Specialty: Pediatrics

Pediatrics is a very common specialty and also the reason why many people want to become a doctor. People out there who love kids, love working with kids, and love simply getting a chance to help them would find this specialty very worth-while and rewarding. While there is the obvious purpose and incentive of working with little ones, what does becoming a pediatrician really mean?

Nature of work:

A pediatrician is concerned with the physical, emotional, and social health of children from birth to young adulthood. Care encompasses a broad spectrum of health services ranging from preventive health care to the diagnosis and treatment of acute and chronic diseases. The pediatrician deals with biological, social, and environmental influences on the developing child, and with the impact of disease and dysfunction on development.

Subspecialties:

Pediatricians can receive training in the following subspecialties (variable for each program):

• Adolescent Medicine
• Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics
• Hospice and Palliative Medicine
• Medical Toxicology
• Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine
• Neurodevelopmental Disabilities
• Pediatric Cardiology
• Pediatric Critical Care Medicine
• Pediatric Emergency Medicine
• Pediatric Endocrinology
• Pediatric Gastroenterology
• Pediatric Hematology-Oncology
• Pediatric Infectious Diseases
• Pediatric Nephrology
• Pediatric Pulmonology
• Pediatric Rheumatology
• Pediatric Sports Medicine
• Pediatric Transplant Hepatology
• Sleep Medicine

Competitiveness: Low

Training and Residency:

Following graduation from medical school, pediatricians complete 3 years of education in a pediatric residency program. The 3-year residency includes mandated rotations in general pediatrics, normal newborn care, and time in selected subspecialty areas. Up to 3 additional years of training are required to be certified in a subspecialty.

Salary:

The annual salary for pediatricians ranges from $160,111 to $228,750.

Becoming a pediatrician isn't too competitive despite its popularity. Finding a good residency program can be tough for this specialty because of regional and social-economic factors, but finding a spot a shouldn't too difficult. The residency length (3 years + subspecialty) is pretty normal, and it does pay a good amount. However, I have to add that the biggest complaint I've heard from this specialty was not having a hard time dealing with the kids, but with the parents. The parents (especially newly weds) will worry about anything and everything, so be prepared for that. Another difficulty, depending largely on the age of the child, might be getting the child to verbalize sufficient information for you to make a proper diagnosis. Children don't exactly have the proper terms and vocabulary necessary to describe specifically what they are feeling. But all-in-all, being patient and diligent makes becoming a pediatrician worth the smile you get back at the end of the day.

For more information visit:

• AAMC Specialty Information: Pediatrics
• American Academy of Pediatrics
• American Board of Pediatrics
• WUSM Residency Web: Pediatrics