Last Updated on Apr 14, 2020 by James W
When it comes to jobs in the medical field, few are as highly respected as that of a cardiologist. These physicians specialize in treating all things to do with the heart, including the veins and arteries, and can literally save peoples’ lives. Just being a respected position in the medical field shouldn’t be the determining factor though, as there are a number of other things worth considering if you have been toying with the idea of cardiology. So, just what can you expect from this field? Let’s examine it closer.
What Does a Cardiologist Do?
A cardiologist specializes in matters concerning a patient’s heart and blood vessels. It is their job to treat and prevent diseases. Cardiologists can work in the hospital or have their own office seeing patients there. During exams of patients, you will be checking their heart, weight, blood pressure, blood vessels, and lungs. Often, additional tests are needed so that you can identify problems.
Cardiologists must go through a lot of training, which usually equates to about 10 years’ worth. They will need to attend medical school for four years, spend three years training in general internal medicine, and then three years in specialized training. It is a long road to certification from the American Board of Internal Medicine, so you need to have a lot of dedication and drive.
Personality Traits that Can Help
Besides all the proper educational training and knowledge, there are some personality traits that can help you to excel as a successful cardiologist. Obviously, you need to be able to handle blood and surgery, but that’s a given in the medical field. As well, you’ll need to be the type that can focus, stay calm in emergencies, have a clear level-head, a steady hand, and can step away from things from an emotional standpoint.
Cardiology is demanding both physically and mentally, so you need to be able to handle the pressure.
What About Salary?
Another fairly well-known fact about cardiology is that it is among the top paying, if not the top paid position in the medical field. According to Salaries Hub even though the pay is usually quite high, it can vary depending in the country that you work in.
Data from the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that physicians and surgeons can expect a median pay of $208,000 per year. Of course, this can vary depending on the speciality field you are in. Another thing to note is that this is an area of growth right now, with the number of jobs expected to rise by 13% by 2026, which is faster than the national job growth average.
A Long Road but a Fulfilling One
Deciding that you want to become a cardiologist means you have many years’ worth of hard work and training ahead of you. However, once completed, you can go on to enjoy a very rewarding career that brings you new challenges each and every day allowing you to make a real difference in peoples’ lives.
