Salary of academic cardiologist...

[jc12171]

I heard that the salary for academic cardiologists is only 30%-40% of that of private practice cardiologists. Is that true? (I'm interested in academic career, but I do have family to feed and debt to pay off).

Anyone knows the starting salary for academic cardiologists??

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[bigtuna]

Yes thats true. The more prestigious the institution the worse the pay. Some people may find this hard to believe but at my hospital, a first year cardiologist makes just under 100K per year.

I heard that the salary for academic cardiologists is only 30%-40% of that of private practice cardiologists. Is that true? (I'm interested in academic career, but I do have family to feed and debt to pay off).

Anyone knows the starting salary for academic cardiologists??

 

[pretzel]

First year cardiologist at big name hospitals make 90K, even in expensive cities. There is a huge salary that can be made in private practice if you maintain a crazy schedule, but even if you work crazy hours in academia, there's a cap. The same applies to other fields (not just in medicine).

 

[Bonobo]

However, the AAMC medical faculty salary survey suggests that academic cardiologists make far more than 100K. An instructor makes around 180K on average and professors average 200K and up. Why is there this discrepancy? Is it because a cardiologist's salary is far more based on production at academic institutions? Also, is the AAMC survey tainted by high-powered interventional and EP docs?

B

 

[jayjay1978]

That 90K may be base salary. I know that a lot of my mentors (cardiologists) are getting paid "salary support" from their research projects etc. I am not sure though if that is counted in the 90K or on top of that.

 

[pretzel]

Salaries go up depending on seniority, based on prestige of the school (this is greatly generalizing, but the higher the prestige, the lower the salary), and based on location. I think the 90K is base without research support, but I could be wrong about that. Regardless, even if you have millions in grants, there is a cap on how high your salary can be (and that cap is relatively low). I have never heard of any instructor or assistant professor starting at a salary as high as 180K in academia.

I guess it also depends on interventional or not, but I'm talking non-interventional.

I have a question though. On the other side of the spectrum, the most I have ever heard a senior academic cardiologist make is about 400K, and there are only a handful of them -- those people are SENIOR and around for decades. I've heard that average salary of academic cardiology is 200-250K (once you've been around for several years). What's the most you have heard that senior academic cardiologists make?

 

[DocM]

Yes thats true. The more prestigious the institution the worse the pay. Some people may find this hard to believe but at my hospital, a first year cardiologist makes just under 100K per year.

You must be joking!! Is that the norn at "prestigious" institutions?

 

[Bonobo]

I am still looking for more specific information on salaries in academic cardiology. I have also heard of 80-90K as the starting base salary for most academic cardiologists. But given the AAMC data (which compares favorably with what I have been told by other specialists), the gap btw the 200K average salary for an assistant professor of cardiology and the 90K base salary is probably accounted for in two ways: one the mean is skewed due to interventional/EP guys doubling or tripling their base salary from production bonuses and two even non-invasive cardiologists probably make an additional 50% or so from grant funding.

So is this probably true? Non-invasive academic cards probably make $120K starting total, $150K as an assistant prof, and then up from there? While the interventional/EP guys probably make an addition $70-80K/yr or more from production bonuses?

Curious...

B

 

[Le_Donald]

moral of the story: Academics suck! The MONEY and the LIFESTYLE is in private practice. Helloooo people! Ah, my DH is coming home, I'll be back!

 

[AJM]

I am still looking for more specific information on salaries in academic cardiology. I have also heard of 80-90K as the starting base salary for most academic cardiologists. But given the AAMC data (which compares favorably with what I have been told by other specialists), the gap btw the 200K average salary for an assistant professor of cardiology and the 90K base salary is probably accounted for in two ways: one the mean is skewed due to interventional/EP guys doubling or tripling their base salary from production bonuses and two even non-invasive cardiologists probably make an additional 50% or so from grant funding.

So is this probably true? Non-invasive academic cards probably make $120K starting total, $150K as an assistant prof, and then up from there? While the interventional/EP guys probably make an addition $70-80K/yr or more from production bonuses?

Curious...

