DNB Cardiology

DNB Cardiology or Diploma of National Board in Cardiology is a three-year postgraduate diploma programme that can be pursued after an MBBS degree. Cardiology is the branch of internal medicine that deals with disorders related to the heart and cardiovascular system. This subject covers a wide range of illnesses, including hypertension, heart failure, diseases of the heart's valves, genetic heart anomalies, CAD (coronary artery disease), and more. Cardiologists or Heart Specialists are medical professionals that specialise in cardiology. 

The National Board of Examinations (NBE) in New Delhi is an independent academic body under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, that administers DNB programmes. The authority grants degrees upon successful completion of a candidate's postgraduate medical residency.

To be eligible for this course, a student must pass institution-based entrance exams or state-wise conducted entrance examinations. This course is only offered in offline mode as colleges do not offer long-distance or online DNB cardiology courses. In India, some of the top colleges offering this course are AIIMS, PGIMER, Kolkata Medical College, SGPGIMS, CMC Vellore, etc. On average, the course fee ranges from INR 50,000 to INR 10 LPA. Graduates in this field earn decent initial salaries of INR 6 LPA to INR 30 LPA.

Check out the significant highlights of the DNB Cardiology courses in the table below:

Students should choose the DNB Cardiology course to learn advanced knowledge about cardiac or heart-related interventions. Cardiology is all about treating a variety of heart conditions, including electrophysiology, congenital heart defects, valvular heart disease, coronary artery disease, heart failure, etc. Depending on each student's objectives and interests, they may choose to pursue a DNB in Cardiology. The following are the benefits and perks of pursuing this course:

• Candidates might start their medical careers by establishing their clinic or joining a group practice with surgeons in cardiology-related specialities. Just like many cardiologists start their careers as caregivers before moving on to private practice or even starting their clinics.  
• Candidates have excellent chances in government and private hospitals, as well as in the self-run profession.
• They have the option of joining NGOs and serving the community. The course material of DNB Cardiology offers a comprehensive understanding of the entire field of cardiology and pertinent fundamental associated areas are made available to students.

A candidate for this course must possess a solid background in medicine and pertinent experience. If a person wants to pursue a career in medicine or if they want to improve their interpersonal or professional skills, they should consider enrolling in this course. The following are the common DNB cardiology eligibility requirements that applicants must meet to be considered for admission to this programme:

• Students must clear the entrance exam conducted by the National Board of Education (NBE).
• A student must hold an MBBS degree from a recognised university. 
• Prospective students must pass the Common Eligibility Test (CET).
• The student must complete a one-year internship.

The following are the documents required for admission to DNB Cardiology courses in India:

• Provisional certificate
• Physically handicapped certificate (if any)
• Migration certificate (required in case a student has migrated from other colleges)
• HSC mark sheets
• Five copies of recent colour passport-size photographs that have been duly attested by a Gazetted Officer
• College leaving certificate
• Caste/tribe certificate
• All graduation certificates and mark sheets

It must be noted that students must provide all original documents to the administration office of the university/college once they are accepted. Students who fail to submit all specified original documents run the risk of having their application denied or being expelled from the university.

Acceptance into a college, especially a DNB college, is really difficult nowadays. As mentioned, a candidate must have an MBBS degree, pass Common Eligibility Test, and complete a one-year internship (CET). 

Further, they must carefully fill out the application for admission, and they must be prepared for both the entry and the counselling session. An applicant must also have a high merit score to increase their admission prospects at a particular institution. Although the admissions procedure for DNB Cardiology courses differs from college to college, the measures one should ordinarily take to receive admission are listed below.

How to Apply?

Candidates must check the official websites of the colleges they are applying to and begin the application process. Students may also enrol offline by visiting the college of their preference and submitting an application in person along with the appropriate documents. A typical step-by-step process for applying to DNB Cardiology courses is as follows:

• Step 1: Registration: Students need to register by entering basic information such as their e-mail address, contact number and personal information.
• Step 2: Application Form: Students should fill out the application thoroughly and accurately.  All information must be exact and correct.
• Step 3: Uploading of Documents: All required documentation, including mark sheets, photos, and signatures, should be scanned and uploaded. Only the format required by the institute's application portal is acceptable for document uploads.
• Step 4: Payment of Application Fees: Candidates have both options to pay the application fees either via online or offline modes of payment. 
• Step 5: Downloading of Admit Card: After each application has been evaluated for eligibility, admit cards are made available. To use it on exam day, the admit card must be downloaded and printed.
• Step 6: Entrance Exam: Follow the recommended syllabus and sample questions when preparing for the exam. Candidates must show up for the exam on the scheduled date.
• Step 7: Results: After a few weeks from the exam day, results are made public. A candidate can go to the next round if they are successful in getting admission.
• Step 8: Counseling or Personal Interview and Admission: For students who passed the entrance exams, counselling or PI is offered. Based on this, the admission decision is made.

