The pediatrician job description entails overseeing the basic care of infants, children, and teenagers. They can start seeing patients from the moment of birth until adulthood.

Part of the pediatrician job description is to establish diagnosis based on the patient’s history and symptoms, and then to establish a course of treatment. Pediatricians may see a variety of medical conditions, from fever and common cold to life-threatening conditions such as MRSA and meningitis. Treating children also requires dealing with wounds, broken bones, and other serious injuries and screening for psychological issues.

Pediatricians not only cure various ailments, but also employ preventative methods Pediatricians; particularly those in private offices and small clinics, often also see children for their annual physical or “well baby/well child” visit. This means the children are not sick or hurt in any way; the pediatrician’s job then is to make sure they are developing appropriately. A pediatrician’s job description can entail counseling parents on the basic care of a newborn, checking children’s growth, explaining the basics of adequate diet and exercise, or helping teenagers deal with emotional challenges.

Pediatrician Job Requirements

Pediatricians should be interested in children, have a calm and patient demeanor, and possess the ability to deal tactfully with patients and their family. Pediatricians are also expected to react compassionately but professionally in the face of suffering.

Depending on the setting, pediatricians may be required to do a series of procedures, from administering vaccines and other injections, to giving stitches and performing other minor surgeries, to performing major surgeries (particularly in the case of pediatric surgeons and certain other subspecialists).

Pediatric Work Environments

In general, pediatricians can expect to face 60 hours of work a week. Particularly for pediatricians in hospital settings or those in certain subspecialties, such as pediatric surgery, long daytime hours can be accompanied by additional night-time duties. During this time, the pediatrician is expected to balance a multitude of responsibilities, such as seeing several patients an hour, maintaining accurate medical charts, communicating effectively with other medical staff, etc.

The working conditions for a pediatrician are generally pleasant. Pediatricians work in clean, well-light, and relatively quiet environments such as doctor’s offices, private or public clinics, or hospitals.

Pediatricians often interact with other health care professionals, mainly nurses, but also respiratory therapists, physical therapists, phlebotomists, etc.

Training and Qualifications

The job requirements to be a pediatrician are rigorous and time-consuming. Before becoming a practicing pediatrician, a person must:

• graduate college with any degree, but a course of study that includes biology, chemistry, organic chemistry, and physics
• pass four years of medical school, which includes a combination of classroom and clinic time in a wide variety of areas, not just pediatrics
• complete a residency program that lasts three years for a general pediatrician, or up to eight years for  a subspecialists
• pass a battery of national, standardized tests, including the MCAT (entrance exam for medical school); the USMLE Steps 1, 2, and 3 (during medical school), and the Initial Pediatric Certification from the American Board of Pediatrics (ABP)

Licensing/Credentialing

Once pediatricians pass the national boards, they can apply to be licensed in the state they wish to practice in. To maintain good standing, pediatricians must meet a host of requirements, including testing in their field every 10 years.

Salary

While pediatricians earn on average less than the average doctors, physicians have the best paying professions in the healthcare industry. The average pediatrician earns $165,000 a year, though the actual amount ranges from less than $88,000 to over $400,000, depending on the pediatrician’s location and subspecialty.

Pediatricians can expect to earn “between” $90,000 to $130,000 their first few years. However, chances for promotion are good, and this amount rises by tens of thousands of dollars over time. In conclusion, the pediatrician job description offers a view of a compelling, challenging, and rewarding career choice.

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