What is a Cardiologist?

A cardiologist is a medical doctor who studies and treats diseases and conditions of the cardiovascular system — the heart and blood vessels — including heart rhythm disorders, coronary artery disease, heart attacks, heart defects and infections, and related disorders.  The training to become a cardiologist is rigorous and includes more than 10 years of medical training.

• Four years of pre-medical education at a college or university
• Four years of medical school resulting in an M.D. degree
• Three years of training in an internal medicine residency program
• Three or more years in fellowship programs for advanced training in subspecialty areas. The following subspecialties are recognized for certification by the American Board of Medical Specialties: Adult Congenital Heart Disease, Advanced Heart Failure and Transplant Cardiology, Cardiovascular Disease, and Clinical Cardiac Electrophysiology.
• The cardiologists at Highland Hospital are certified in both Internal Medicine and Cardiovascular Disease by the American Board of Internal Medicine, a physician-led non-profit, independent evaluation organization. Board certification means that they have demonstrated the skills essential for delivering excellent patient care.

Learn More

• Heart Basics
• Conditions We Treat
• Tests and Procedures