What is a Pediatrician's Role?
Pediatricians are doctors that specialize in the care of children. Pediatricians will work with a family regularly from birth to age two to ensure that children are developing normally and receive their vaccinations. Children will continue to see the same pediatrician until they are old enough to see a primary care physician as an adult. Pediatricians can treat general illness, perform screens for wellness and development, educate patients and their families and make referrals to specialists as needed. Pediatricians also may specialize in a particular field, such as cardiac, endocrine, or neurology.
How Many Years of College To Be a Pediatrician
Undergraduates who are considering becoming pediatricians will need to complete a four-year pediatrician degree prior to starting medical school. This can be accomplished through many different bachelor's degree programs, although students may choose to focus on science areas such as biology or chemistry. After earning the bachelor's degree, aspiring pediatricians go to medical school just like any other type of physician. This typically includes four years of education in medical school followed by at least three years of residency training in a pediatric hospital.
Bachelor's Degree in Biology
So, what degree do you need to be a pediatrician? Students who complete a pre-medical degree in biology can expect to focus on different life forms and scientific processes. Students will also expand on their knowledge of scientific methodologies. Online programs are available at this level. Some common course topics in these programs include:
- General zoology
- Pre-calculus
- Principles of general biology
- Scientific and technical writing
- General chemistry
Students may also get a masters in pediatrics before attending medical school next.
Medical School Program
After getting a bachelor's degree, individuals can enter a medical school program. These programs typically focus on giving students practical skills and knowledge that will benefit them later on in their career as a pediatrician. Pediatrician course topics in these programs might include:
- The nervous system
- Microbiology
- Genetics
- Brain and behavior
- Cells to tissues
- Systemic diseases
Pediatric Residency Program
During the first year of a pediatric residency program, individuals develop basic medical skills in pediatrics. The second year provides supervisory and leadership experiences, and students gain more independence. Medical students typically don't specialize until their third and fourth years, but many medical programs offer pre-clinical pediatric studies for first- and second-year students who are considering the field.
During the third year, students often complete a series of clerkships or internships, which include short-term rotations through several different pediatric care settings. Fourth-year medical students may have the opportunity to complete longer internships and elective student rotations in the field of pediatrics. Students get most of their pediatric-specific training during their residencies, which begin after graduating from medical school. During the residency program, students can also decide on their specialization, such as cardiac, endocrine, or others.
Certification Information
To practice as a licensed physician in the U.S., all doctors must pass the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) after graduating from medical school. Pediatricians must also take a board certification exam from the American Board of Pediatricians (ABP) after completing their residencies. In addition to the general pediatrics certification, the ABP offers exams in subspecialties such as pediatric emergency medicine, pediatric infectious diseases or pediatric cardiology.
Many also choose to participate in the ABP's maintenance of certification (MOC) program. Although it is not currently required for practicing pediatricians, many state regulating agencies and insuring companies have started to recognize the importance of the program for continuing medical education and certification of competency for pediatricians.
The educational path students must complete before they take the ABP certification exam starts with a bachelor's degree in either pre-medical or a related science field, like biology. They then must graduate from a medical school program and complete a three-year pediatric residency program.
Employment Outlook and Salary Information
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) states that pediatricians, as of May 2019, make a mean annual wage of $184,410. The highest paying state for pediatricians was Wisconsin in 2019, with an average yearly salary of $258,850. Between 2019-2029, the employment of pediatricians is expected to decrease by 2%, according to the BLS. This is slower than average. States with the highest number of pediatric jobs include California, Texas and Massachusetts.
