Job Description
A Cardiologist deals specifically with heart conditions diagnosing, treating and preventing diseases of the cardiovascular system, which includes the heart and the blood vessels. Cardiologists work with adult patients - paediatric cardiology is a separate speciality.
Entry Requirements
To become a Cardiologist, you will need to have completed a medical degree followed by the two-year Foundation Programme and two or three years of core training. If you have already made a decision to pursue a career in cardiology, try to do research and rotations in relevant areas such as diabetes, endocrinology, oncology, general practice, elderly care, rheumatology or respiratory medicine.
To find information about getting into medical school, visit the Health Careers website and look at the applying for medical school pages and find out more about applying for foundation training.
It is useful to get relevant work experience during the Foundation Programme to test out your interest in cardiology.
Postgraduate Training
The approved postgraduate training programme for cardiology is available from the GMC. A small proportion of the trainees in cardiovascular medicine are training less than full time.
Career Path and Progression
With progress you could become:
- Senior cardiologist
- Leadership/management roles in a speciality
- Academic cardiologist
Required Skills
- Excellent communication skills,
- the ability to work well in a team
- good problem solving abilities
- able to work well under pressure
- an interest in effective medical therapies
- the ability to react quickly and make decisions
Salary Range
£28,243 to £74,661
