Careers for Freshers

Listen to your heart...

The heart is the powerhouse of the body. The stressful life that we live today has made heart d disease a common occurrence that can strike us anywhere, any time.

A recent survey showed that about 30% of all deaths are caused due to heart failure. A cardiologist specialises in heart diseases.

• Job Profile
Cardiac diseases and symptoms are of various types. There are diseases or conditions of similar or different aetiologies. Cardiologists treat heart diseases with medication and other non-surgical methods. The most common heart ailments are heart attacks and hypertension. Cardiac surgeons perform by pass and cardiovascular surgery. Cardiologists provide emergency treatment by taking an ECG to determine the severity of the attack and giving intravenous medication.

Apart from these, cardiologists also treat congestive heart failure, heart enlargement, etc.

• Eligibility
To be a cardiologist, you should be the analytical type with skills above average. You should be able to investigate, analyse and recall scientific facts fast. An ability to reason and put people at ease with an air of confidence helps. A cool head and tremendous ability to work under severe duress are added assets.

To be a cardiologist, an MD in General Medicine after your MBBS, is necessary. After your MD, you should do a DM in Cardiology - a super specialisation area. You can practice cardiology after your MD but to have a successful career, you need a DM.

Alternatively, to be a cardiac surgeon, you must do a MS in General Surgery after your MBBS and then an M.Ch in Cardio-thoracic surgery or Cardiovascular and thoracic surgery.

• Institutes
You could do your MBBS and/or specialisation in the following institutes :

All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS)
Ansari Nagar
New Delhi - 110 029

Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education & Research
Chandigarh

Jawaharlal Institute of Post Graduate Medical Education & Research (JIPMER)
Pondicherry - 605 506
Tamil Nadu

Dr. B. C. Roy Post Graduate Institute of Basic Medical Sciences
Calcutta University
244-B, A.J.C Bose Road
Calcutta - 700 020

University of Delhi
Faculty of Medical Sciences
Delhi - 110 007

Kasturba Medical College
Manipal Academy of Higher Education
University Building
Madhav Nagar
Manipal - 576 119

• The early years
The early years are tough in any profession are tough. Examinations to take, apart from the long hours that you will need to spend at hospitals are routine. You will need to work with a senior doctor as an assistant or an observer during surgery.

This is a profession where you never stop learning or gaining experience. With time, you gain enoughconfidence to become a head surgeon and could start you own practice and work with a hospital.

• Prospects
The prospects are good, no doubt as this is a very paying profession and heart diseases are a threat due to the lifestyle today. You'll definitely be successful if you're good at your job. Cardiologists are the most sought after medical professionals.

Lots of opportunities are waiting for you. Competition to enter this field is high. In every city, there are multi-speciality and super-speciality hospitals along with healthcare establishments that offer opportunities for cardiologists and cardiothoracic surgeons.

• Money
The beginning may not be as financially exciting as in case of other medical professions but after you've built up your reputation, you can really make big bucks. A reputed cardiac surgeon can earn anything between Rs 50,000 and Rs 2,00,000 or more a day. As a consultant cardiologist, you can earn anything between Rs 5,000 and Rs 40,000 a day.

Success comes late, as you need to have a lot of patience, experience and reputation. Very few professionals get success early. Though the salary may not be exciting in hospitals, you must work for at least 7-8 years, as this stint will give you a chance to treat a large number of cases as well as a variety of cases. Experience is essential, as medical science is a practicing science.

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