New Cohort Starts:

Donate

4H091 Career Guide

Air Force

4H091: Cardiopulmonary Laboratory Technician

Career transition guide for Air Force Cardiopulmonary Laboratory Technician (4H091)

Translate Your 4H091 Experience Now

Get a personalized AI-powered translation of your military experience into civilian resume language.

Start Free Translation

Civilian Career Pathways

Top civilian roles for 4H091 veterans, with average salary and market demand data.

Respiratory Therapist

$77K
High matchGrowing demand

Cardiovascular Technologist

$75K
High matchGrowing demand

Skills to develop:

Certification in specific modalities (e.g., CCI, RCIS)

Medical Equipment Repairer

$55K
Good matchStable demand

Skills to develop:

Vendor-specific equipment trainingBiomedical technology certification

Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) / Paramedic

$45K
Good matchHigh demand

Skills to develop:

National Registry EMT certificationState-specific licensure

Healthcare Administrator

$70K
Moderate matchStable demand

Skills to develop:

Bachelor's or Master's degree in Healthcare AdministrationProject management skills

Salary estimates from VWC career data

Hidden Strengths

Cognitive skills your 4H091 training built — and where they transfer.

Situational Awareness

Constantly monitoring patients' vital signs, equipment functionality, and the overall environment during complex procedures to anticipate and quickly respond to potential complications.

Maintaining a high level of awareness of your surroundings and quickly identifying potential risks or changes in dynamic environments, allowing for proactive decision-making.

Rapid Prioritization

Quickly assessing and prioritizing patient needs in emergency situations, such as during a cardiac arrest, to ensure the most critical interventions are administered first.

Evaluating and ranking tasks or issues based on urgency and importance, enabling efficient allocation of resources and timely response to critical situations.

Procedural Compliance

Adhering strictly to established protocols and safety regulations when performing invasive procedures, administering medications, and operating specialized medical equipment to minimize errors and ensure patient safety.

Following standardized procedures and guidelines meticulously to ensure accuracy, consistency, and safety in high-stakes environments.

Resource Optimization

Managing medical supplies, equipment, and personnel efficiently within the cardiopulmonary laboratory to ensure smooth operations and minimize waste, especially during emergency situations.

Strategically allocating and managing resources to maximize efficiency and minimize waste, ensuring operational effectiveness within budgetary constraints.

Non-Obvious Career Matches

Clinical Research Coordinator

SOC 13-1041.00

You've been managing complex cardiopulmonary procedures and patient care, skills directly transferable to coordinating clinical trials. Your experience with data collection, patient monitoring, and procedural compliance makes you an ideal candidate to oversee research studies.

Healthcare Risk Manager

SOC 11-9111.00

Your experience in a cardiopulmonary setting has given you keen insight into potential risks and hazards. As a Healthcare Risk Manager, you will use your expertise in procedural compliance and situational awareness to identify, assess, and mitigate risks within a healthcare organization, ensuring patient safety and regulatory compliance.

Medical Equipment Sales Representative

SOC 41-9031.00

You've been operating and maintaining specialized cardiopulmonary equipment, which makes you uniquely qualified to sell and support similar technology. Your hands-on experience and understanding of clinical needs will enable you to effectively communicate the value of medical devices to healthcare professionals.

Training & Education Equivalencies

Cardiopulmonary Laboratory Technician Program, Fort Sam Houston, TX

1,120 training hours28 weeksUp to 21 semester hours recommended in allied health sciences

Topics Covered

  • Electrocardiography (ECG/EKG) and interpretation
  • Pulmonary Function Testing (PFT) and interpretation
  • Arterial Blood Gas (ABG) sampling and analysis
  • Cardiac Catheterization assisting procedures
  • Echocardiography principles and techniques
  • Respiratory Therapy modalities (oxygen therapy, aerosol therapy, ventilation)
  • Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) certification
  • Bronchoscopy assisting procedures

Certification Pathways

Partial Coverage

Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT)70% covered

Advanced respiratory therapy techniques, specific disease state management, and recent advancements in respiratory care protocols.

Certified Pulmonary Function Technologist (CPFT)75% covered

In-depth knowledge of pulmonary function testing standards, quality control procedures, and interpretation of complex pulmonary function results.

Certified Cardiographic Technician (CCT)65% covered

Advanced ECG interpretation, Holter monitoring analysis, and stress testing protocols. Specifics on the latest guidelines and technologies.

Recommended Next Certifications

Certified Healthcare Simulation Educator (CHSE)Certified Professional in Healthcare Quality (CPHQ)Lean Six Sigma Green BeltAdvanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) InstructorNational Healthcare Disaster Professional (NHDP)

Technical Systems Translation

Military systems you've used and their civilian equivalents for your resume.

Military SystemCivilian Equivalent
Arterial Blood Gas (ABG) AnalyzersBlood gas analyzers (e.g., Roche cobas bge link, Siemens RAPIDLab)
Electrocardiogram (ECG) MachinesECG devices (e.g., GE Healthcare MAC 2000, Philips PageWriter TC series)
SpirometersPulmonary function testing systems (e.g., Vyaire Medical, ndd Medizintechnik AG)
Mechanical VentilatorsCritical care ventilators (e.g., Hamilton Medical, Dräger Medical)
DefibrillatorsDefibrillators (e.g., Philips HeartStart, ZOLL Medical)
Cardiac Catheterization SystemsAngiography suites and related interventional cardiology equipment (e.g., Siemens Healthineers, GE Healthcare)
Patient Monitoring SystemsVital signs monitoring systems (e.g., Philips IntelliVue, GE CARESCAPE)

Ready to Translate Your Experience?

Our AI-powered translator converts your 4H091 experience into ATS-optimized civilian resume language.

Translate My Resume — Free