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Pathway into Cardiology

Dr Sean Tan

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Cardiology Imaging Fellow, Victorian Heart Hospital

Cardio-Oncology PhD Candidate, Victorian Heart Institute

Medical Student Lead for VHH, Monash University

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Background

  • 2010-2014: Medical Student, Monash University, Clayton
  • 2015: Internship, Monash Health
  • 2016-2018: BPT 1 – BPT 3, Monash Health
  • 2019-2020: Cardiology AT 1 – AT 2, Monash Heart
  • 2021: Cardiology AT 3, Peninsula Health and Bendigo Health

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  • 2022-now
    • Non-Invasive Imaging Fellow, Victorian Heart Hospital
    • Cardiologist, Australian Cardiovascular Specialists
    • PhD candidate, Victorian Heart Institute
    • Research Fellow, Monash Cardiovascular Research Centre
    • Medical Student Lead for VHH, Monash University

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What is it like to work in Cardiology?

Pros

  • Flexible

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  • Interesting
    • Acute vs subacute vs chronic
    • Procedural vs medical
    • Patient facing vs desk job
    • Clinical vs research vs industry

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  • Excellent job security

Cons

  • Less work life balance

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  • Type A personalities

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Different Sub-specialties in Cardiology

Interventional Cardiology

Electrophysiology

Cardiac Imaging

Heart Failure

  • Structural Intervention
  • Cardiac MRI
  • Advanced Cardiomyopathies
  • Cardiac Genetics
  • Women’s Heart Health
  • Cardio-Obstetrics
  • Preventive Cardiology
  • Cardio-Oncology
  • Adult Congenital Heart Disease
  • Pulmonary Hypertension
  • Sports Cardiology

Unique Job Scope

  • Primary role in patient care
    • Diagnosis
    • Management
    • Follow up
  • Independent*

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What is it like to work in Cardiology (Consultant)?

  • Interventional Cardiology
    • Clinic
    • Ward service
    • Cath Lab
    • After Hour On Call for Emergencies

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  • Cardiac Imaging
    • Clinic
    • Ward service
    • Reporting scans (echo, CT, MRI)
    • Stress echocardiograms
    • TOE

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  • Electrophysiology
    • Clinic
    • Ward service
    • Electrophysiology Lab

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  • Heart Failure
    • Clinic
    • Ward service

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Physician Training Pathway

Internship

(*2 years)

Basic Physician Training

(3 years)

Advanced Physician Training

(3 years)

Fellowship

(variable)

  • General Medicine
  • Cardiology
  • Respiratory
  • Gastroenterology
  • Neurology
  • Nephrology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Oncology
  • Endocrinology
  • Haematology
  • Rheumatology
  • Geriatrics
  • Immunology
  • Clinical Genetics
  • Clinical Pharmacology
  • Nuclear Medicine
  • Palliative Care
  • Paediatrics*

BPT 3

  • RACP written examinations – February
  • RACP clinic examinations – June/July
  • Interviews for Advanced Physician Training – July/August

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Application Process

  • Internship
    • Victoria – apply to individual hospitals via PMCV
    • Rest of Australia – apply to state health
  • Basic Physician Training (Yearly)
    • Apply to hospitals directly (hospitals given training spots by Royal Australasian College of Physicians)
  • Advanced Physician Training
    • Apply to College Specialty Program – state-wide selection process
    • Rotate between hospitals
  • Fellowship
    • Apply for individual fellowship jobs in each hospital

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Victorian Cardiology Selection Process

  • Academics – 4 points
    • University marks*, ranking*, and awards
    • RACP exam marks
    • Additional degrees/masters/PhD
  • Research – 4 points
    • Publications
    • Abstract presentations
    • Research awards
  • References – 4 points
    • 3-4 referees
  • Interview – 4 points
    • 5 questions over 10 minutes
  • Leadership Roles – 1 point

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What can you do to get into Cardiology?

  • Academics
    • Do well in your University exams*
    • (Consider Masters of Public Health in Internship)
  • Research
    • BMedSci year
    • Contact academic cardiologists for projects (as a junior doctor)
  • Leadership Roles
    • Take part in charities, community clubs, etc. (as a junior doctor)

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What Research Supervisors are Afraid Of

  • Lack of commitment and follow through
    • Many students take up projects but never complete 🡪 supervisor has to complete

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  • Lack of independence*
    • Students are expected to ask questions, but not questions that they should be able to figure out themselves (or at least try to)

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  • Unresponsiveness
    • Delays project – remember supervisors can often finish the project themselves at a faster rate, but are taking the opportunity to teach you how to do research

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How to be a good student researcher

  • Please be motivated

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  • Read, read, read
    • Literature review to understand the topic
    • Take note how each paper/study is designed to answer the question in mind
    • Read and try to understand how the statistics is done
    • Try to read editorials on the papers to see how the work is translated to real life practice

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  • Always ask why
    • Why are we researching this?
    • Why are we using this method?
    • Are there better ways to prove this point?

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  • Keep thinking on ways to improve something
    • You can make suggestions to improve or change your project!

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Questions?

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(No I don’t have anymore available projects myself that I need help with….Sorry!)