Cardiologist

Cardiologist Salary

Cardiologists may expect to work long hours, often over 40 hours per week, as people suffer serious heart incidents at any time, necessitating emergency calls to render care to patients. Many cardiologists maintain their own practice or a group practice with other physicians, though many are also employed by hospitals. A cardiologist may need to travel to several different hospitals in the area during the course of a week, visiting patients who have had heart surgery or are in need of other heart-related care.

The annual expected salary for a cardiologist who does not perform invasive surgery is approximately $420,000 per year, while the average salary for cardiologists who perform invasive procedures is $550,000. This figure can vary depending upon the type of practice the cardiologist is involved in: Cardiologists working in private practice typically earn more than cardiologists employed by a hospital.

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Cardiologist Job Description

A cardiologist is a medical doctor who has received special training and experience in the field of treating problems of the heart and associated blood vessels. They are experienced in using a variety of diagnostic techniques that are categorized as non-invasive, such as the use of ultrasound, or invasive, which includes heart catheterizations and angioplasty.

Cardiologist Duties

• Review pertinent patient medical history
• Perform comprehensive examination of patient
• Order diagnostic testing
• Review results of diagnostic testing and determine course of treatment
• Perform follow up care with patient
• Prescribe necessary medications and advise patient of any additional care that may be recommended
• In some cases, perform invasive techniques such as heart catheterizations or angioplasty
• Advise and educate patients in order to improve quality of life and lower incidents of heart-related issues

How To Become A Cardiologist

A cardiologist must become a medical physician. This process takes approximately eight years of education, including four years obtaining an undergraduate degree and four years in medical school to obtain their medical degree. They then will have to spend several years interning in the specialty of internal medicine; after this stage, they will also need to obtain a fellowship internship with a cardiologist. These internships are what is commonly known as medical residency.

How Long Does It Take To Become A Cardiologist?

Someone desiring to become a cardiologist should anticipate spending approximately eight years obtaining education at the college level. They should also anticipate spending three to eight years of interning in their specialty (medical residency). The decision to become a cardiologist must be made with the realization that the educational and residency requirements are extensive.

Education Requirements

The educational requirements to become a cardiologist are extensive. A cardiologist must have a medical doctorate degree. To achieve this, a candidate must attend four years of undergraduate school in order to earn a bachelor’s degree, often focusing on courses in biology, chemistry, and physics. The graduate must then get into medical school. Acceptance at a medical school includes meeting admission requirements such as a high grade point average and excellent scores on the MCAT (Medical College Admission Test).
Typical medical schools require students to complete two years of coursework in subjects such as pharmacology, anatomy and even psychology. At this level they are trained in skills such as interviewing patients to obtain a medical history, examining patients and how to diagnose illnesses. For the next two years, students are involved in clinical rotations through various departments and specialties, where they work under the supervision of physicians. It is here that they obtain valuable experience in skills such making diagnoses and learning how to treat illnesses and chronic medical conditions.
A cardiologist must typically complete a three year residency program in internal medicine, and then obtain a fellowship in cardiology; this stage will take an additional two to three years to complete.

Certification

A cardiologist who desires to become even more specialized by becoming an interventional cardiologist, they may pursue advanced certification through the American Board of Internal Medicine.

Licensing

Every state in the United States requires physicians to hold a medical license. The full requirements may vary from state to state. This generally includes a requirement that the candidate graduates from a recognized medical school, completes their residency, and successfully passes all necessary examinations. The standardized examination for medical licensing is called the U.S. Medical Licensing Examination, abbreviated USMLE.

Job Outlook

The job outlook for cardiologists is excellent. The Bureau of Labor Statistics anticipates an increase of jobs within the field of medical physicians of 24% between 2010 and 2020. With the aging population in the United States, it is reasonable to expect an increase in patients suffering from heart-associated problems. Also, with the increased emphasis on medical prevention, cardiologists will play a pivotal role in educating the public about ways to decrease the likelihood of heart-associated illness and conditions. Early intervention with patients may also be a way to decrease future incidents of heart problems.

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