Welcome to ACC's Cardiovascular Team Member Section!

Amy E. Simone, PA-C, FACC
Chair

I am honored to serve as the new Chair of this dynamic community, and I am excited to work alongside all of you. As cardiovascular professionals dedicated to advancing our field, our collective expertise and commitment are key to driving meaningful progress.

Our primary goals include diversifying and amplifying the representation of Cardiovascular (CV) Team members across the College, ensuring our voices are heard and our needs are prioritized. We are dedicated to developing engaging educational content aimed at empowering our members, enhancing your skills and supporting your ongoing professional development.

Most importantly, we seek to bring genuine value to CV Team members by strengthening our community and establishing the College as your professional home – a place to connect, learn and grow.

To our current members, thank you for your dedication and contributions. For those interested in becoming part of this vibrant community, we warmly invite you to join and help shape the future of CV care.

Together, we can accomplish great things. Thank you for your support – let's move forward together!

Sincerely,
Amy E. Simone, PA-C, FACC
Chair, CV Team Member Section

Join the Cardiovascular (CV) Team Member Section — Today!

The Cardiovascular Team Member Section is only able to accomplish its mission through support from members. Members can join online by clicking here or by contacting ACC Member Care at (800) 253-4636, ext. 5603; or direct dial (202) 375-6000.

Already a member of the Cardiovascular Team Section? Click here to unlock the member exclusive section experience.

As our membership grows, so does the Cardiovascular Team Member Section's opportunities to impact College policies and provide additional member benefits.

Questions? Contact ACC Member Care.

One Membership. Many Benefits.

What Does Your Membership Unlock?

The ACC is your professional home for tools and resources that support you in your efforts to provide high quality cardiovascular care to patients worldwide.

As a member you can:

Stay Informed

Read about the latest clinical developments online in SIX Journals of the American College of Cardiologyóalso available on iPadóincluding JACC, JACC: Imaging, JACC: Interventions, JACC: Heart Failure, JACC: Clinical Electrophysiology and JACC: Basic to Translational Science.

Access 300+ FREE Education Opportunities

Stay up-to-date and assess your knowledge and gaps with FREE educational opportunities, many of which offer CE credit.

Access Mobile Applications

Access ACC's mobile resources, including apps for Clinical, Cardiovascular Publications and Member Engagement.

Get support to treat and manage patients on-the-go with mobile applications, including the CardioSmart Explorer.

Access Guidelines

Access Guidelines, Appropriate Use Criteria and Consensus Documents either online or on-the-go with ACC's new guidelines app.

Improve Patient Care

Gain access to ACC's quality initiatives, including the NCDR Registries, along with ACC's CardioSmart patient education website and tools. Plus, use ACC's mobile apps to help you have productive conversations with patients about their conditions, treatments and care maintenance at the point of care.

Gain an Advocate for Your Interests

With the power of a collective voice, the ACC advocates on your behalf for your interests to regulatory bodies, to payers and to policymakers at the federal and state levels.

Build Your Professional Network

Connect and collaborate with over 52,000 cardiovascular professionals worldwide. Network and learn at the local level with one of ACC's over 80 local Chapters. And gain leadership experience and recognition by participation on Councils, Committees and Work Groups.

Advance Your Specialty

Network and advance the priorities of your specialty and/or interest areas in one of 19+ Member Sections ó including a Cardiovascular Team Section ó which serve as forums for driving strategy and initiative development for communities within the College.

Access Member Savings

Save hundredsóeven thousandsówith deep discounts on ACC's digital products and live courses, including the ACC Annual Scientific Session.

Advance Your Career

Access tools and resources to advance your career, including ACC's Mentoring Program, advice within ACC Cardiology Careers and the Research Funding Search Engine and Collaboration Network.

Membership Criteria

To apply for Cardiovascular Team membership, candidates must fall into one of the below categories and meet requirements for membership.

Invasive and Noninvasive Technologists

Applicant will be credentialed by the Cardiovascular Credentialing International or the American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonography (ARDMS), with at least two (2) years professional experience in their field. Examples include: RCIS, RVS, RCES, RCCS, RCS, and RDCS.

Clinical Nurse Specialist

Applicants must have an RN degree, along with a certification in the area of clinical practice and be licensed to practice in their state of employment.

