JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN COLLEGE OF CARDIOLOGY
VOL. 65, NO. 3, 2015
ª 2015 BY THE AMERICAN COLLEGE OF CARDIOLOGY FOUNDATION
ISSN 0735-1097/$36.00
PUBLISHED BY ELSEVIER INC.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jacc.2014.12.001
FELLOWS-IN-TRAINING & EARLY CAREER PAGE
Academic Versus Private Cardiology Preparing for a Successful Career After Fellowship Zaher Fanari, MD, Sandra A. Weiss, MD
C
ardiovascular diseases are still considered
with administration in varied provider settings, as well
the leading cause of death in the United
as quality improvement processes and even a limited
States (1). It is estimated that 40% of Ameri-
or expanded research component. Furthermore, the
cans will experience some form of cardiovascular dis-
expansion of graduate medical education toward
ease by 2030 (2). The advances in cardiovascular care
involving many private community hospitals added an
required to meet this increased demand depend on
educator responsibility for many previously strict clinical
the continuous involvement of fellows-in-training
private cardiologists, whether they were prepared for
and early-career physicians in research and quality
that or not (5).
clinical care—in both the academic and private sector.
Furthermore, a closer look at those defined as ac-
However, the pursuit of a purely academic career is
ademic physicians shows that they are not as
jeopardized by many obstacles, including prolonged
homogenous a group as one would think. A recent
training periods, expanding debt burdens, increasing
survey performed by the American College of
discrepancies between academic and private practice
Cardiology (ACC) estimated that 7% to 10% of those
salaries, difficulty regarding visa requirements for
identified as early-career cardiologists are academic
international medical graduates, and significant limi-
cardiologists (6). Of these, 40% were identified as
tations of government funding for research (3). Quality
either clinical-educators (25%) or clinical-educator-
clinical care in the private setting is also potentially
administrators (15%), with very limited research
compromised by physician burnout induced by the
involvement (6). The remaining 60% were involved in
increasing cost of malpractice insurance, billing
research to varied degrees (1% with 100% research
issues, increased documentation requirements, reim-
commitment, 8% at >75% research, 13% at 40% to
bursement and financial considerations, and chal-
75% research, and 38% at
VOL. 65, NO. 3, 2015
ª 2015 BY THE AMERICAN COLLEGE OF CARDIOLOGY FOUNDATION
ISSN 0735-1097/$36.00
PUBLISHED BY ELSEVIER INC.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jacc.2014.12.001
FELLOWS-IN-TRAINING & EARLY CAREER PAGE
Academic Versus Private Cardiology Preparing for a Successful Career After Fellowship Zaher Fanari, MD, Sandra A. Weiss, MD
C
ardiovascular diseases are still considered
with administration in varied provider settings, as well
the leading cause of death in the United
as quality improvement processes and even a limited
States (1). It is estimated that 40% of Ameri-
or expanded research component. Furthermore, the
cans will experience some form of cardiovascular dis-
expansion of graduate medical education toward
ease by 2030 (2). The advances in cardiovascular care
involving many private community hospitals added an
required to meet this increased demand depend on
educator responsibility for many previously strict clinical
the continuous involvement of fellows-in-training
private cardiologists, whether they were prepared for
and early-career physicians in research and quality
that or not (5).
clinical care—in both the academic and private sector.
Furthermore, a closer look at those defined as ac-
However, the pursuit of a purely academic career is
ademic physicians shows that they are not as
jeopardized by many obstacles, including prolonged
homogenous a group as one would think. A recent
training periods, expanding debt burdens, increasing
survey performed by the American College of
discrepancies between academic and private practice
Cardiology (ACC) estimated that 7% to 10% of those
salaries, difficulty regarding visa requirements for
identified as early-career cardiologists are academic
international medical graduates, and significant limi-
cardiologists (6). Of these, 40% were identified as
tations of government funding for research (3). Quality
either clinical-educators (25%) or clinical-educator-
clinical care in the private setting is also potentially
administrators (15%), with very limited research
compromised by physician burnout induced by the
involvement (6). The remaining 60% were involved in
increasing cost of malpractice insurance, billing
research to varied degrees (1% with 100% research
issues, increased documentation requirements, reim-
commitment, 8% at >75% research, 13% at 40% to
bursement and financial considerations, and chal-
75% research, and 38% at
