Pediatrics

By: Lexi Holguin

What is a pediatrician? What do they do?

On a regular basis, a pediatrician examines and monitors the growth and development of
newborns, children, and adolescents. They take care of children with minor illnesses, acute and
chronic health problems, as well as growth and development issues.
What do the duties entail?
A pediatrician duties include:

- Staying up to date on the latest pediatric practices

- Conducting examinations on babies, children, and adolescents to check and record their growth and development
- Examining sick children and diagnosing children based on their scientific knowledge and the patient’s medical history
- Prescribing medications and giving specific instructions.
- Prescribing the proper tests to learn more about any potential anomalies.
- Vaccine preparation and administration in accordance with the government's vaccine plan.
- Examining and treating injuries or referring the patient to a physician when necessary
- Giving parents advice on their children's diet, activity, and disease prevention.
- Keeping updated records of the patient’s medical conditions and development

According to Workable.com, Pediatrician Job Description

What are personal qualities needed?
Personal qualities needed are:

- Responsibility: A pediatrician requires lots of responsibility as a parent is trusting them in their child’s well-being
and health.
- Organization: A pediatrician needs to be organized because they have multiple patients and duties.
- Good time management: A pediatrician needs to manage their time well because they need to be able to make time
for themselves/family and their duties outside of the office.
- Active-listener/patient: A pediatrician needs to be patient with the child and the child’s family as they are expecting
your full, undivided attention.
- Well-spoken/charismatic/optimistic: A pediatrician needs to be able to articulate words well and confidently to
help assure the child or child’s family of medical advice.
- Trustworthy/caring: A pediatrician needs to be trustworthy because parents rely on their knowledge and education
for their child’s well-being and health.
Professional qualifications? (see detailed plan for how and when I would obtain these)

One must graduate medical school before specializing in pediatrics. To be successful as a pediatrician, one needs to complete
college, medical school, and a pediatric residency.
A pediatrician needs to be able to obtain:

- A bachelor’s degree
- A medical degree: Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) or Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.)
- A license to practice medicine
- A spot in pediatric residency
- Board certification from the American Board of Pediatrics

According to Learn.org, What Education Is Required to Be a Pediatrician?

What are the rewards and challenges of the job?

Rewards (may vary): Challenges (may vary):

- Health, life, and disability insurance (ex. dental and - An extremely stressful career
vision) - In school for a long amount of years with rigorous
- Paid time off discipline
- Retirement benefits - Student loans and tuitions are very expensive
- Tuition reimbursement - Managing the family unit and cooperating with
- Able to aid and help children stay healthy them
- Great money - Solving medical conditions when the child isn’t
- Flexible hours able to explain their symptoms
- Dealing with emotional trauma
According to Chron.com, What are the Pros of Being a - Figuring out when to put life outside of work
Pediatrician?
Average Salary and Job Outlook

Average Salary: Job Outlook:

The average salary of a pediatrician in
California is $232,390.
But it typically ranges between $202,494 and
$277,807.
The job outlook from between 2018-2028
has been projected only a 2% growth rate in
employment.
Personal Reflection
Why am I interested in this career?

I am interested in this career because I have a deep interest in medicine and biology and I would
prefer to work with children rather than adults. I would prefer to work with children because I’m
interested in aiding them in their health and development. I also like to continuously learn about
medicine and biology because I find them fascinating and unboring.
Personal attributes I believe would be suitable for this career:

- Persistent: No matter how difficult, I always try to complete a task.

- Determined: Once I start something, I finish it with my best efforts.
- Patient: I am able to tolerate delays or problems while staying calm.
- Responsible: As an older sibling, I’ve dealt with responsibility and can gain trust from others.
- Organized: I like to have everything in order in a neat manner and I like to know where everything is at.
- Intelligent: I am able to recall information and piece knowledge together.
- Open-minded: I am willing to consider new ideas and practices to better influence my own.
- Observant: I am able to pay attention to my surroundings with intent and consideration.
My detailed plan of how I would obtain educational qualifications:

I would need to obtain:

- A bachelor’s degree: I would go to a university for 4 years.
- A medical degree [Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) or Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.)]: I would attend a medical school for an additional 4 years.
- Completion of pediatric residency: Following medical school, I’d complete a pediatric residency at a program offered by the school I attended or
someplace nearby for about 3-7 years.
- A license to practice medicine: To practice medicine in the United States, I'd have to “pass the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical
Graduates (ECFMG) certification exams, complete a residency program, pass the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE), and apply
for a license in a certain state” according to Scholaro Pro. These tasks can be accomplished during or towards the end of my education, but
obtaining the license itself should take me about 3-6 months.
- Getting a board certification: The American Board of Pediatrics (ABP) certificate in General Pediatrics is awarded after all the previous
requirements have been met.
*** I cannot know what specific schools I’d be attending as I would need to be accepted first.***