Is Cardiology better than other medical specialties in India?

After completing the three-year degree of MD, go for a super specialty course of three-year DM in Cardiology to become a Cardiologist.

A cardiologist is focused on treating coronary artery diseases, congenital heart defects, valvular heart disease, heart failure and electrophysiology. A cardiologist’s qualification includes a specialised medical programme and acquiring of board certification and licensure. After the completion of 10+2 with Physics, Chemistry and Biology, a student could go on to further study their medical specialisation in cardiology. Here’s what you need to do:

• After 10+2, earn a bachelor degree with Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS).
• Get admission in a post-graduation course leading to a Doctor of Medicine (MD) in general medicine.
• After completing the three-year degree of MD, go for a super specialty course of three-year DM in Cardiology to become a Cardiologist.

Courses offered in this field are:

• PG Diploma in Clinical Cardiology Course (PGDCC)
• Diploma in Cardio Vascular Technology
• Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Cardiac Care Technology
• Master of Science in Cardiological Nursing
• Post Graduate Diploma in Community Cardiology
• Doctor of Medicine in Cardiology
• M.Ch in Cardiology
• DNB Cardio-Thoracic Surgery
• M.Ch Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery

Key skills required to become a cardiologist

• Be familiar with all technologies: You should know the devices and technologies used for surgery. The knowledge of instrumental machines is essential so that you can understand specialised tests.
• Depth knowledge of cardiovascular system: Candidates should be aware of the system of cardiovascular. You should have total knowledge after completing your degree.
• Communication and interpersonal skills: It is the skill with which you can appropriately communicate with your colleagues. This skill should be present in you.
• Self-confidence: If you are a senior doctor in your department, then you have to be confident while doing the operation in operation theatre. In emergency cases, it is very essential to take an instant decision.

Return on investment of cardiology specialisation

With the promise of plentiful job growth and the steadfast necessity for medical care, physicians are some of the highest-paid professionals in the United States. On one hand, medical students have a wealth of profitable job opportunities waiting in the wings, yet the cost to get hold of the education and training essential to fill these positions continues to rise. Money and time are two steady factors that an aspiring doctor must contend with during, before and after completion of medical school. As no two journeys are exactly alike, the ROI (Return on Investment) for a medical degree differs for every graduate.

Cardiology vs other medical specialisations

• Cardiology: It manages disorders of the heart. A cardiologist performs specialised work such as angiography, angioplasty, etc.
• Medicine: An MBBS doctor who specialises in medicine and obtains an MD degree becomes a physician. The job of a physician is to understand patient’s issues, study the results of clinical tests, and diagnose the disease and then suggest the course of treatment.
• Neurosurgery: It is the surgical discipline focused on treating the peripheral and central nervous system. Neurosurgical conditions comprise primarily the brain and spinal cord disorders. Neurosurgeons are the medical doctors specialised in this field.
• Ophthalmologists: They diagnose and conduct treatment for the diseased human eye. Ophthalmologists are trained to carry out surgeries of the eye, operations for the elimination of cataract, treatment of glaucoma and other such infections and diseases of the eye.

Time taken to start practicing

In a usual three-year cardiology course, studies combine research with clinical experiences and lab exercises wherein students work with patients directly in actual healthcare settings. The skills they are qualified in acquiring include performing EKG tests and heart catheterisations. Students pursuing the course required to pass a certification exam in cardiology before they can start working in the field. Before starting to practice, they need to complete graduation from an accredited medical school, residency, achieve a satisfactory Internal Medicine Board Certification exam score, go through stages of program interview, curriculum vitae, personal statement, medical school transcripts, and letters of recommendation. Patient care, research opportunities, and lab work are also included as prerequisites.

Scope of growth

Because of the current increase in heart conditions, the necessity for more super-specialty heart care centers is increasing along with career avenues for trained cardiologists in the country. Skilled heart healthcare specialists are required in both private and government hospitals. Apart from working as practicing doctors, cardiologists can also work as lecturers in medical colleges.

Some of the popular job positions offered to successful postgraduates of the discipline with the corresponding job descriptions and salaries offered are mentioned-below

Job title	Job description	Average annual salary
Cardiologist	A cardiologist is liable to take care of patients with diseases or deformities of the heart or vascular system. They also focus on preventing, diagnosing, and treating diseases in the cardiovascular system that comprises blood vessels and heart. They also diagnose and treat injuries of the vascular system and heart.	Rs 16.20-17.20 lakh per annum
Junior Resident (Cardiology)	A junior resident (Cardiology) is accountable for diagnosing and treating lung, heart, and blood vessel disorders by carrying out non-invasive diagnostic tests of pulmonary and cardiovascular  systems	Rs 2.46-3 lakh per annum
Senior Resistant (Cardiology)	A senior resistant (Cardiology) is in charge to carry out echocardiogram, electrocardiogram, trans-oesophageal echocardiogram exercises, Holter- monitor, stress testing and dobutamine stress testing in compliance with departmental and hospital policies and procedures.	Rs 3-3.50 lakh per annum
Technical Assistant	A technical assistant is mainly liable for offering technical and equipment-based help in heart treatments.	Rs 3.50-4 lakh per annum
Area Sales Manager	An area sales manager is accountable for making sure that sales targets are met within the chosen sales area or territory. They develop a close association with all their major accounts to grow the business physically and discover new business avenues. They are specialists in understanding their market area, products, opportunities, trends, and competitive activity.	Rs 5.78-6.38 lakh per annum
Marketing Manager	A marketing manager is liable to develop, implement and execute strategic marketing plans for the whole organisation to attract prospective customers and retaining the present ones.	Rs 6.44- 7 lakh per annum

Employment prospects in hospitals

After completing a specialisation in cardiology, those who have a love for teaching can grab a teaching position under the Cardiology department at colleges and universities. There is a vast range of employment opportunities for a cardiologist both under private and the government sector. Due to the continuous rise in heart-related diseases, cardiologists can find a job quite easily. Most doctors start their career by working in a hospital on a weekly, monthly or even daily basis and finally after gaining enough experience ends up with their health care clinics.