Cardiologists

What the job really is

Diagnose, treat, manage, and prevent diseases or conditions of the cardiovascular system. May further subspecialize in interventional procedures (e.g., balloon angioplasty and stent placement), echocardiography, or electrophysiology.

At a glance

• Sector: Healthcare Practitioners
• O*NET-SOC code: 29-1212
• O*NET job zone: 5 — extensive preparation
• Work sample tasks on file: 12
• Tools and technologies listed: 3

What you actually do

Work sample tasks recorded for this occupation:

• Supervise or train cardiology technologists or students.
• Administer emergency cardiac care for life-threatening heart problems, such as cardiac arrest and heart attack.
• Advise patients and community members concerning diet, activity, hygiene, or disease prevention.
• Answer questions that patients have about their health and well-being.
• Calculate valve areas from blood flow velocity measurements.
• Compare measurements of heart wall thickness and chamber sizes to standards to identify abnormalities, using the results of an echocardiogram.
• Conduct electrocardiogram (EKG), phonocardiogram, echocardiogram, or other cardiovascular tests to record patients' cardiac activity, using specialized electronic test equipment, recording devices, or laboratory instruments.
• Conduct exercise electrocardiogram tests to monitor cardiovascular activity under stress.
• Conduct research to develop or test medications, treatments, or procedures that prevent or control disease or injury.
• Conduct tests of the pulmonary system, using a spirometer or other respiratory testing equipment.
• Design and explain treatment plans, based on patient information such as medical history, reports, and examination results.
• Diagnose cardiovascular conditions, using cardiac catheterization.

Tools and technology

Epic Systems, MEDITECH software, Watchman Monitoring

What employers expect you to already be comfortable with.

Where this job leads

Related occupations — the usual moves up and sideways:

• Pediatric Surgeons
• General Internal Medicine Physicians
• Anesthesiologists
• Urologists
• Emergency Medicine Physicians
• Radiologists
• Neurologists
• Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric

Getting in

O*NET assigns this occupation job zone 5 (extensive preparation). The related occupations above are the realistic routes in and out.

Find openings

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Check this against the source

O*NET OnLine: Cardiologists — the authoritative public-domain profile this page is derived from, including the full task list, reported skills and the wage estimates for your region.

Derived and rewritten from the public-domain O*NET database (U.S. Department of Labor / Employment and Training Administration). Figures are observations, not promises — always confirm salary, licensing and visa requirements with the employer and the relevant authority.