Clinical Pharmacist

Applicants must have a Clinical Pharmacist's PharmD degree and be licensed to practice in their state of employment.

Clinical Psychologist

Applicant will hold a Doctorate in clinical psychology and be licensed to practice as a Clinical Psychologist in their state.

Clinical Social Worker

Applicant will hold a Master's degree from a CSWE-accredited program or doctoral degree and current licensure to practice as a Clinical Social Worker in their state.

Exercise Physiologist

Applicant will hold an academic degree in exercise physiology or a related degree (such as exercise science, kinesiology, human performance, etc.) holds a professional certification from a national organization (ACSM's Certified Clinical Exercise Specialist-CES or ACSM's Registered Clinical Exercise Physiologist-RCEP credentials). In the absence of a certification, a license under state law fulfills requirement.

Genetic Counselor

Applicants must be certified by the American Board of Genetic Counseling. When applicable, a license to practice in their state of employment.

Informatics

Defined as cardiovascular professional focused developing, managing, or implementing electronic and informatics solutions for the cardiac patient population. Applicants may also demonstrate competencies through the participation in Health IT and/or EHR implementations/projects at clinical institutions; contributions to international /national standards groups, such as HL7 and DICOM; or contribution to research or projects in the areas of usability, interoperability, mobile health, big data, or comparable topics.

Nurse Practitioner

Applicants must have an RN degree and be an NP licensed to practice in their state of employment.

Occupational Therapist

Applicant will be a graduate of an ACOTE-accredited OT program (the program must be accredited at time of graduation) and certified to practice as an Occupational Therapist or currently licensed to practice as an Occupational Therapist in their state.

Physical Therapist

Applicant will be a graduate of a CAPTE-accredited PT program (the program must be accredited at time of graduation) and certified to practice as a Physical Therapist or currently licensed to practice as a Physical Therapist in their state.

PA

Applicants must be a graduate of a PA program accredited by ARC-PA or a predecessor agency, or be certified by the National Commission on Certification of PAs (NCCPA). Applicants must also be licensed to practice in the state in which they are employed. Federally employed PAs should provide NCCPA certification in lieu of a license.

Registered Dietitian

Applicant must hold an academic degree from an ACEND-accredited program, be national board certified by the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) and currently licensed to practice as a Registered Dietician in their state.

Registered Nurse

Applicants must have an RN degree and be licensed to practice in their state of employment.

Become a Member

Become a Cardiovascular Team Member of the American College of Cardiology.

The American College of Cardiology is the professional home for the entire cardiovascular team and team-based care plays a central role in the College's strategic plan.

As a member, you'll gain access to tools and resources that will help you succeed from your training through retirement. And with thousands of member benefits, the ACC is there to help you overcome challenges on both the clinical and business side of medicine.

Cardiovascular Team members from across the care spectrum are invited to join the College, including Registered Nurses, Nurse Practitioners, Clinical Nurse Specialists, PAs, Clinical Pharmacists, Genetic Counselors, Cardiac Rehabilitation Specialists and Cardiovascular Technologists.

Join us in our mission to transform cardiovascular care and improve heart health.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Please allow 4-6 weeks for your application to be processed and for delivery of your Membership Login information.

Serve as a voice for the Cardiovascular Team community and become a part of the Cardiovascular Team Member Section today!

Learn more about the Cardiovascular Team Membership that applies to you by clicking the links below.

CV Team Membership for Those Practicing in the U.S./Canada

Nurse Practitioners, Registered Nurses, Clinical Nurse Specialists, Clinical Pharmacists, PAs and Genetic Counselors practicing outside the US and Canada are invited to apply for membership in the ACC as Cardiovascular Team Members. Learn more about how you can become one of ACC's 52,000 members worldwide and gain access to benefits that will help you transform care and improve heart health by clicking the links below.

Nurse

Advance Practice Nurse

Clinical Pharmacist

Rehabilitation Specialist

CV Team Membership for Those Practicing Outside the U.S./Canada

Cardiovascular Team Members Practicing Outside the U.S./Canada

CV Membership for Students

For select members of the Cardiovascular (CV) Team enrolled at least half-time in an undergraduate or graduate program. This category is not applicable for physicians in their CV training. Learn more by clicking the link below.

