What is a heart surgeon?
Heart surgeons are often known by their professional names, cardiothoracic surgeons. Heart surgeons specialise in the surgical care of people of all ages with heart conditions and diseases.
What does a heart surgeon do?
A heart surgeon primary job scope involves performing surgery on the patient’s heart, the aorta, the pulmonary vein, and other essential structures related to cardiac health. They do not usually diagnose heart disease. Patients are often referred to a heart surgeon after being diagnosed by a cardiologist and deemed heart surgery necessary. A heart surgeon is also responsible for monitoring your condition immediately after your heart surgery.
Here are some heart surgeons to consider:
Heart Surgeon | EH Heart Specialist |
| Website | https://www.eheartspecialist.com/ |
| Address | EH Heart Specialist Private Limited, 3 Mount Elizabeth, #03-09, Mount Elizabeth Medical Centre, Singapore 228510 |
| Telephone | +65 6736 1068 |
| Operating Hours | Monday to Friday: 8:30 AM to 5:30 PM Saturday: 8:30 AM to 1 PM Sunday: Closed |
Heart Surgeon | Dr Lim Chong Hee |
| Website | http://www.chongheelim.com/ |
| Address | Mount Elizabeth Medical Centre: 3 Mount Elizabeth, #17-11, Singapore 228510 Farrer Park Medical Centre: 1 Farrer Park Station Road, #07-14, Connexion, Singapore 217562 |
| Telephone | Mount Elizabeth Medical Centre +65 6822 0870 Farrer Park Medical Centre +65 6538 2122 |
| Operating Hours | Mondays – Fridays: 8am – 5pm Saturdays: 8am – 12.30pm Sundays/Public Holidays: Closed |
Heart Surgeon | Dr Su Jang Wen |
| Website | https://tcss.sg/ |
| Address | Gleneagles Medical Centre, 6 Napier Road, Unit 03-16, Singapore 258499 |
| Telephone | (65) 6473 3930 |
| Operating Hours | Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm Saturday 9am to 1pm |
Heart Surgeon | Dr Lim Ing Haan |
| Website | https://drliminghaan.com/ |
| Address | #04-02 Medical Centre, Mount Elizabeth, 228510 |
| Telephone | +65 6235 2050 |
| Operating Hours | Monday to Friday: 9 AM to 5:30 PM Saturday: 9 AM to 12 PM Sunday: Closed |
Heart Surgeon | Livingstone Cardiology |
| Website | https://livingstonecardiology.com.sg/ |
| Address | Mount Elizabeth Medical Centre, 3 Mount Elizabeth, #14-13, Singapore 228510 |
| Telephone | +65 6235 7536 |
| Operating Hours | Mon – Fri : 8.30am to 5.30pm Sat: 8.30am to 12.30pm Sun & PH: Closed |
Heart Surgeon | Novena Heart Centre |
| Website | https://novenaheartcentre.com.sg/ |
| Address | 820 Thomson Road #05-01, Mount Alvernia Hospital, Medical Centre A, Singapore 574623 |
| Telephone | +65 6659 7585 |
| Operating Hours | Monday – Friday 8 am – 5.30 pmSaturday 8.30 am – 12.30 pmSunday Closed |
Heart Surgeon | Julian Tan Heart Specialist Clinic |
| Website | http://juliantanheart.com/ |
| Address | 3 Mount Elizabeth, #14-09 Medical Centre, Singapore 228510 |
| Telephone | +65 8878 8912 / +65 9750 8481 |
| Operating Hours | Monday – Friday 8 am – 5 pmSaturday 8 am – 1 pmSunday Closed |
Heart Surgeon | Dr Loh Yee Jim |
| Website | https://pactsurgery.com/ |
| Address | Mount Elizabeth Novena Specialist Centre, 38 Irrawaddy Rd, #08-34, Singapore 329563 |
| Telephone | +65 6690 4088 |
| Operating Hours | Monday – Friday 9 am – 5 pmSaturday 9 am – 12 pmSunday Closed |
Heart Surgeon | International Centre for Thoracic Surgery |
| Website | https://www.cardiologistsingapore.com/aneez/ |
| Address | 38 Irrawaddy Road #10-38 Mount Elizabeth Novena Specialist Centre, Singapore 329563 |
| Telephone | +65 6432 8243 |
| Operating Hours | Monday – Friday 9.30 am – 5 pmSaturday 9.30 am – 12.30 pmSunday Closed |
Heart Surgeon | Dr Eugene Sim |
| Website | http://www.eugenesim.com/ |
| Address | 3 Mount Elizabeth, #11-04 Mount Elizabeth Medical Center, Singapore 228510 |
| Telephone | +65 6734 6393 |
| Operating Hours | Monday – Friday 9 am – 5 pmSaturday 9 am – 1 pmSunday Closed |
Heart Surgeon | The Heart Doctors Clinic |
| Website | https://www.theheartdoctors.net/ |
| Address | Mount Alvernia Hospital: 820 Thomson Road, Mount Alvernia Medical Centre D, #05-56, Singapore (574623) |
| Telephone | +65 6256 5680 |
| Operating Hours | Monday – Friday 8.30 am – 12.30 pm 2.30 pm – 5.30 pmSaturday 9 am – 12.30 pmSunday Closed |
Heart Surgeon | Dr Soon Chao Yang |
| Website | https://www.theheartdoctors.net/ |
| Address | Mount Alvernia Hospital, 820 Thomson Road, Mount Alvernia Medical Centre D, #05-56, S(574623), Singapore |
| Telephone | +65 6256 5680 |
| Operating Hours | Monday – Friday, 9:00 AM – 5:30 PM |
Heart Surgeon | Dr Andrew Choong |
| Website | http://www.drandrewchoong.com/ |
| Address | National University Heart Centre, % Lower Kent Ridge Road, Singapore 119074 |
| Telephone | (+65) 6779 5555 |
| Operating Hours | Open 24 hours |
Heart surgeon vs cardiologist
Job Scope
Heart surgeons are heart specialists who specialise in performing surgery on the heart. Cardiologists are specialists in cardiovascular disease, and they diagnose and treat heart conditions that do not require surgery.
