EKG diagnostic testing is essential for cardiovascular health, helping medical professionals identify heart issues related to high blood pressure and other conditions. MedCerts’ recent collaboration with the American Medical Association (AMA) gives you even more ways to train, with blood pressure modules now included in all allied health programs, including the EKG Technician course. 

Becoming an EKG Technician

Knowing more about the EKG career path and what it entails can help you decide if it aligns with your goals.

1. What EKG Technicians Do

Whether you work in emergency rooms, doctor’s offices or outpatient centers, you’ll have a hands-on role supporting patients. 

Your daily responsibilities as an EKG technician may include:

• Attaching electrode patches
• Conducting EKG tests
• Prepping patients for Holter monitors
• Collecting and sending medical data
• Communicating with patients
• Maintaining electrocardiogram equipment

2. The Skills Required

Successful EKG technicians are friendly, and welcoming and are genuinely committed to helping patients. Since some patients may be in distress, it’s important to remain calm and provide comfort when needed. Physical fitness is also key, as the role involves being active all day, often with long periods of standing. 

Along with personal and fitness skills, an EKG technician must have a good understanding of EKG machines and how to operate them. If the machine isn’t working, the ability to troubleshoot or calibrate is also useful. The role also requires excellent organizational skills and attention to detail for accurately recording essential data.

3. The Training Involved

Worried about difficulty?  EKG training is straightforward and can take as little as three months. With MedCerts’ EKG Technician program, you’ll gain critical knowledge about medical terminology and health conditions, as well as how to explain procedures to patients. During your training, you’ll also learn how to apply electrode patches and Holter monitors, monitor blood pressure and run EKG tests. 

Once you’ve completed the course and EKG clinical requirements, you’ll be ready to take the Certified EKG Technician (CET) exam. Offered through the National Healthcareer Association (NHA), this certification can give you a salary boost and demonstrate your expertise to potential employers. Some employers may also require this certification upon hire or within the first few months. 

4. The Career Opportunities 

Training prepares you for in-demand roles as an EKG technician or cardiovascular technician. Depending on the healthcare setting, other job titles might include telemetry technician, cardiac stress technician or medical instrument technician.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the average starting salary for an EKG technician is around $36,620. Additional training or certification can lead to higher salaries and more advanced roles. For example, you could advance to positions such as medical assistant, clinical medical specialist or nuclear medicine technologist. 

Train as an EKG Technician With MedCerts

With MedCerts’ EKG program, you can be ready for certification in just 12 weeks. This exciting career path could be the perfect way to enter the healthcare industry — or transition into a new and fulfilling role.