Cardiologists and radiologists are both physician specialists, but they perform very different functions in modern medicine. A cardiologist is a physician who specializes in the treatment of diseases relating to the heart and circulatory system. Radiologists, on the other hand, specialize in the analysis of medical images such as X-rays and MRI scans, as well as forms of interventional treatment. What Cardiologists Do Cardiologists see and diagnose patients who have conditions affecting the heart, such as coronary artery disease, high blood pressure, heart arrhythmia, aneurysms or valvular heart disease. In some cases, treatment is noninvasive; however, cardiologists trained as surgeons -- sometimes called cardiac surgeons -- also operate on patients to treat severe heart problems. Cardiologists spend most of their time treating patients; according to a 2013 Medscape survey, only one percent of cardiologists reported that they did not see patients. What Radiologists Do Radiologists analyze images produced by radiologic technicians. They are trained to analyze X-rays, MRI scans, CT or CAT scans, images produced by ultrasound, and mammograms. They often consult with a patient's primary physician, or other specialists, before arriving at a final diagnosis. While some radiologists meet directly with patients, others do not, which can be a significant difference from the practice of cardiology. For example, 43 percent of radiologists reported to Medscape that they never see patients. However, many of those who do meet directly with patients are known as interventional radiologists. In addition to analyzing radiological images, they administer a wide variety of treatments, including angioplasty, the insertion of catheters or gastronomy tubes and cancer treatments. Education Both radiology and cardiology are careers that require a great deal of education. Both cardiologists and radiologists need to complete a medical degree, which requires four years of undergraduate premedical study and four years of medical school. Following this, a career in radiology requires an additional five years of schooling and clinical practice. Cardiologists need at least six more years of training and practice, and those who intend to practice as cardiac surgeons need up to eight more years of training and practice after medical school. Pay Information According to Medscape, cardiologists earned an average pay of $357,000 per year in 2012. They were the second-highest paid type of physician specialist; only orthopedists reported higher wages. Nearly a quarter of cardiologists -- 23 percent -- reported high pay of $500,000 per year or more. As the third-highest paid medical specialty surveyed by Medscape in 2012, radiologists earned nearly as much. They reported an average salary of $349,000 per year, and 16 percent made $500,000 or more per year. Source
