Cardiologist - How to become a Cardiologist

Cardiologist also known as Heart Specialist is a medical practitioner, expert in dealing with disorders of human heart. He is specifically trained medical professional who is able to diagnosis and treats congenital heart defects, coronary artery disease, heart failure and other related heart diseases. 

Unprecedented materialistic development, high expectations and unlimited wants have forced man to work harder and harder.  This has started showing its illeffect on the human body in the form of sometime’s non-existent diseases like Hypertension and Heart failure, two most prominent of them. With over burdened body, sedentary living style, advent of junk food, and absence of exercise from the routine these diseases are likely to spread faster with the time, thereby increasing the need of expert Cardiologist who can help to cure the patients suffering from heart related disorders.

Cardiology can be a good option for the aspiring medical practitioner if we go by the present records and expected future requirements of Cardiologist. Young Cardiologists can help to cure ever increasing heart patients as well as make good career for themselves.

But to become a Cardiologist one requires a lot of hard work, dedication and above all aptitude in sciences subjects, particularly in chemistry, biology and physics. Besides one should have discipline, patience, commitment to excel and self-confidence to become a Cardiologist. If you have all these qualities then it is right path to follow for you.

Eligibility to become a Cardiologist

Educational Qualification

Aspiring candidte must have done 5½ years MBBS degree followed by 3 years MD and 3-years DM (Cardiology) to become a Cardiologist.

How to become a Cardiologist?

Interested candidates have to follow the below given steps to become a Cardiologist:

Step 1

Candidates who have appeared or are appearing in +2 (with Physics, Chemistry and Biology as main subjects) have to appear in  Medical Entrance Exams conducted by various state and Independent bodies, like PMT taken by Punjab Government and CBSE-PMT (Pre Medical Test) taken by the central board to admit candidates in various medical institutions affiliated  with it.

Separate test are conducted by some of the highly rated medical institutions like AIIMS, PGI, GMCH, AFMC Pune etc.  These exams are generally held in the month of May-June.

Step 2

After completing this four and half years of MBBS degree course and one years and  six months compulsory training one  has to go for Master’s Degree in Cardiology – a specialization - must to work as a Cardiologist.

Aspiring MBBS doctors have to appear in Post Graduate Medical Entrance Tests like

• All India Post Graduate Medical/Dental Entrance Exam
• BHU M.D. / M.S. Entrance Test
• Delhi University Post Graduate Medical Entrance Test
• Jawaharlal Institute of Post-graduate Medical Education and Research Entrance Exam.

However some institutes also provide admission on the basis of marks obtained in MBBS course and work experience of the aspiring candidates.

Step 3

After the completion of this two to three years of Master Degree in Cardiology course and getting the requisite registration from Medical Council of India the budding Cardiologist can take different career paths open to Cardiologist like getting jobs in Government Hospitals like AIIMS, Corporate Hospitals like Fortis, Apollo. Cardiologist can also opt for their own heart care centre.

Cardiologist Job Description

Cardiologist’s job description includes diagnosing and treating diseases and conditions related to the cardiovascular system of human being. This includes problems caused by restricted circulation due to narrowing of the arteries, problems in the heart valves, damage to the muscle tissue, and disorders of the pericardium. Cardiologists are supposed to address emergency situations like heart attacks besides treating congenital heart problems. If the patient needs heart surgery, the Cardiologist would make a reference to a Cardiothoracic Surgeon. Cardiology is a demanding specialty, but if you have the dedication and perseverance to succeed, you will receive enormous satisfaction in being a Cardiologist. 

Cardiologist Career Prospects

Increase in the patients with heart problems and opening  up of Super specialty Heart Care Centers - both in government and corporate sector - has widened the scope for Cardiologists. Latest records clearly shows that the need for Cardiologists will continue to grow as long as heart disease remains the leading healthcare problem and this is not expected to change soon in the near future.

Cardiologist Salary

Cardiologist can expect to get an average monthly salary of Rs.1 Lakh in the private sector and if they are working in the government hospitals it can be anywhere between Rs.60,000 to Rs.70,000 compensated by free accommodation, perks and respect enjoyed by them. However there is no upper limit for those efficient Cardiologists who are managing their own hearth care centers.