Cardiologists focus on diagnosing problems with the heart and blood vessels, which together are the cardiovascular system. They can treat medical conditions though noninvasive means such as prescription medications or prevention, or through more invasive procedures such as stents and heart transplants. Patients are generally referred by their general practitioners to these specialists.
Though cardiologists receive training in all applicable medical procedures, they normally specialize due to the complexity of the field. Noninvasive cardiologists evaluate and treat heart disease without invading the body’s interior through operations. They use diagnostic methods such as an electrocardiogram, which measures electrical activity in the heart, or exercise stress testing. They may recommend changes in diet or lifestyle, such as exercising three time a week or avoiding high-cholesterol foods, or prescribe medication. The 2011 survey of physicians by "Modern Healthcare" magazine showed noninvasive cardiologists earning an annual salary of $346,266 to $457,921.
Though invasive cardiologists may also use noninvasive diagnostic and treatment techniques, they focus on procedures that break through the skin. For example, they may diagnose diseases through a biopsy, which takes a small sample taken from the heart for examination, or replace defective heart valves through surgery. They often receive patients through referrals by noninvasive cardiologists. The "Modern Healthcare" survey placed salaries of invasive cardiologists at $373,500 to $532,000 annually.
For 2010, the Bureau of Labor Statistics revealed that the average salary of physicians and surgeons varied greatly by specialty. Physicians in general practice, for example, earned an average of $189,402, while obstetricians earned $281,190. "Modern Healthcare" showed that only three specialties had annual salaries that were greater than those of cardiologists, when comparing the high ends of each specialty. These included anesthesiologists at $520,000, orthopedic surgeons at $576,350 and radiologists at $562,500.
As with all physicians, cardiologists need at least a bachelor’s degree before they can go through the four years of medical school. Following medical school, they must complete at least three years of internal medicine training, making them board-certified internists. They then train as fellows in cardiology, which takes from three to six years. All states require these doctors to pass cardiology board exams so they become certified in cardiology. Cardiac surgeons are board certified in general surgery and then complete seven years of training in heart surgery.
- Texas Heart Institute: What is a Cardiologist?
- Par for Doc Pay; Modern Healthcare; Andis Robeznieks
- Catholic Medical Center: Non-Invasive Cardiologists
- University of North Carolina Health Care System: Invasive Cardiology
- Bureau of Labor Statistics: Physicians and Surgeons Pay
- American College of Cardiology: What is a Cardiologist?
- Jupiterimages/Polka Dot/Getty Images