A cardiologist is a licensed physician who’s specifically trained and knowledgeable in treating the heart and blood circulation system. A cardiologist functions much like a regular doctor, in the sense that they’d examine their patients and attempt to find any irregularities in the operation of the heart. A cardiologist may recommend proper treatment and preventive methods for stopping the onset of some of the more dangerous heart conditions. Additionally, a cardiologist will be the primary source of information on a patient to a surgeon, should the patient need to be operated on.
Becoming a cardiologist is a very demanding process, even more than what you’d have to go through to become a general doctor. In addition to the standard requirement of a Bachelor’s degree and 4 years of medical education, a cardiologist must also complete a three-year internship, as well as an extra three to four years of training that is aimed at the specific skills a cardiologist needs in their line of duty. The great responsibilities that come with the job are the reason behind a strict admittance process for candidates.
Cardiologists, considering the importance and delicacy of the work they perform, are among the highest-compensated physicians, their salaries only being exceeded by cardiovascular surgeons for the most part. A cardiologist can earn between $215,000 – $370,000 per year, and the more experienced and established ones are able to earn over $400,000. The number of successfully treated patients affects the cardiologist’s compensation as well, as is the case with most other physicians.