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Paediatric Cardiology is a medical specialty which focuses on the clinical management of children (including neonates and adolescents/young adults) with congenital or acquired heart disease or abnormalities. This is a rapidly evolving specialty which over-laps with obstetrics, neonatology, interventional and diagnostic radiology, palliative medicine, and adult cardiology. It involves prenatal cardiology as well as care of patients into adulthood. This field utilises various diagnostic and therapeutic modalities, including interventional procedures, and practice incorporates genetics, lifetime care planning, and family-centred care. Paediatric Cardiology services include emergency/critical/acute cardiology care, long-term care, multidisciplinary teams, and integration with other services to improve patient outcomes and quality of life.

Paediatric Cardiology Jobs

Paediatric Cardiologists diagnose, manage and treat paediatric patients with cardiovascular conditions, including arrhythmias, congenital or acquired heart disease, or multi-system disorders. Their practice includes prevention, investigation, therapy of, and research into, diseases involving the cardiovascular system, and includes prenatal screening and counselling, specialist care of neonates, and continuity of care for paediatric patients into adulthood. They deal with emergency cardiology conditions, which require immediate diagnoses and intervention, as well as congenital and chronic conditions, which require a family-centred approach and integration with primary, allied and community health services. For children with severe conditions who require surgery, paediatric cardiologists work closely with paediatric heart surgeons. They lead multidisciplinary teams, collaborate with specialist medical, scientific, nursing and allied health teams, and they consult with primary care providers, general and subspecialist paediatricians, emergency and ambulatory services, and regional/rural medical centres. They undertake a range of cardiology diagnostic studies and apply interventional procedures and therapies to help improve heart function and health. They contribute to medical education, health policy and research/quality improvement. Paediatric cardiologists work in hospitals and private clinics in both acute/ICU/emergency and outpatient settings. To pursue a career as a Paediatric Cardiologist, doctors complete foundation and core training, followed by Paediatric Cardiology training, which takes 5 years to complete, and leads to a CCT (or CESR), and specialist registration with the GMC.