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EKG/EEG Testing

There are two major job categories in EKG/EEG testing: cardiovascular technologist and cardiovascular technician. Cardiovascular technologists have higher levels of education, responsibility, and pay than cardiovascular technicians. They usually complete two-year programs, although four-year programs are available. Cardiovascular technicians run basic EKG tests and may be trained on the job. However, with advanced training (often a one-year program), they can perform Holter monitoring and stress tests.

The two-year programs often taken by cardiovascular technologists include a year of core courses plus a year of specialized training in an area such as invasive cardiology or vascular technology. If you’re already qualified in an allied health profession, you may be able to bypass the first year and just complete a year of specialized instruction.

Overall, employment of cardiovascular technologists and technicians is growing much faster than average. However, fewer EKG technicians will be needed because many other hospital staff members now learn to perform basic EKGs.