This education program includes a core curriculum of mandatory cardiovascular courses and a broad range of elective courses within the cardiovascular and biomedical enginering field, including perfusion techniques. A student who wishes to work within the health sector will obtain the necessary background to manage extracorporeal circulation with a heart-lung machine during cardiac surgery and take part in introducing new cardiovascular monitoring and treatment techniques that demand special qualifications. In addition, the program will give the student experience in research relating to the development and use of new cardiovascular technologies.

The education program is offered by the Aarhus University Hospital, which perform quality teaching on an international level. 

 

Aim

  • To ensure the necessary qualifications to mind and manage extracorporeal circulation and circulatory support units used during and aften cardiac surgery.
  • To ensure the scientific skills that are necessary to participate in clinical research within the cardiovascular area.

 

Entry requirements

A relevant  Bachelor's degree in nursing, engineering, medicine, chemistry, biology, physics, laboratory biotechnology or a similar background, e.g. senior nurse, is required to begin this program. Additionally, at least 2 years of relevant clinical or technical experience after completion of such education is required. Such experience could be from a surgery department, intensive care unit, department of anaesthesia, or a biomedical engineering department in a hospital or industry. 

 

Duration

The program is based on part-time tuition over 4 semesters, with duration of 2 years. There are 4 modules, where one module each semester consists of full-time tuition covering the first 6 weeks, starting around 1 September.

 

Language

The official language will be English. 

 

Structure

The first 3 modules are divided up into 3 courses. The 4th module will be used to perfom the final scientific thesis.

There is an examination/assessment shortly after each module. 

Module 1 Module 2 Module 3 Module 4
Circulatory physiology Biochemistry and microbiology Cardiovascular surgery  
Medical instrumentation Electrophysiology and medical imaging techniques Research in medicine Scientific Thesis
Perfusion techniques 1 Perfusion techniques 2 Perfusion techniques 3  
Examination Examination Examination Assessment
15 ECTS 15 ECTS 15 ECTS 15 ECTS

 

Each course represents a total of 5 ECTS point (European Credit Transfer System) and consists of approximately 50 hours of tuition and laboratory exercises. 

Lectures will be given at Aarhus University Hospital. Animal experimental exercises will take place at Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University.

Fluid mechanics and medical instrumentation demonstrations and exercises will take place at the laboratories of Aarhus University Hospital.

 

Competence profile

A degree in cardiovascular technology with speciality in perfusion techniques will, complemented with clinical practice approved by the National Health Board and The European Board of Cardiovascular Perfusion (EBCP), qualify the student to perform the following tasks:

  • Set up and manage extracorporeal circulation using a heart-lung machine during open heart surgery
  • Set up and manage circulatory support, including use of an inter aortic balloon pump, ventricle assist systems or an artificial heart
  • Set up and manage extracorporeal membrane oxygenation
  • Set up and manage extracorporeal circulation in non-cardiovascular applications, such as selective organ perfusion
  • Supervise surgical procedures concerning treatment of heart rhythm disorders, including pacemaker implantation
  • Participate in an interdisciplinary collaboration involving research and development of new methods for surveillance, diagnostics and treatment of cardiovascular patients
  • Collaborate with the biomedical industry concerning exploitation of research results for development of new equipment with the cardiovascular field
  • Assess new methods and equipment in the cardiovascular field
  • Teach the theoretical background for an application of new cardiovascular methods

 

Advisory committee

An advisory committee has been established, representing employers of the graduated specialists from hospitals and industries in Scandinavia, as well as member from EBCP and SCANSECT.

 

Tuition fee

€ 18,000 includes books and teaching material for all four semesters but not room and board.

The Educational Program in Cardiovascular Technology brochure.