B

These numbers sound a little high to me. Of faculty who are willing to talk about their salary (not easy to come by), I haven't heard of anyone making more than about 200K, unless they are the chair of the division or they're raking in money on the side from private patients or companies they founded. Typically the ranges I've heard are 80-90K for assistant prof, 110-130K for assoc prof, and 150-180K for full prof. The Interventionalists tend to make slightly more than that - 50-70K extra sounds about right.

But then again, the place that I'm at is notorious for not compensating it's faculty well, so my reference ranges may be lower than most people's.

 

[Bonobo]

These numbers sound a little high to me. Of faculty who are willing to talk about their salary (not easy to come by), I haven't heard of anyone making more than about 200K, unless they are the chair of the division or they're raking in money on the side from private patients or companies they founded. Typically the ranges I've heard are 80-90K for assistant prof, 110-130K for assoc prof, and 150-180K for full prof. The Interventionalists tend to make slightly more than that - 50-70K extra sounds about right.

But then again, the place that I'm at is notorious for not compensating it's faculty well, so my reference ranges may be lower than most people's.

I think that is fairly close to what I said except that I would add that both interventional AND EP cardiologists make the extra 50-70K/year. This is already ~50% of your cardiology faculty and thus would explain why the AAMC survey lists 200K+ for assoc prof and full prof of cardiology. Please correct me if I am wrong about this.

B

 

[AJM]

I think that is fairly close to what I said except that I would add that both interventional AND EP cardiologists make the extra 50-70K/year. This is already ~50% of your cardiology faculty and thus would explain why the AAMC survey lists 200K+ for assoc prof and full prof of cardiology. Please correct me if I am wrong about this.

B

Not to split hairs, but you mentioned 150K as the salary for assistant profs, and then payraises accordingly after that. The only faculty I know who make 150K or more are full professors, and they are definitely in the minority of academic cardiologists. Also, I think you are greatly over-estimating the proportion of interventional and EP cardiologists there are among cards faculty.

 

[pretzel]

Thanks. Your numbers sound closer to reality than what I've heard by hearsay. The only 400K salaries I've heard have been for division chiefs, but that's also hearsay so that is probably far too high as well.

The only thing I know for sure is in the starting salaries, and that seems to be pretty consistently around 90K. I would guess that standard for seniors is 150-200K, depending on city. What a difference from private cardiologists.

 

[whispers]

You must be joking!! Is that the norn at "prestigious" institutions?

nope the ivy towers don't pay as well

 

[Bonobo]

I guess I am still confused. How do the salaries posted in this thread explain the AAMC data (taken form 2000-2001 survey):

Instructor Asst Professor Assoc Professor Professor Chair / Director
139,100 181,000 217,100 234,900 346,500

Are these simply grossly inflated? I counted the percentage of interventional/EP guys in the cardiology program at my school, and counting the MD's only (as did the AAMC survey) about 35% of them were interventional or EP. Many who were not focused on echo's and/or nuclear imaging.

I am missing something here, or how does a $90K starting salary result in the data above?

B

 

[jetproppilot]

Geez. Life is unfair. Our nurse anesthetists make more than academic cardiologists.
One of the posters on this thread said "money and lifestyle are in private practice"... I'm sorry I humbly disagree. I just changed practices (I'm an anesthesiologist). At my old hospital, the invasive cardiologists were raking it in...700K and beyond range...but man, they WORKED their butts off. The only cars I saw in the doctors parking lot when I came to work at 0615 were invasive cards dudes. This also held true for my night call nights...it was not uncommon to see their cars there at midnight and beyond.

 

[jetproppilot]

Geez. Life is unfair. Our nurse anesthetists make more than academic cardiologists.
One of the posters on this thread said "money and lifestyle are in private practice"... I'm sorry I humbly disagree. I just changed practices (I'm an anesthesiologist). At my old hospital, the invasive cardiologists were raking it in...700K and beyond range...but man, they WORKED their butts off. The only cars I saw in the doctors parking lot when I came to work at 0615 were invasive cards dudes. This also held true for my night call nights...it was not uncommon to see their cars there at midnight and beyond.

