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Cardiologist Job Description

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Job Description

Cardiologist Job Description — Duties, Qualifications & Salary (South Africa)

Cardiologist Job Description

Learn the full cardiologist job description for South Africa: duties, qualifications, training pathway, skills, salary range and sample advert to post on jobdescription.co.za.

Intro

A Cardiologist Job Description explains what an employer expects from a specialist in heart and blood-vessel medicine. This post covers the role, day-to-day duties, South African training and registration requirements, essential skills, typical working conditions and a realistic salary guide — plus a ready-to-paste advert for jobdescription.co.za. Use this as a template to create clear, SEO-friendly job postings that attract qualified candidates.

What is a cardiologist? (short definition)

A cardiologist is a medical specialist who diagnoses, treats and helps prevent disorders of the heart and circulation, including coronary artery disease, heart failure, arrhythmias and valvular disease. Cardiologists interpret cardiac tests (ECG, echocardiography, stress tests, Holter monitoring) and coordinate medical and procedural care.

Key responsibilities (what the job does)

  • Assess, diagnose and manage acute and chronic cardiovascular conditions in outpatients and inpatients.
  • Order and interpret cardiac investigations: ECGs, transthoracic/transoesophageal echocardiography, stress tests and ambulatory monitoring.
  • Manage cardiac emergencies and work closely with emergency/critical care teams.
  • Perform procedures when credentialed (e.g., cardiac catheterisation, PCI) — note that interventional duties require extra training and local credentialing.
  • Create and oversee management plans (medication, lifestyle counselling, secondary prevention) and maintain accurate patient records.
  • Supervise and teach junior doctors and participate in clinical governance, audit and research.

Qualifications & training (South Africa)

  • MBChB (or equivalent) plus completion of internship and community service; full registration with the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) is required to practise.
  • Cardiology is a subspecialty achieved after internal medicine/physician training. South African subspecialty training typically includes at least 24 months in an accredited cardiology training post and completion of CMSA examinations before applying for specialist registration with the HPCSA. Overall, expect roughly three years of dedicated cardiology training after general physician training.
  • Ongoing CPD and maintenance of HPCSA specialist registration are mandatory.

Experience & certifications employers typically ask for

  • Full HPCSA registration as a specialist.
  • Completed internal medicine training and documented cardiology subspecialty experience at an accredited centre.
  • Evidence of passed CMSA or equivalent cardiology examinations.
  • For procedural posts: a procedural logbook, employer-specific credentialing for echo, cath lab procedures or device implantation.

Skills & competencies (what to highlight in the advert)

  • Clinical judgment in complex cardiovascular cases and excellent diagnostic skills.
  • Proficiency in ECG and echocardiogram interpretation and other cardiac investigations.
  • Strong communication and teamwork skills for patient counselling and multidisciplinary care.
  • Procedural competence where required; leadership and teaching experience for senior roles.

Working conditions

Cardiologists practise in public and private hospitals, outpatient clinics and specialised heart centres. Expect a mix of outpatient clinics, ward rounds, procedural sessions (echo/cath lab) and on-call duties; workload and on-call frequency vary by sector and facility.

Salary guide (South Africa) — realistic range

Salaries vary widely by experience, sub-specialisation, geographic location and sector. Recent market aggregates indicate an approximate gross annual range from around R1.7 million to R4 million+, with senior interventional and private-practice consultants at the higher end. Treat these figures as indicative; always confirm with up-to-date employer offers and local market data.

Sample job advert (copy-paste)

Job title: Consultant Cardiologist / Specialist Cardiologist
Location: [City], South Africa
Overview: We are seeking a registered Cardiologist to provide inpatient and outpatient cardiology services, participate in on-call rosters and contribute to clinical governance and teaching. Procedural duties (echo, cath lab) allocated by credentialing and experience.
Minimum requirements: MBChB or equivalent; full HPCSA specialist registration; completed cardiology subspecialty training (CMSA certificate or equivalent); documented procedural competence where relevant.
Desirable: Interventional fellowship, echocardiography accreditation, experience supervising trainees.
To apply: Send CV, HPCSA specialist certificate and procedural logbook to [email@example.co.za] or apply online via jobdescription.co.za.

SEO & content tips for posting on jobdescription.co.za

  • Use the exact phrase Cardiologist Job Description in the H1 and page title. (Primary keyword)
  • Place the primary keyword within the first 50–100 words and again in at least one H2.
  • Add secondary keywords naturally in subheadings and FAQs (e.g., “how to become a cardiologist South Africa”, “cardiologist duties”).
  • Include structured data: add FAQ schema using the Q&A below to help appear in rich results.
  • Add a clear CTA (apply link + contact email) and upload credential verification instructions to reduce unqualified applications.
  • Link internally to related pages such as /medical-specialist-jobs/ and /how-to-become-a-doctor/ to spread link equity.

FAQ (use for FAQ schema)

Do I need HPCSA registration to work as a cardiologist in South Africa?
Yes — specialist registration with the HPCSA is required for clinical practice.

How long does cardiology training take in South Africa?
Cardiology training normally follows physician training and involves at least 24 months in an accredited cardiology post; the full pathway typically totals around three years of dedicated cardiology training after general internal medicine.

Can cardiologists perform angioplasty?
Only cardiologists with interventional training and local procedural credentialing perform cardiac catheterisation and percutaneous coronary interventions.

Final note & CTA

Use this template to create an accurate, compliant job post on jobdescription.co.za. Need a short 120-word advert, a 60-second social post, or the JSON-LD FAQ schema ready for your site? Tell me which and I’ll format it for immediate paste.

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