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Pediatrician |
Career OverviewThe primary role of a pediatrician is to care for children. Pediatricians advise new parents on taking care of their first child, they administer immunization to infants and young children, they treat common illnesses that affect children, such as strep throat, chicken pox, and the flu.
They assess the extent to which children are at risk from more serious conditions, such as rubella and measles. Pediatricians also help children and young adults to develop healthy lifestyles which include good eating habits, proper nutrition, and the right amount of exercise. They may also address psychological issues amongst children, such as stress, anxiety, depression, and ADHD.
A pediatrician is trained to diagnose a vast range of diseases and injuries that impact children. They will be competent to treat the majority of the cases that they encounter; however, they may also refer patients to subspecialists with the pediatrics field.
Pediatricians may specialize in certain areas of medicine within pediatrics, such as pediatric cardiology, pediatric oncology, or pediatric urology. These specialists will generally receive patient referrals from pediatricians who are general practitioners, in hospitals, clinics, schools, or general practices.
Pediatricians, with the care that they provide to children from birth to early adulthood, have an impact on the health of families and individuals that stretches way into the adult life. They must demonstrate real compassion for families and children, and instill in both a sense of the need to take proper care of their health, with regular check-ups, a good lifestyle, and a general awareness of the health risks posed by common conditions such as cancer, heart disease, STDs, and general injuries.
The ever-changing state of the health care system and the medical field, it should come as no surprise that specialization as a practitioner, or as a researcher, educator, consultant, or administrator within the field of pediatrics will be a particularly viable career choice for trained physicians who decide to work in pediatrics.
Although positions are competitive, there are plenty of opportunities for pediatricians to take on research positions, study AIDS and cancers that affect children; positions as educators at teaching hospitals and medical schools are also available to qualified candidates.
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Career RequirementsA pediatrician must fulfil the education and experience requirements established by federal and state government to practice medicine. For entry into any education program to become a specialist pediatrician, a doctor of medicine degree is required from an approved school of medicine. It is often mandatory that candidates complete at least three years of graduate medical education in pediatrics before practicing independently.
To work as a pediatrician, an individual must complete four years of medical school, a one-year internship, and two years of residency. Opportunities for additional fellowship training exist in a vast range of specialities but these require additional years of training and certification, varying on a case-by-case basis.
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Job OutlookMany health care insurance plan providers are under considerable pressure from customers and physicians to increase patient access to specialists.
That said, the job outlook for pediatricians is extremely promising: the field is a diverse one. It offers qualified medical doctors the opportunity to deal directly with patients, act as policy makers, consultants, and researchers into the application of pediatric medicine, a range of medical practices that affect children.
The field allows physicians to be at the forefront of cutting-edge research in a field that covers a full range of medical practices, including surgery, cardiology, oncology, and psychiatry.
The field looks set to remain particularly lucrative, dynamic, and open to qualified and enthusiastic graduates of medical schools.
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Career TrackPediatricians have a full range of sub-specialties on which they can concentrate their interests and through which they can develop a steady, ascending career track. On the other hand, general pediatricians are also viable members of any medical team. General practice as a physician can also lead to promotions to supervisory and administrative positions within the general hierarchy of trained medical doctors.
The sub-specialties of pediatricians are listed below.
- Adolescent Medicine
- Neonatal and Prenatal Medicine
- Pediatric Cardiology
- Pediatric Critical Care
- Pediatric Dermatology
- Pediatric Developmental Behavior
- Pediatric Emergency Medicine
- Pediatric Endrocology
- Pediatric Gastroenterology
- Pediatric Hematology and Oncology
- Pediatric Infectious Diseases
- Pediatric Medical Genetics
- Pediatric Nephrology
- Pediatric Physical Medicine
- Pediatric Pulmonology
- Pediatric Rheumatology
- Pediatric Sports Medicine
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CompensationThe average reported salary for a typical, general pediatrician in the United States is approximately $135,000 per year. Depending upon their qualifications and experience, most pediatricians in the United States earn between $70,000 and $400,000 a year.
According to one group, starting salaries for pediatricians working full-time range from less than $100,000 to $160,000 per year. The average starting salary for a general pediatrician is recorded at $130,000.
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