Apple is looking for a cardiologist

Apple posted a job listing on April 1 for a cardiologist with expertise in developing regulated health products.

The job description says the doctor will "play an integral role working with engineering and design teams on clinical product development." The cardiologist will also be tasked with "clinical study design and protocol development for regulatory submissions."

The job listing builds on Apple's recent hiring activity in the health care sector. In addition to the open cardiologist position, Apple has recntly posted jobs that require experience working with the FDA on new product development, according to MyHealthyApple. Back in 2019, cardiologist David Tsay left his position as an assistant professor of Cardiology at Columbia University Medical Center to join Apple's health team.

In 2017, Apple began working with Stanford University to conduct studies assessing whether the Apple Watch could be used to detect atrial fibrillation and heartbeat irregularity. The study contributed to the eventual irregular rhythm notification on the Apple Watch. This feature was granted De Novo classification by the FDA, which allows medical devices to be certified as providing "reasonable assurance of safety and effectiveness for the intended use."

The latest Apple Watch model, the Series 6, includes a sensor for monitoring blood oxygen levels. At launch, Apple stated the readings were not intended for clinical use. Without FDA clearance, Apple can only market the blood oxygen readings as a general wellness feature.