On an average day, I care for a good mix of happy and not so happy children. I treat patients ages from 0-18 so the things I encounter and the challenges I face change on a day to day basis. Because pediatric patients tend to be more fragile than adult patients, my charting and prescriptions have to be much more specific, so I spend a lot of time doing that. When I am treating a patient, I focus on their whole being rather than just their symptoms.
CAREER
Pediatricians
Overview
Salary Median (2020)
$177,130
Projected Job Growth (2019-2029)
-1.6% (little or no change)
Most Common Level of Education
Doctoral or professional degree
Career
Roadtrip Nation Leaders in This Career
What Pediatricians Do
Physicians who diagnose, treat, and help prevent children's diseases and injuries.
Other Job Titles Pediatricians May Have
Developmental Pediatrician, Emergency Room Pediatrician (ER Pediatrician), General Pediatrician, Group Practice Pediatrician, Medical Doctor (MD), Pediatric Emergency Medicine Physician, Pediatric Physician, Pediatrician, Physician, Primary Care Pediatrician
How Leaders Describe a Typical Day at Work
My days are a little hectic right now because I have a 1 year old child. So, I start my day early and drop him off at daycare. My work day starts at 830am and I work till about 530pm. I end up seeing about 25 patients a day where I do everything from conducting routine physicals, treating fevers, and even seeing children with serious illnesses. A good day at work is when you see healthy kids, but I am always prepared to deal with the serious cases that can come through the door.
Tasks & Responsibilities May Include
- Prescribe or administer treatment, therapy, medication, vaccination, and other specialized medical care to treat or prevent illness, disease, or injury in infants and children.
- Examine children regularly to assess their growth and development.
- Treat children who have minor illnesses, acute and chronic health problems, and growth and development concerns.
- Examine patients or order, perform, and interpret diagnostic tests to obtain information on medical condition and determine diagnosis.
- Advise patients, parents or guardians, and community members concerning diet, activity, hygiene, and disease prevention.
Education
Level of Education Attained by Pediatricians
Most common level of education among people in
this career: Doctoral or professional degree (100%)
Master's degree
Doctoral or professional degree
Majors Related to Career
Educational Paths Suggested by Leaders
Suggested Path
Bachelor
Psychology
Doctorate
Medicine
Additional Skills & Experiences That Can Help You Excel
Being honest is very important. To be a pediatrician, liking kids is important since they are your patients. Understand how to talk to kids and make them feel safe.
Having a background in subjects other than just medicine or the general biological sciences makes you a well-rounded person and gives you greater insight. I speak Spanish, which has been a huge advantage in my practice. I would say knowing another language is a great skill to have. Always be open to learning. Be quick on your feet and knowledgable in order to best serve your patients.
Getting Started
Recommended First Step for:
College Students
Dream big! Build a support structure. Without people around you supporting you, it's going to be very challenging. Focus on getting really good grades. Medical school is competitive and having good grades is essential to getting in.
Reach out to people when you need help and don't be afraid to ask. Don't feel like you have to rush into medical school right away. Age ranges in med school are really diverse. Take time to grow as a person and this will make you stand out more in the field of applicants. Shadow or interview with a pediatrician if you can. Try different things!
Try as many things as you can; instead of focusing on what choice to make, focus on what you don’t like. It’s okay to put things on the “that’s not for me” list, but you’re never going to do that until you’re willing to take the risk to try different things.
This page includes information from theO*NET 26.1 Databaseby the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under theCC BY 4.0license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
