The cardiovascular system is a complex, vital organ that comprises the heart, blood vessels, and blood. Like all organs in our body, the heart needs to be cared for- and not just when it comes to eating right and exercising. Indeed, there are many ways cardiologists in New Jersey can help you take care of your cardiovascular system!
Brief Overview
Cardiology is one of many medical specialties but it’s also one of the most prestigious fields in medicine as well as being one of the most profitable. If you’re wondering how to become a cardiologist then this article will help by breaking down what you need to know about becoming a cardiologist and where you can find resources for getting started with your training in cardiology.
Academic Requirements
The current educational requirements to become a cardiologist are relatively simple. You have to have a bachelor’s degree in either biology, chemistry, or physics plus at least two years of medical school training.
Medical School Training: After you’ve completed your bachelor’s degree then you will need to complete at least two years of medical school training to become licensed to practice as a doctor. The first step in the process is generally four years of undergraduate medical education followed by 4 years of four-year medical school. The final step is two years of residency training after which you are ready to practice medicine as a cardiologist.
There are two schools in the United States that provide medical training to prepare students for medical school; they are the University Of Pennsylvania School Of Medicine and the University of Minnesota. The University Of Pennsylvania School Of Medicine is the oldest school in the country and offers the first two years of medical school. The University of Minnesota offers an accelerated format for second and third year medical education.
Continuing Professional Education: Cardiologists must keep up to date with advances in medicine by participating in CME’s (Continuing Medical Education). There are three primary areas of CME that cardiologists should be educated about; pharmacology, clinical medicine, and cardiac imaging. There are also numerous other topics that cardiologists should be educated on such as cardiovascular disease prevention, genetic screening, and cardiovascular biology.