Relationship with patient
The relationship between a heart surgeon and a patient is only for a few months. Their relationship begins when the patient is referred to the heart surgeon by a cardiologist when the patient undergoes surgery and post-surgery care. On the other hand, the relationship between a cardiologist and a patient is a long-term relationship because the patient would need to visit the cardiologist for regular checkups after the heart surgery.
Education
For heart surgeons, they can come from different backgrounds. Heart surgeons graduate from medical school and enter a surgical residency that lasts anywhere from 5 to 7 years. After the residency in general surgery, the heart surgeon would need to spend another 2 to 4 years specialising in cardiac surgery.
When to should you visit a heart surgeon
You experience chest pain
Experiencing chest pain is one of the most prominent red flags that indicate problems with your heart. While experiencing chest pain is not a definite cause of heart problems, chest pressure is a sign that the heart is not getting enough blood. If you experience any chest discomfort, it may be a sign of a potential heart attack.
Heart failure
Experiencing heart failure, also known as congestive heart failure, is the weakening and stiffening of your heart. People who have experienced heart failure may experience it suddenly or gradually over a period of time. If you experience heart failure, you would need to visit a heart surgeon to get operated on as soon as possible.
Irregular heartbeat
Irregular heartbeat is known as heart arrhythmia in its medical term. Irregular heartbeat occurs when there are the electrical impulses that control your heart is disturbed. While irregular heartbeat does not always result in heart surgery, certain cases require surgical implantation by the heart surgeon.
Aortic aneurysm
An aortic aneurysm is a condition when the aorta is weakened. The aorta is a crucial artery that transports blood from the heart to the rest of the body. There are two types of an aortic aneurysm – abdominal aortic aneurysm and thoracic aortic aneurysm. Heart surgeons do operate to treat an aortic aneurysm.
Heart valve disease
Our heart has four valves that allow blood to flow properly and usually keep the heart functioning. A heart surgeon can correct several heart valve defects, including but not limited to stenosis, prolapse, and atresia.
Advantages of being a heart surgeon
High salary and benefits
It is no secret that being a doctor yields high returns – an above-average salary every month. For surgeons, they make a lot more than average doctors. Their work, which requires operating on patients, is more complicated and requires much more knowledge than an average doctor.
Job Satisfaction
Being a heart surgeon comes will high job satisfaction besides the financial stability and high salary which comes with it. Many surgeons are attracted to the job of being able to help patients in need and transform their lives. A heart surgeon directly impacts the patient’s health and how they live their life after the operation. There is great job satisfaction when a heart surgeon completes a surgery and successfully saves the patient’s life. Having a job that saves someone’s life and impacts their quality of life is extremely rewarding.
Stimulating
As medicine is constantly evolving and developing new techniques, it can be stimulating for the heart surgeon. Each surgery brings about unique challenges that a heart surgeon need to find a solution to on the spot. Heart surgeons are constantly learning and challenging themselves; their job is both mentally and intellectually stimulating.
Disadvantages of being a heart surgeon
The duration of education required
It is not the first day that medical students need to spend years studying in school. In Singapore, you will need to spend at least 5 years in medical school and at least 4 years of residency upon graduation. That is almost a decade before you start practising as a junior heart surgeon.
Expensive school fees
With almost a decade of education before practising as a heart surgeon, you can expect that the school fees are not cheap. In Singapore, the tuition fee for government medical school is about $30,000 per annum with government subsidy. Without subsidy, the tuition fee is about $162,000. This tuition fee is not a small sum of money, and it will take a few years to pay off the tuition debt when the medical student graduate.
Working long hours and burnout
Heart surgeons, unlike other office jobs, do not work a typical 8-hour shift. They may work 12 hours or more in one shift or more if they have an emergency surgery to operate on. Heart surgeons primary responsibility is to operate on the patient in the operation room, and one surgery can take hours to complete. Most of the time, heart surgeons do not get sufficient sleep, and they often experience burnout.
Conclusion
While heart surgeons require almost a decade of education before practising, the job can be a satisfying and rewarding one. Heart surgeons mainly deal with heart-related issues, and they primarily operate and provide post-operative care for their patients. If you experience any heart problems, consult a cardiologist first, who will then refer you to a heart surgeon if necessary.
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