General cardiology - how to be marketable

[aspiringcardiologa]

Happy to have matched in cardiology! I am interested in practicing general cardiology but would like to know tips about how to be most marketable. For instance from my research, it appears that completing imaging boards e.g. echo, CT, MRI and now placing pacemakers seems to be the best thing to do. Any other advice?

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[cardsperson]

I think you need to do more research into what it is that a general cardiologist does... unless you're in your 60s and living in a pretty rural area, you aren't putting in pacemakers, EP is. And while most of us will do echo and CT boards, MRI generally requires a superfellowship.

 

[aspiringcardiologa]

I think you need to do more research into what it is that a general cardiologist does... unless you're in your 60s and living in a pretty rural area, you aren't putting in pacemakers, EP is. And while most of us will do echo and CT boards, MRI generally requires a superfellowship.

From some interviews I've heard of general cardiologists placing pacemakers to help lower costs compared to if they hired EP. It seems it depends on the company/employer.

 

[cards67]

It's pretty universal, the more you can do the more marketable you'll be. Echo and nuc for sure. Cath ok. I personally don't know too many generalist doing ct, mri or pacemakers. But it's also balance of training quality, maintaining proficiency and whether you actually want to do it. You don't want to become the MRI guy but actually hate doing them. There's also HF, which lots of cardiologist especially older ones are weak at. Or structural TEEs, even as backup to the structural person. Women's health (or other populations), cardio-oncology, etc. But then again I'd be wary of employers that are too cheap to hire EP.

 

[aafisahar]

I wouldn't chase pacemakers as you'll need to own the complications. The field is probably going to move towards his pacing in the next 10 years, you don't want to be that dinosaur putting in RV leads when that happen.

Most programs will get you nuclear, tee/echo, and possibly CT. I thought about level 2 cath, but ultimately, patients are best served by an interventionalist doing their procedure. My ego isn't worth their safety. CT/MRI has poor reimbursement but you can be that guy if you want to be. You should do a super fellowship if you want to be good at MRI.

Gen cards is super in demand, as long as you can do echo and nuclear, you'll be qualified for most jobs.

 

[timpview]

1. Forget about pacers. No point
2. No point in Cath imo unless you want to play pretend for your own sake. General guys doing Cath are more hassle than benefit to a group
3. I don’t think there’s too many community jobs where you can step in and read MRI

I think CT is the skill. Granted people have been saying this for a decade now but eventually we’re going to get away from pointless nucs imo. If that is the many groups will be (and already are) angling on how they can read CT and not let that revenue /production stream fall into radiology hands. It’s also just annoying having to deal with radiology techs/reads.

But others have stated, echo + nuc + pulse will get you 90% of the jobs out there

 

[ROBINHO]

Most programs will get you echo/nuc/ vascular study reads

If you plan to work in the rural area then being able to do diagnostic cath or simple pacemakers will be useful skills. Very few markets = rural areas

Agree that being able to read CT may be important considering recent chest pain guidelines

 

[disorder]

CT and Nuc. more and more groups are wanting MRI skillset.

 

[CanIMakeIt]

As an EP physician, I humbly request you not to be a cowboy and start putting pacemakers/devices just because you can. I have seen my fair share of disasters as one of the few extractor in the region plus the device followup with general cards seems to be just for revenue stream only. And so many pacemakers placed for ambiguous reasons - bradycardia during nocturnal hours is the most rampant and any pause noticed on tele will get you a PPM prior to discharge. If you love your patients more than money, please do not place devices. I have more than 1000 caths under my belt but I don't to even diagnostic caths let alone PCIs (have done enough but no thank you) - leave it to the people who were trained for that.
just my $0.02