Many doctors choose to specialize in the treatment of one specific type of medical condition, such as brain or heart conditions. Others, including gynecologists and pediatricians, practice branches of medicine defined by a specific population of patients. Doctors who combine both, such as pediatric cardiologists, must work through some of the longest training periods in medicine.
All physicians, whether medical doctors or osteopaths, begin their careers with an undergraduate premedical degree. Any major is acceptable, as long as the program covers the prerequisites for medical school. Since these are primarily science courses, majors in the sciences are the pragmatic choice. They'll typically include basic physics, chemistry and biology, as well as more advanced work in organic chemistry or biochemistry. The next step is a degree from medical or osteopathic college, which typically requires an additional four years. The first two are spent learning medical theory in the classroom, while the remaining two years consist primarily of hands-on clinical training.
At graduation, aspiring physicians choose a specialty and apply for an appropriate residency. Future pediatric cardiologists must spend three years in a pediatric residency, learning to diagnose and treat childhood diseases with mentoring and supervision from experienced practitioners. Some hospitals are known as centers of excellence in cardiac care, and pediatric residents who plan to focus on cardiology can gain valuable exposure to heart patients in those facilities. By the end of the third year of residency, new physicians should be capable of practicing independently. To do so, they must take and pass certification exams administered by the Board of Pediatrics.
Newly board-certified pediatricians are required to spend a further three years in a specialized fellowship program if they plan to practice pediatric cardiology. During this time they'll usually work as part of a care team with experienced pediatric cardiologists, cardiac surgeons, and numerous other caregivers including physician assistants and registered nurses. Through hands-on experience, cardiology fellows learn the diagnosis, management and treatment of chronic and acute heart conditions in children. At the end of the fellowship they must pass a second set of board examinations before they can be certified as pediatric cardiologists. Certification must be maintained through a regular program of continuing education.
In total, it normally takes 14 years to become a pediatric cardiologist. The payoff, as with any medical career, comes in the form of an above-average income once training is completed. Specialty recruiting firm Profiles, which works with newly-trained physicians, reported a median income of $189,000 for first-year pediatric cardiologists in its 2011/2012 salary survey. For the specialty as a whole, the American Medical Group Association reported a median income of $249,990 in its own 2012 salary survey. While this is a lavish income by most standards, it's lower than many other medical specialties.
- Pediatric Cardiology Associates: What Is a Pediatric Cardiologist?
- Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis: Pediatrics
- St. John's University: Guide for Planning Your Pre-Med Curriculum
- UT Southwestern Medical Center: Medical School Curriculum
- Profiles.com: 2011-2012 Physician Salary Survey
- Cejka Search: Physician Salaries Reported By the American Medical Group Association (AMGA)
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