Should I Be a Cardiologist?
The human heart is among the most essential organs in the human body. That's why the cardiologist is among the most respected and highly paid professionals in the healthcare industry.
In determining as to whether or not to pursue this esteemed medical specialty, one in which a physician specializes in the treatment of the heart, arteries and veins, ask yourself a few basic questions:
Do you have a strong interest in the heart and its inner workings? If you enjoy reading or perhaps watching instructional videos about heart health, then chances are you'd make a great cardiologist.
Have you, or someone close to you, experienced heart health issues? If your family has a history of heart ailments, or perhaps you lost a loved one to a heart attack or stroke, then this experience could feed your passion for cardiology. It could inspire you to help those close to you and others to enjoy improved health and longer lives.
From an emotional perspective, do you yourself have a strong heart, and for that matter a sturdy stomach and a clear head? Heart disease is serious business; as a cardiologist, you will be helping patients and their families face severe, perhaps life-threatening conditions. Are you prepared to assume this responsibility, to take on this potentially awesome challenge?
Are you prepared to work hard? In order to become a cardiologist, one must put in about a decade of training and preparation, including four years of medical school and three years of training in the area of general internal medicine; plus an additional three or more years of related experience. Then he/she must pass an American Board of Internal Medicine exam, which tests their skills at all levels and in every capacity.
And the hard work doesn't end there. As a certified cardiologist you will perform a multitude of tasks, including intensive physical exams that monitor the state of a person's lungs, blood vessels, weight, blood pressure, and of course their heart. You will perform common heart tests like the cardiac catheterization, echocardiogram, etc. You will perform blood tests, X-rays and other procedures that help determine the state of a patient's heart health and their overall well-being.
After conducting these tests, you then will be enabled to make a competent diagnosis of your patient's heart health. You may have to prescribe medicine and lifestyle changes, recommend specific strategies of diet and exercise, and/or recommend additional testing, procedures, or surgeries to remedy serious heart problems.
Cardiologists are rewarded richly for all this intensive labor; in fact, in major cities they stand to make nearly $300,000 per year. They also enjoy their choice of work locations, as every hospital and medical center in each community needs a cardiologist; regardless of the size of the community and the state of its economy.
If you have the 'heart' to be a competent cardiac doctor, then a bounty of opportunities and rewards await you in this ever-growing field. Check out jobs in cardiology today!
