What do I need to do to become a complete cardiologist or a sub-specialist?

Question

I am currently doing MBBS in Pakistan and the look forward on doing my specialty and sub specialty from USA. So please guide me on the following questions:

1. After MBBS, I undertake how many steps of USMLE to qualify to be the equivalent of USA M.D.?

2. After that, what do I have to do in order to specialize in , say, cardiology, cardiothoracic surgery or other sub specialty?

3. What are the average expenses of the specialty and sub specialty programs?

4. Can I do a job while specializing?

Answer 1

I am currently a 2nd year cardiology fellow in the U.S.

First you need to pass USMLE Steps 1 and 2 prior to applying for residency training.  Then during you residency, you need to pass USMLE Step 3 during your first year.

If you want to become a cardiologist (a subspecialty of internal medicine), then you have to complete an internal medicine residency in the U.S., which is 3 years long.  Next, you have to apply for a cardiology fellowship, which is another 3 years of training.  However, if you want to further specialize (interventional, electrophysiology, imaging, and heart transplant are some examples) after your general cardiology fellowship, you have to apply again which is usually another year of training.  Now, if you become an interventionalist and want to do peripheral vascular interventions, that is an additional year of training.

However, if you want to become a cardiothoracic surgeon then you need to complete a surgery residency in the U.S., which is 5 years long.  Then apply for a cardiothoracic surgery fellowship which is another 2 years.

There are no expenses for the training programs other than paying for lodging and airfare to go on interviews.  You get paid for working long hours during your training, but salary is about $42,000-$56,000 depending on how many years of training you have and where you are located in the U.S.

During fellowship, you can usually moonlight to make extra money.  However, the policy on moonlighting during residency varies from program to program.

Hope this helps.    

Answer 2

dear you have to pass 3 steps of USMLE out of which last will be in USA then your degree will be equivalent to M.D then you have to apply for specialty program and accordingly have to manage. you can do job while training  and the training will also be paid type. you can speciallize in PAkistan as FCPS Cardiology after FCPS Medicine.