The Sub Specialties Available For Physicians in the Cardiology Field

Updated on March 24, 2021

Medicine as a career has many fields of specialty that are accompanied by their specific sub-specialties. These sub-specialties tend to be characteristically narrowed fields of specific and professional skill that are tailored towards a particular trade specialty. Sub-specialization has been heavily incorporated into the medical trade and therefore is seen cutting across cardiology, pathology, neurology, and internal medicine. The cardiology field is particularly geared towards disorders and conditions in the cardiovascular system. Given its wide scope, those who intend on pursuing cardiology often find themselves at a crossroads when it comes to picking a sub-specialty. This article takes an insightful look at some of the options available for physicians looking to get Ohio cardiologist jobs in this field.

Cardiology typically has two major areas of specialization; either invasive or non-invasive. Non-invasive cardiology is tailored for the management and prevention of cardiovascular problems. Invasive cardiology is extensive, and, as such, most specialists in this area can skillfully perform a wide array of related procedures. These may include:

  • cardiac ablation
  • heart catheterization (routine)
  • angioplasty
  • defibrillator insertions (implant)
  • pacemaker insertions (permanent)
  • electrophysiology

Cardiothoracic Surgeon

This surgeon typically handles patients with conditions in their chest area, specifically the lungs, esophagus, and heart. Their scope covers diseased organs, tissues, and bone structure inside the chest cavity. Quite notably, they commonly handle diseases in the coronary artery and lung cancer. These surgeons are also consulted for cases where babies with heart connection disorders and holed heart chambers.

General Clinical Cardiologist

Just as the name suggests, this surgeon is able to handle a wide spectrum of roles. A general clinical cardiologist is meant to efficiently diagnose, prevent and medically manage any circulatory system disorders. Their schedule for caring for patients tends to be more comprehensive and spans over a long period of time. These cardiologists are also able to give patients skilled insight and choose the most appropriate medication to treat a wide array of circulatory system disorders. These cardiologists may not be trained in the diagnosis and interpretation of cardiac MRIs and the performing of intricate intervention procedures. They are well equipped to handle stress tests and interpret electrocardiograms.

Preventive Cardiologist

These cardiologists are principally similar to general clinical cardiologists. They, additionally, receive specialized training in preventive medicine for cardiovascular diseases, both primary and secondary. Most cardiology subspecialties are only trained for basic preventive cardiology. The in-depth training, skill, and knowledge of these specialists allows them to better handle existent and arising cardiovascular risk factors.

Electrophysiologist

These specialists make use of high-end and frontline medical technology merged with innovative invasive procedures to give an extremely efficient diagnosis, treatment, and management of cardiac arrhythmias. Simply put, arrhythmias are unusual heart rhythms. They typically use their professional skills to implant devices like defibrillators and pacemakers to check the heart’s electrical configuration and tackle cardiac arrhythmia. This sub-specialty caters to a vital cardiology need. They also typically handle tachycardia, bradycardia, atrial fibrillation, and cardiac arrest.

Nuclear Cardiologist

A nuclear cardiologist performs an elaborate assessment to determine the level of damage to the cardiovascular system. They are also skillfully trained in delivering radio-tracer agent injections and locating blockages in the arteries. These specialists are usually consulted by other cardiologists in clinical situations to help determine the most reliable methods of collecting information on the circulatory system. Nuclear cardiology is built around the use of non-invasive medical techniques to observe blood flow in the myocardium. It also entails an in-depth observation of how the heart is pumping and the determination of heart attack location and intensity. One notable technique in this field is myocardial perfusion imaging.

Interventional Cardiologist

This subspecialty requires you to gain another few years of vital experience in cardiovascular diseases and congenital conditions in the circulatory system. Their practice is heavily based on procedures that are catheter-based such as stenting or angioplasty. This catheterization usually involves the careful insertion of a medical sheath into an artery and ballooning it so as to clear blocked arteries. Their specialized training gives them skills that allow them to skillfully use cutting and laser devices for this endeavor.

Adult Congenital Cardiologist

As seen in the name, these specialists cater to adult age patients, typically above the age of 18. Their training is highly adapted and suited to congenital heart conditions, making them a vital subspecialty. These specialists have free reign to either undergo training for just non-invasive cardiology or both invasive and non-invasive cardiology. Besides offering competent diagnoses, they are able to affect interventional therapy methods.

Computed Tomography Cardiologist

This subspecialty is based on Computed Tomography (CT scans) or MRI technology (Magnetic Resonance Imaging). It is a non-invasive subspecialty that directly caters to clinically diagnose and manage cardiovascular conditions. This specialty reflects the correlation and interaction of cardiologists and radiologists to ensure peak levels of patient diagnosis, treatment, and care. This budding field encourages a more streamlined medical process that guarantees quality and efficient service.

Echocardiologist

An echocardiologist is primarily trained to carry out and give an accurate interpretation of cardiac ultrasounds. They use these sonograms to precisely locate cardiovascular problems and give a detailed report of the heart’s condition. In some cases, these specialists are termed as vascular technicians or cardiovascular technologists. Echocardiology can be broken down into five sectors, including transthoracic, stress, transesophageal, fetal, and 3D. These specialists can train for and achieve certification in either or all of these sectors.

Cardiologist for Heart Failure and Transplant

This subspecialty requires you to undergo vigorous advanced training to acquire expertise that gives them the necessary ability to treat cardiovascular conditions. They ideally treat people suffering from refractory or advanced heart failure. The scope of this subspecialty extends to reaches that the usual general cardiologists and internists may not be able to cover.

In Conclusion

These numerous cardiology specialties are not necessarily standalone and are quite often interlaced to ensure competent patient care. However, understanding them allows you to make an informed pursuit towards these diverse categories of medicine. With the information above, you will be able to make an informed decision when seeking Ohio cardiologist jobs.

The Editorial Team at Healthcare Business Today is made up of skilled healthcare writers and experts, led by our managing editor, Daniel Casciato, who has over 25 years of experience in healthcare writing. Since 1998, we have produced compelling and informative content for numerous publications, establishing ourselves as a trusted resource for health and wellness information. We offer readers access to fresh health, medicine, science, and technology developments and the latest in patient news, emphasizing how these developments affect our lives.