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Cardiologist |
Career OverviewA cardiologist is a physician who diagnoses and treats various problems concerning the heart and the system of vessels that are within the human body. These various problems include, but are not limited to, chest pain (angina), irregular heart beat, high blood pressure, heart failure and heart attack.
While cardiologists perform routine procedures such as taking a medical history from the patient and performing simple physical exams, they may also administer special tests that help confirm diagnosis, such as EKG, echocardiogram, treadmill test, cardiac catheterization and angioplasty. Cardiologists do not perform any type of surgery on their patients.
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Career RequirementsThe field of cardiology is a subspecialty of internal medicine, and as such requires many years of study from the student so that he may competently practice cardiology on an independent basis. A student interested in this particular field of medicine must first successfully complete a B.S. or B.A. degree with an emphasis on the basic sciences.
Next, the prospective physician must enter and graduate from an LCME accredited medical school. Finally, now considered an M.D., the physician must complete an additional three or more years of training to become an internal medicine specialist, followed by three or more years of specialized cardiovascular training to become a cardiologist.
During these years of study and training, the student of cardiology is expected to maintain high grade point averages and successfully pass many rigorous examinations that prove academic excellence as well as the ability to care for patients.
Education for a cardiologist never ends, as each state requires a certain amount of continuing education credits to be completed each year in order to keep the cardiologist current on all new developments in his field. In addition to several years of education, a cardiologist must be licensed in the state he wishes to work in order to practice medicine legally. Also, cardiologists must be certified through the Board of Internal Medicine.
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Job OutlookAccording to the U.S. Department of Labor, the opportunities for physicians will increase faster than average through the year 2014. Job openings will increase due to physicians retiring between now and 2014.
Opportunities for employment for physicians are more abundant in rural and low-income communities. Most cardiologists choose to enter group practices, such as clinics and hospitals, rather than entering into private practices.
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Career TrackTraditionally, cardiologists diagnose and treat patients on a daily basis. However, there are other options for those interested in cardiology. Some of these options include:
- Becoming a research physician
- Teaching medical students and residents
- Directing various health programs and facilities
- Working with pharmaceutical companies
- Developing new medical devices
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CompensationA new cardiologist can expect to earn between $165,000 and $300,000. These numbers can be affected by many different things. The salary for a cardiologist will increase with respect to the years of accumulated experience.
Also, salary can be expected to be higher in rural and low-income areas, where there are fewer physicians. Commonly, salary varies from state to state.
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