A woman of many firsts! Dr Sivaramakrishna Iyer Padmavati was the first woman cardiologist in India. She established the first cardiac clinic and cardiac catheter lab in India, and founded India’s first heart foundation. Being a legendary cardiologist, she has left behind an enduring legacy in her field.

Padmavati was born in Burma (now Myanmar) on 20 June 1917 to a barrister father. She excelled in school and earned the first medical degree awarded to a female student at Rangoon Medical College. Just after she completed her medical studies, Japan invaded Burma at the height of World War II, and she along with her mother and sisters had to flee the country and settle in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. She was eventually reunited with her father and brothers when World War II ended.

Later, Padmavati went to England to pursue her higher studies in medicine where she worked at the National Heart Hospital and National Chest Hospital in London. She received the Fellowship of the Royal College of Physicians (FRCP) in London in 1949. During this period, she developed an interest in cardiology, which remained her first love throughout her life.

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Becoming a cardiologist requires 5-6 years of training beyond an MBBS degree. First, clear 10+2 examination with Biology, Chemistry and Physics. Then appear in competitive exams to get admission into MBBS (Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery). This is a 5½ years course which includes one-year internship period as well.

After that you can go for an MD in General Medicine followed by DM in Cardiology, which is a super specialization. You can practice cardiology after your MD, but to have a really successful career, you must do the DM. Those interested in surgery can first do a M.S. in General Surgery after MBBS and then M.Ch. in Cardio-thoracic Surgery or Cardiovascular & Thoracic Surgery. The demand for all medical professionals is increasing with the unfortunate upsurge in diseases and ailments day by day. At the same time super specialty hospitals are mushrooming both within the country and abroad offering employment opportunities.

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