Cardiovascular and pulmonary physicians are certified medical specialists who diagnose and treat problems related to the cardiovascular and pulmonary systems respectively. Both are classified under internal medicine since both are able to practice their specialization based on their knowledge of internal medicine and other specialties. This educational background enables them to get certification. Cardiovascular physicians or cardiologists treat patients with problems related to the heart, arteries and veins while pulmonary physicians or pulmonologists diagnose and treat lung conditions and diseases.
Cardiovascular physicians are medical specialists dealing with the diagnosis and treatment of disorders of the heart and blood vessels. These include the different branches of cardiology:
congenital heart defects
coronary artery disease
heart failure
valvular heart disease
electrophysiology
Cardiovascular physicians are similar to other medical practitioners. They have to take up a four year pre-medical course before getting accepted in a medical school. Upon graduation from an approved medical school, cardiologists must complete an ACGME (American Council for Graduate Medical Education)-accredited internal medicine residency program for at least three years.
After satisfactory completion of requirements and graduate education, the physician will then be allowed to take the Internal Medicine board certification examination. Upon passing he or she will receive certification which is a pre-requisite to becoming certified in cardiology. Taking up a subspecialty educational program in cardiology including training and supervised experience will take three years, but once completed, he or she will be eligible to take the American Board of Internal Medicine cardiology examination. Passing this examination will make the physician a certified cardiologist.
Pulmonary physicians, on the other hand, are medical specialists who deal with the diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the lungs and the respiratory tract. Otherwise known as pulmonologists, they are also concerned with secondary prevention such as tuberculosis. Diseases which are treated by pulmonary physicians include asthma, chronic bronchitis, emphysema, lung cancer diagnosis, pneumonia, pulmonary embolism, pulmonary fibrosis, and sarcoidosis, among many others.
Similar to cardiovascular physicians, pulmonologists have to graduate from an approved medical school, complete an ACGME-accredited internal medicine program for at least three years, and take the Internal Medicine board certification examination. After passing the exam and receiving certification, he or she must undergo at least two years of full-time graduate training in pulmonary disease. This training also includes taking up courses in the basic sciences emphasizing on molecular biology, pulmonary physiology, and pulmonary immunology. After being trained, with 12 months spent in clinical training in diagnosis and management, he or she will be allowed to take the board certification examination in pulmonary medicine. Passing this examination will certify him or her as a full-pledged pulmonary physician.