Cardiologists


Overview

Introduction

Cardiologists are physicians who practice in the subspecialty of internal medicine that concentrates on the diagnosis and treatment of heart disease. In most instances, cardiologists treat patients on a consultative basis to determine if the symptoms the patients are exhibiting are signs of heart disease. According to the State Health Facts Web site of the Kaiser Family Foundation, there are 34,664 actively practicing cardiologists in the United States.

Quick Facts


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Median Salary

$423,250

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Employment Prospects

Good

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Minimum Education Level

Medical Degree


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Experience

Three to seven years residency


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Skills

Math|Research|Scientific


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Personality Traits

Helpful|Problem-Solving|Scientific

Earnings

Earnings for cardiologists vary widely due to factors such as the number of years the cardiologist has been in practice, the size and type of practice (e.g., self-employed private practice, large group practice, and hospital-based), the type of cardiology practiced (noninvasive, interventional, and invasive noninterventional), and the geographic location where they practice medicine.

In ...

Work Environment

The offices and examining rooms of most cardiologists and related physicians are well equipped, attractive, well lighted, and well ventilated. There is usually at least one nurse-receptionist on the physicians staff, and there may be several nurses, a laboratory technician, one or more secretaries, a bookkeeper, or receptionist.

Cardiologists usually see patients by appointments that are...

Outlook

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, the total employment of all physicians and surgeons is expected to grow by 3 percent, about as fast as the average for all occupations, through 2032.

The influence of managed care, new research and development of cardiac drugs, and the Affordable Care Act continues to be felt in the field of cardiology. The usual inpatient time for someone who h...