, which concentrate on the cardiac electrical system and its diagnosis and treatment
• Advanced cardiac assessments (such as hemodynamics, coronary physiology, cardiac valve study, and congenital heart disease), which concentrate on in-depth cardiovascular anatomical and physiological data
• Instrumentation, electronics, and X-ray basics, which concentrate on the radiation and electrical processing and safety in the clinical cardiovascular laboratory setting

Classroom learning

During the first nine months, you attend classes at Rochester Community and Technical College and start introductory specialty course work on the Mayo Clinic campus. The curriculum at Rochester Community and Technical College includes courses in the sciences, math, chemistry, and physics, as well as general education courses.

Hands-on clinical rotations

During the next 12 months, you are assigned full-time at the Mayo Clinic Cardiac Laboratory. You attend cardiovascular and invasive cardiology courses and gain experience through clinical practice. Clinical rotations are scheduled in several laboratories at Mayo Clinic beginning in the fall semester of the second year.

Internship

An off-site internship is required as part of the program curriculum. This is a time for you to put your new skills into action. The internship is four months long and happens during the final semester of the program. The internship takes place at an affiliated institution and requires 40 hours a week in a lab during this time. Students are responsible for room and board during their internship.

Hours

For the majority of the classroom instruction and clinical rotations, your learning schedule includes eight-hour days five days a week.

Outside work

You may hold outside employment during the program if it does not conflict with class or study time. However, during the second year of the program, it is suggested to minimize outside work due to the time commitment and in-depth nature of the program. In addition, you cannot hold outside work as a cardiovascular technologist while training.

Grading and evaluation 

Mayo Clinic School of Health Sciences uses these evaluative tools: examinations, hands-on simulation to demonstrate mastery of skills, self-assessment exercises, and faculty reviews.

Our system of evaluation provides students and faculty with a comprehensive look at individual performance. This allows faculty and administrative staff to direct students who are experiencing academic difficulty to the appropriate support resources, including tutoring programs and counseling opportunities.

Graduation and certification

Upon graduating from the Cardiovascular Invasive Specialist Program, you receive a certificate of completion from Mayo Clinic School of Health Sciences and an Associate of Applied Science degree from Rochester Community and Technical College. 

Graduates are eligible to take professional certification examinations given by the Cardiovascular Credentialing International (CCI). All graduates are eligible to sit for the Registered Cardiovascular Invasive Specialist (RCIS) national board examination.