 

[Anthony08015]

Well I know the Hospital I work at Deborah Heart and Lung Lynn McGrath is head of cardiology on the hospital board of directors head of pediatric cardiology he just hit his milestone of 10,000 open heart surgeries and he's pulling in like 600 k a year

 

[Saabdriver]

head of cardiology on the hospital board of directors head of pediatric cardiology he just hit his milestone of 10,000 open heart surgeries

First of all I'm assuming that this board is about Cardiology i.e. adult heart disease. Second, unless you mean catheter-based interventions a Cardiologist is not doing heart surgery which would be done by CT surgeons.

 

[medstud2006]

If you are interested in remaining in academics and want to pursue your own research, but are worried about paying your medical school debt (and yes, I am describing myself) you can get 25-35K a year towards your medical school debt through the NIH I haven't looked into the details yet, but I think you have to do two years, you have to be a junior/assistant professor at an academic institute, and you have to be conducting research. Just something to think about.

 

[Big Ben]

I'm at a fairly competitive residency program. Our assistant cards professors are pulling in 150-180, associate professors just over 200. EP/Cath salaries are a little higher.

What is pulling everyone into academics? It sounded great to me in medical school. If you simply want to take care of patients, it's at least 100 grand off your salary for the privelage of working at an academic instituition. Rather than research, my main desire to work in academics is the patient complexity and abilitly to work with residents/fellows. I'm starting to change my mind. Is anyone else have a similar experience?

 

[deleted113029]

I'm at a fairly competitive residency program. Our assistant cards professors are pulling in 150-180, associate professors just over 200. EP/Cath salaries are a little higher.

What is pulling everyone into academics? It sounded great to me in medical school. If you simply want to take care of patients, it's at least 100 grand off your salary for the privelage of working at an academic instituition. Rather than research, my main desire to work in academics is the patient complexity and abilitly to work with residents/fellows. I'm starting to change my mind. Is anyone else have a similar experience?

I've spoken with a peds ortho surgeon and his wife a peds onc at a renown institution and both have said that your salary does not include the "priceless association with the university." As they spoke they both were The reason they are staying is for their kids' education.

But, they will be leaving soon because "life is too short to be an underpaid lackey at a pretentious university."

 

[dr niceguy]

I'd love to stay in academics for those same reasons- patient complexity and variety and opportunity to teach and work with students. Research, I could do but wouldn't be unhappy without it. Also, at our institution, specialty attendings take a month and become floor attendings and run one of the general IM teams. I would really like to contine to practice some academic IM as well. But, if what everyone says is true, it's tough after 6-7 years of residency, and with >100 g's in loans to forfeit nearly 1/3 - 1/2 of your earning potential.

 

[Terpskins99]

I'd love to stay in academics for those same reasons- patient complexity and variety and opportunity to teach and work with students. Research, I could do but wouldn't be unhappy without it. Also, at our institution, specialty attendings take a month and become floor attendings and run one of the general IM teams. I would really like to contine to practice some academic IM as well. But, if what everyone says is true, it's tough after 6-7 years of residency, and with >100 g's in loans to forfeit nearly 1/3 - 1/2 of your earning potential.

Are there any programs that help with tuition reimbursement in exchange for working in academia? Or is that sort of thing only applicable to community hospital work and such?

 

[googlee]

I'm curious to know this too. Any thoughts?

Any one else heard of the NIH funding medstud2006 was refering to?

I hadn't realised but an academic cardiologist, is making about as much as a community internist. I'd like to stay in academics, but I'd also like to be able to feed my family and have some time for them.

Are there any programs that help with tuition reimbursement in exchange for working in academia? Or is that sort of thing only applicable to community hospital work and such?

 

[tibor75]

I'm currently looking for a job in Heart Failure at a transplant center just out of fellowship.

One major academic program just offered me 180K, 200K, and 220K for the first 3 years. I heard for academics that was pretty good. I think the only way I would get more would be to go to one of those hybrid academic/private places.

Yeah, some fellows at my program have gone through that NIH repayment program and have been accepted.

 

[Teejay]

Lets say you are funded by > $1 million dollars a year as an academic cardiologist(i've seen some have >4million), what percentage or cap could you get as academic bonus(S) considering the amount of funds you're getting.