Cardiovascular Team Student

Your Path to AACC and FACC

The Associate of the American College of Cardiology (AACC) Designation

Learn More About AACC

Associate of the American College of Cardiology (AACC) is one of the most distinguished designations the College offers its members, honoring those with advanced training and education who have shown a commitment to the profession and the College.

With a focus on recognized national board certifications and member interests in advanced learning, skill building and professional recognition, the designation is a high honor reserved for those cardiovascular team members who have taken their commitment to transforming cardiovascular care and improving heart health to the highest level.

As an Associate of the American College of Cardiology (AACC) you'll gain recognition as a cardiovascular professional at the top of your field and receive voting privileges on College decisions.

The Fellow of the American College of Cardiology (FACC) Designation

Learn More About FACC

Fellowship is one of the most distinguished designations the College offers its members, and is the ultimate recognition of professional achievement.

Based on outstanding credentials, achievements and community contributions to cardiovascular medicine, those who are elected to Fellowship signal to peers and patients their commitment to quality cardiovascular care through use of the FACC designation. Fellows of the ACC come from all specialties within cardiology and include adult cardiologists, pediatric cardiologists, interventional cardiologists, surgeons, researchers, academicians, specialists in a cardiovascular-related field and cardiovascular team members with advanced degrees.

The strongest evidence of achievement for those who earn the FACC designation comes from the applicant's peers through letters of sponsorship attesting to their professional competence and commitment to excellence.

Election to Fellowship is determined by committee, and applications are welcomed on a rolling basis.

Past Distinguished Associate Award Recipients Include

2021: Leslie Davis, NP, PhD, FACC
2020: Jennifer M. Ballard-Hernandez, DNP, AACC
2019: Mona Fiuzat, PharmD, FACC
2018: Janet Fredal Wyman, DNP, FACC
2017: Kimberly K. Birtcher, PharmD, AACC
2016: Margo Minissian, PhD, ACNP, CLS, AACC
2015: Rhonda Cooper-DeHoff, PharmD, FACC
2014: Jane A. Linderbaum, APRN, CPN, MS, AACC
2013: Brenda Garrett-Superko, RN

Distinguished Associate Award

The Distinguished Associate Award recognizes anon-physician member (Cardiovascular Team Member, Associate of the American College of Cardiology or non-physician Fellow of the American College of Cardiology) whose outstanding contributions to College initiatives and the field of cardiology have encouraged and nurtured the ACC's team approach to cardiovascular care.

Section Announcements

Section News

Calling the CV Care Team: Register Now For November’s NP/PA CCK Exam

May 28, 2025

Announcements

Now is the chance to advance your career and showcase your commitment to cardiovascular excellence with ACC's Certified Cardiovascular Knowledge (CCK) Exam – designed specifically for NPs and PAs. With 150 multiple choice questions, the exam covers a broad range of cardiovascular disease knowledge, diagnosis and treatment. In addition to earning you the prestigious CCK credential, passing the exam will also qualify you as an Associate of the ACC (AACC), with credit towards becoming a Fellow (FACC). Learn more and register for the Nov. 20-23 exam window!

Medical Professional Signing Document; Conceptual Image

Applications Now Open For ACC’s Leadership Accelerator Program

May 28, 2025

Call For Applications

Applications are now being accepted for ACC's Leadership Accelerator development program. The program is designed for early career cardiovascular professionals looking to define and strengthen their leadership skills. Participants will engage in small-group, interactive learning focused on developing core leadership competencies such as communication, agility, executive presence and leading through change. Applications are due by Thursday, June 19. Apply now.

Showcase Your Expertise in Cardio-Obstetrics!

May 28, 2025

Educational Opportunities

Submit your original research or professional development abstracts and clinical cases for a chance to present your work at Cardio-Obstetrics Essentials: Team-Based Management of Cardiovascular Disease and Pregnancy. Led by top experts in the field including Course Chair Natalie Bello, MD, MPH, FACC, and Vice Chair Deirdre J. Mattina, MD, FACC, this interprofessional course focuses on the evolving field of cardio-obstetrics to ensure better diagnosis and treatment of your patients of child-bearing age. Register today to join us in Washington, DC, Oct. 17-19, and submit your abstracts and cases by July 8.

View More Section News »

Resources

Cardiovascular Care Team Clinical Topic Collection

View More in the Cardiovascular Team Clinical Topic Collection.