With the increasing number of hypertension and high cholesterol cases, cardiologists are in great demand.
The Role of a Cardiologist
People usually consult cardiologists when they feel chest pain or discomfort in breathing. Often, other physicians refer patients to cardiologists.
Cardiologists begin diagnosis with a general physical checkup. On finding a condition that falls within the cardiac category, they handle it, or, if the patient requires the services of another physician, they refer the patient appropriately. Cardiologists also help other physicians diagnose and treat patients’ cardiovascular or circulatory ailments and disorders.
Becoming a Cardiologist
Medical schools generally admit students with a bachelor’s or master’s degree in science. They also consider undergraduate students with other credentials and qualifications. It takes seven or more years of medical study to become a qualified cardiologist. The doctors then spend three to four more years studying subspecialties and gaining hands-on training in related fields.
The following steps sum up the main requirements of medical education leading to the qualifications of a cardiologist:
- getting a bachelor’s degree in life sciences, chemistry, economics, engineering or psychology
- taking the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) to secure admission to an accredited medical school
- focusing on internal medicine in four years of medical school
- doing a three-year residency program in internal medicine while maintaining specified standards
- acquiring a license to practice medicine
- getting certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM)
- completing three years of cardiology residency in internal medicine
- passing the ABIM test to be certified as a cardiologist
- spending a few years in the study of subspecialties
The Tasks of Cardiologists
Daily tasks of cardiologists include:
- checking patients, crafting treatment plans, and treating patients
- gathering advice from other healthcare professionals on how to treat patients
- educating patients about healthy lifestyles, strokes, heart attacks, and heart failures
- guiding patients in the use of medication and potential side effects
- using medical technology like magnetic resonance and tomography machines to diagnose health problems and manage treatments
- inserting catheters and finding coronary blockages
- conducting diagnostic tests including ECGs, X-rays, blood tests, strain tests, and cardiac catheterizations
- referring patients to cardiac surgeons for heart surgery
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, cardiologists are likely to see a more than a 27 % growth in their field by 2014. This phenomenal growth in cardiology is due to improvement in cardiovascular procedures, innovations in technology, and a growing number of retiring cardiologists.
Presently, a cardiologist draws a median salary of $241,598. According to a study by the American Medical Association, a large part of a cardiologist’s salary includes incentives and bonuses related to contributions to income and net revenues.
