Nuclear cardiology

[Al Pacino]

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How does one become a nuclear cardiologists, i.e, the docs that reasd the adenosine-thallium stress tests, etc.?

Is this the domain of radiologists or fellows in cardiology? It seems like the lifestyle of this particular field is more predicatable?

 

[Docxter]

There are three pathways to nuclear cardiology: 1. Cardiology (often with a fellowship in noninvasive imaging, but not required), radiology (often with a fellowship in nuclear radiology, but not required), and nuclear medicine residency. About 2/3 of nuclear cardiology studies are done by cardiology groups and 1/3 done by radiology groups. Many of these groups may have a nucs person doing the work. In some hospitals, they share the work (2 days cardiology-3 days radiology).

The lifestyle is very easy, but I personally find it extremely boring. There is just too much subjectivity in interpreting the scans and there is no variety on what you do. You need to do some other thing, be it general cardiology or echo, general nucs, or general radiology to stay healthy mentally.