Electrocardiograph Technician

Duties and Responsibility: An electrocardiogram technician performs an ECG by electrodes to a patient and then pulling switches on an ECG machine to trace electrical impulses transmitted by the heart. ECG technicians also might perform stress test. This involves hooking up a patient to an ECG monitor for a baseline reading and then monitoring the patient’s heart while he or she exercises on a treadmill. During the monitoring period, the treadmill speeds up or slows down to produce ECG readings at multiple levels of physical exertion.

Salary: $34,385

Education: Certificate or associate’s degree in cardiovascular technology. Professional certificate are preferred, a few states require licensing for which certification is often necessary.

Reflection: I wouldn’t want to be an electrocardiograph technician because it isn’t a job that gets my attention and it is something different.