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Physician & Surgical Specialties$320,000 - $450,000
Pediatric Cardiologist
The medical subspecialist who diagnoses and medically manages congenital heart defects, murmurs, and arrhythmias in fetuses, infants, and children.
Min Degree
Doctorate
Years Post-HS
14 Years
Patient Contact
Continuous Bedside
Setting
Children's Hospitals, Pediatric Cardiac ICUs, Fetal Echo Suites
The PrePro Hidden Gem Factor
Combines cutting-edge physics, fluid dynamics, and fetal imaging with direct patient impact. Unlike pediatric surgeons, they do not open the chest; they manage heart anomalies medically and transcatheter.
Clinical Role Overview
Pediatric cardiologists specialize in congenital heart disease (structural defects present at birth like Tetralogy of Fallot, ventricular septal defects, and coarctation of the aorta). They perform non-invasive echocardiograms, lead pediatric catheterizations to deploy stents without open surgery, and manage pediatric ICU hemodynamics.
A Day in the Life (Hospital Shift Chronology)
07:30 - Pediatric Cardiac ICU (PCICU) rounds with intensivists and pediatric cardiac surgeons
09:00 - Fetal echocardiogram detecting hypoplastic left heart syndrome at 22 weeks gestation
11:00 - Transcatheter closure of an atrial septal defect (ASD) in the cardiac catheterization lab
14:00 - Outpatient clinic evaluating pediatric heart murmurs and sports clearance cardiology screenings
16:30 - Electrocardiogram (EKG) review diagnosing supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) in an infant
Core Clinical Tools & Hardware
- Pediatric & Fetal Echocardiography Machines
- Cardiac Catheterization Fluoroscopy Systems
- 12-Lead EKG & Holter Monitors
- Transcatheter Occluder Devices & Coils
Educational Prerequisites
- 4-Year Pre-Med Bachelor's
- 4-Year Medical School (MD or DO)
- 3-Year Pediatric Residency
- 3-Year Pediatric Cardiology Fellowship
- Subspecialty Board Certification in Pediatric Cardiology