Category: 2. Advantages

Becoming a cardiologist doesn’t just involve serious expense in terms of money but also an investment in time. Medical school alone can take four years, and that’s followed by three years of residency. Undergraduate school is four years in front of all this, and many cardiologists go through three years of fellowship. Add it all up, and it can take 14 years just to start practicing as a cardiologist. Once you do, you’ll work long hours on unconventional schedules with many on-call hours. More than half of cardiologists spend more than 50 hours each week with their patients, and more than 10 percent average over 65 hours with patients each week. That’s all before the office time and paperwork. 

Doctors’ salaries are high in the United States; it’s one reason why everyone’s mother wants them to become a doctor. Cardiologists can earn over $386,000 annually.

Being a cardiologist is one of the most prestigious occupations in the health care industry. To achieve this professional status, you not only need a doctoral degree in medicine, but you also must complete internship and residency work, and pass multiple certification exams.

Top performing cardiologists can earn a Fellow of the American College of Cardiology (FACC) designation based on longevity in the field, notable accomplishments and a reputation for high moral integrity, according to CardioSmart. These cardiologists are chosen by their peers and by medical school faculty.

Your four years of college plus four years of medical school will most likely be very costly. After that, you’ll still won’t be earning a cardiologist’s salary until you complete a residency and are able to practice on your own. You may end up with a large amount of debt before you actually start your high-earning years.

Cardiology has extensive educational requirements. You’ll need a four-year bachelor’s degree plus an additional four years of medical school. Then you’ll have to complete a residency program that could take anywhere from four to eight years.

One of the benefits of being a cardiologist is the amount of money that you can earn. Cardiologists are some of the most well-compensated workers in the world. As of 2014, the median salary for a cardiologist is approximately $420,991 per year according to Becker’s Hospital Review. Besides receiving a large salary, cardiologists also enjoy a solid benefits package that includes retirement benefits and health coverage.

One of the biggest potential drawbacks of a career in cardiology is the work schedule. Because there are typically not that many qualified cardiologists in a particular region, you may have to put in many hours to see all of the patients that need your help. Some cardiologists work in excess of 60 hours per week on a regular basis. In addition to working long hours, you may be on-call for emergencies during your down time.

A cardiologist performs a number of different diagnostic tests such as an electrocardiogram or x-rays to determine the condition of the heart and the arteries around it. An electrocardiogram is a test that checks to see if a heartbeat is steady or irregular. Cardiologists diagnose heart conditions and then prescribe the proper course of treatment to remedy the problems.