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How to become a Pediatrician

Pediatrician job

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Pediatrician courses

Career progression and salary expectations for a Pediatrician

Junior Pediatrician

| Up to £30,000

Pediatrician

| Up to £100,000

Consultant Pediatrician

| Up to £160,000

The role of a Pediatrician

What does a Pediatrician do?

Great with kids (and/or diffusing tantrums)? You should become a Pediatrician…

Pediatricians (also known as Paediatricians) are doctors who provide medical care and advice for babies, children, and teenagers.

Their role could involve anything from administering immunisations and carrying out routine health checks, to diagnosing and treating a range of injuries and illnesses.

Although general Pediatricians are common, many choose to specialise in more specific areas of child healthcare, including: cardiology, infectious diseases, neurodevelopment disabilities, rheumatology, and sports medicine.

General duties for a Pediatrician include:

Meeting with patients and carrying out examinations
Advising patients, parents, and guardians about proper diet, exercise, and hygiene
Writing medical reports and keeping records
Prescribing and explaining treatment options
Assessing children’s growth and development
Monitoring progress and assessing the need for further treatment
Coordinating care with other specialists
Responding to emergency calls (if based in a hospital)

Is a career as a Pediatrician right for me?

Aside from the ability to understand and interact with young people of all ages, Pediatricians will also need a strong medical background, along with relevant doctoral qualifications.

Patience, empathy, and sensitivity are equally valuable traits to have, and being able to stay calm and collected in any situation is essential to being a good Pediatrician. After all, children aren’t always able to explain how they’re feeling, so it might take some time (and intuition) to make an accurate diagnosis.

N.B. a good sense of humour will also work in your favour…A Pediatrician should also be:

Able to communicate effectively
An excellent problem solver
Observant and accurate
Good at making sound judgments
Able to work under pressure
A sensible decision maker
An active listener

What's it like to be a Pediatrician?

"I’m a Pediatrician at a family GP, and my job really does have its ups and downs. From administering vaccinations and diagnosing illnesses, to carrying out general health check-ups and growth assessments for young people of all ages – the variation requires a lot of patience, perseverance, and an ability to keep patients at ease, no matter what the situation. After all, going to the doctors can seem like a stressful ordeal for children, so making it seem a bit more light-hearted (when there are no serious health concerns) is the key to having happy patients. Even if I do have to make a terrible joke every now and again…"

Get qualified as a Pediatrician

You’ll need to have a degree in medicine, followed by a three year residency programme to become a Pediatrician. If you want to specialise in a particular field within pediatrics, an additional three years of training will be required.

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