To be accepted into the academic programme, candidates for the Diplomate National Board of Cardiology specialisation must pass the institution-based or state-wise entrance exams. The institution in charge of administering the entrance exam may choose to set the requisite cut-off scores. The final selection process will be open to those who pass the DNB Cardiology entrance exam. The following are some of the most popular DNB Cardiology entrance exams:

• University of Hyderabad Entrance Exam 
• University of Delhi Entrance Exam
• University of Calcutta Entrance Exam 
• Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences Entrance Exam 
• Rajasthan University of Health Sciences Entrance Exam
• Punjabi University Entrance Exam
• Rajasthan University Entrance Exam
• Punjab University Entrance Exam
• Kerala University Entrance Exam 
• Pune University Entrance Exam
• Kanpur University Entrance Exam
• Jawaharlal Nehru University Entrance Exam
• Jamia Millia Islamia Entrance Exam

The highest level of degree a physician can earn is a Doctor of Medicine in Cardiology or MD Cardiology. It is also a medical speciality like DNB Cardiology that deals with disorders of the heart. Though both the fields have a lot to share in common, the following table is a comparison between DNB Cardiology vs MD Cardiology:

Numerous prestigious colleges in India provide a wide variety of DNB cardiology courses for candidates to choose from. Following is a list of the top colleges in India that provide DNB cardiology courses:

• Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research, Chennai
• SGPGIMS, Lucknow
• PGIMER, Chandigarh
• Kolkata Medical College, Kolkata
• KMC, Manipal
• KGMU, Lucknow
• JIPMER, Puducherry
• CMC Vellore, Vellore
• BHU, Varanasi
• AIIMS, Delhi

The following are the top DNB Cardiology colleges in India segregated by their respective states and cities:

DNB Cardiology, as a course, is highly sought after and pays well. People all around the world are afflicted by cardiovascular disorders as a result of altering lifestyle trends. Two-thirds of the world's population, or 1.13 billion people, now suffer from heart conditions like hypertension. As per research,  there is a rising need for cardiac training among aspiring physicians doing their MBBS at medical schools around the world. Thus, study abroad aspirants can also study courses that align with the DNB Cardiology course.

It makes sense that cardiologists have thriving scopes and opportunities around the world. Various organisations provide exceptional chances to skilled cardiologists, including the WHO (World Health Organization), UNICEF, Red Cross, and smaller yet well-known NGOs. In hospitals, individuals may work as visiting doctors and bill by the hour. They can also open their private practices and work as a potent cardiologist. Moreover, graduates of this field are employed in a variety of divisions, including the teaching and research sections.

Depending on the type of course, college, and country, similar courses to DNB Cardiology in foreign universities can be a full-time or part-time programme with a minimum of three years duration. Students who pursue related courses abroad have access to some of the top facilities, professors, and resources available, as well as international exposure to the research area and diverse cultures. Additionally, students must have a decent command of English and hold an MBBS degree from an accredited institution in their field. The table below shows the top colleges to study related courses to DNB Cardiology abroad along with their respective countries:

In India, the DNB Cardiology course fees will differ based on a variety of factors. These can be location, reputation of the institution, type of institution, faculty, infrastructure, and facilities accessible to students. The average DNB Cardiology course fee in India is around INR 50,000 to INR 10 annually. The following table indicates course fees for top colleges in the country:

The DNB Cardiology course is a theory + practicals based programme. This curriculum effectively teaches students the skills needed to treat various cardiac diseases. Coronary artery disease, electrophysiology, valvular heart disease, congenital heart defects, heart failure, etc. are all important subjects covered in the DNB Cardiology course curriculum, which follows a predetermined format. Below is a list of the general topics covered in this course:

The purpose of the DM Cardiology syllabus is to acquaint students with the discipline of cardiology. The three years of the DM Cardiology course are divided into six semesters. For the DNB Cardiology curriculum, there are required and optional subjects. The core disciplines, which are important subjects, are what lay the foundation for medicine. The table below shows the DNB Cardiology syllabus that is broken down by semester:

As per research, aspiring doctors doing their MBBS in medical colleges around the nation have an increasing demand for cardiac courses. DNB Cardiology graduates’ scope of employment is extensive and varies across numerous fields and industries. Based on the specialisation they choose, they can explore various career pathways. DNB Cardiology graduates have a bright future ahead, with relatively decent career opportunities and economic benefits in almost every sector.

Job Profiles for DNB Cardiologists

The following are some of the popular DNB Cardiology jobs profiles that are undertaken by postgraduate students:

• Senior Resident-Cardiology
• Registrar-Cardiology
• Part-time Specialist-Cardiology
• Marketing Manager-Interventional Cardiology
• Lecturer-Cardiology
• Junior Resident-Cardiology
• Jr Technical Executive-Cardiology
• House Officer/ RMO-Cardiology
• Consultant-Invasive Cardiology
• Area Sales Manager-Cardiology

Leading Recruiters for DNB Cardiologists

The leading recruiters in the field of DNB cardiology are:

• AIIMS (All India Institute of Medical Science)
• Government hospitals
• Government medical colleges
• Indian Council of Medical Research
• Indian Railway Medical Services
• Military healthcare hospitals/institutes
• National Rural Health Mission
• Private hospitals 
• State Public Service Commission

Following completion of the DNB Cardiology course, students will be able to choose from a variety of job roles, each of which will pay an average salary, as shown in the table below.

To become a DNB Cardiologist, students must possess the necessary academic credentials, as well as a zeal for cardiovascular research and strong communication skills. They also need the following skills in addition to having a scientific bent of mind. Here are some of them:

• Analytical Skills: Analytical skills are crucial for any medical practitioner, including cardiologists. They must be able to diagnose the disorders and offer the appropriate care.
• Confidence: Being a good cardiologist requires a great deal of confidence. The field of cardiology deals with severe complications of the heart, one of the most important human organs, and it is difficult to become a cardiologist without confidence.
• Core Knowledge of the Subject: In the discipline of cardiology, core knowledge is essential. Overconfidence and inadequate knowledge are risky and damaging to the patient. Cardiologists should be eager lifelong learners.
• Patience and Focus: Cardiothoracic procedures take a very long time to complete. Cardiologists must therefore be extremely patient and concentrated when performing a surgery.