What Is a Clinical Cardiologist? | Chron.com

A cardiologist and a clinical cardiologist are actually the same thing, doctors who specialize in the study of heart disease. Even within cardiology, there are many types of specialists who approach the heart in different ways. Like other doctors, cardiologists have to graduate medical school and pass a licensing exam. They also need several years of work experience focused on the human heart.

Clinical cardiologists don't see patients off the street. People typically make cardiology appointments after their primary care doctor determines there's a problem - dizziness or shortness of breath, say - and gives the patient a referral. If it's a heart attack, the cardiologist may see the patient in the E/R or a hospital bed.

At the first appointment, the clinical cardiologist will talk to the patient about the problems that brought them in and go over their medical history. Then comes the medical exams, including blood pressure, weight, heart, lungs and blood vessels. If that doesn't provide enough answers, the patient may also undergo blood tests, X-rays or more specialized tests. These may be invasive or noninvasive:

Diagnosing cardiovascular disease is the first step in treatment. If the problem isn't serious yet, the cardiologist may encourage keeping it under control with lifestyle changes. If the patient's at greater risk, the doctor will consider methods to treat the problem ranging from drugs to surgery.

Under the broad heart doctor name there are many sub-specialists. The job description and the problems they treat varies for each:

Cardiologists often work with other heart specialists. If a patient needs heart surgery, for instance, that's a job for a cardiovascular surgeon. The patient's clinical cardiologist will monitor his case even after placing them in the surgeon's care. Cardiologists are not surgeons.

Becoming a cardiologist is a long, demanding process. Like anyone who wants an M.D. by their name, you have to graduate college, take the MCAT exam and score high enough to get into medical school.

After you graduate medical school, you begin your residency with three years of training in internal medicine. After that you have to complete four years of specialized training as a clinical cardiologist. Then comes another exam, given by the American Board of Internal Medicine. If you pass, you become certified as a cardiologist.

Cardiologists work in multiple different environments:

Invasive cardiologists are the top earners among physicians, according to 2018 figures. Their years of study and training bring in an average starting salary of $590,000, a 5 percent increase from the previous year. Noninvasive cardiologists' average starting salary dropped .2 percent to $427,000. Demand is expected to grow as the population ages.

Follow this link:
What Is a Clinical Cardiologist? | Chron.com