Become a pediatrician how many years

Medical students have the freedom to choose electives in their area of interest, and prospective pediatricians may study pediatric subspecialties like pediatric cardiology, adolescent medicine, neonatology, or pediatric intensive care. After graduation from medical school, training continues in the form of one or more residencies.

Graduates choose their specialty and are matched with a residency through the National Resident Matching Program. The length of the residency varies by specialty, but most pediatricians complete a three-year residency before they begin to practice.

Pediatricians who want to train in a combined specialty like pediatrics and psychiatry or pediatrics and emergency medicine may complete a residency that lasts five years. All physicians must be licensed by their state to treat patients.

Requirements vary by state, but in general, physicians must complete a graduate medical program that includes clinical rotations, complete a residency, and pass the United States Medical Licensing Examination. While not technically required to practice, most physicians pursue board certification in their specialty. The American Board of Pediatrics certifies pediatricians who meet its requirements, including graduating from medical school, completing postgraduate pediatric training, holding a state license to practice, and passing a certification exam.

Pediatricians first pursue a general pediatrics certification, and those who want to become certified in a subspecialty can start the subspecialty certification process. To become certified in a pediatric subspecialty, pediatricians must show that they have completed training in their subspecialty and contributed to scholarly activity and research in their field.

It takes four years to complete medical school and three years to complete a general pediatrics residency. Pediatricians whose postgraduate training combines pediatrics with another medical specialty will spend an additional two years in their residency. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that employment of physicians and surgeons in the United States will grow by 18 percent between and , faster than the average for all occupations.

As the population grows and more people gain access to health insurance and health care, more physicians will be needed. Pediatricians who want to work in rural and urban underserved areas should have the best job prospects. Pediatricians who find success in private practice may eventually own their own solo practice or part of a group practice.

Those who work in hospitals may become leaders in their department. Different medical schools may have varying requirements, so the following is intended as a basic guide. The preparation timeline below outlines the suggested courses:. Extracurricular activities are strongly encouraged, as well. Some suggested activities might include participating in a pre-health advisory program or joining other clubs and organizations. You may also consider establishing a relationship with a local doctor who would allow you to shadow him or her for a few days.

If you are unsatisfied with your score on any of the aforementioned exams, you are free to retake them. Depending on the school, some will average your scores and others will simply take your most recent. For more information and advice on successfully getting into medical school, you can check with the Association of American Medical Colleges.

These are hands-on clinical experiences in real health care settings. In most med schools, the first two years are taken up with classroom studies before students are assigned to do rotations. The current trend, however, finds a number of medical schools exposing students to early clinical experiences that continue throughout the four-year program. Most medical schools base their curriculum on a system-based approach that focuses on one physiological system at a time, such as the respiratory system or the nervous system.

Still other med schools use a combination of these approaches to educate their students. During the last two years of schooling, students are required to obtain hands-on experience at hospitals and clinics, learning to diagnose and treat patients while working under the supervision of licensed physicians. Doctors or healthcare professionals who treat children are called Pediatricians.

As they grow, children undergo rapid physical and mental changes. They have an entirely different physiological change in comparison with the adults. They also provide preventive healthcare services for healthy children. They have a special role for medically and mentally challenged children to mould them into a normal healthy child.

The professionals should even obtain a license or a registration for legally practicing in their own or private or government health setups. They should even obtain the skill and knowledge in accurately treating all medical conditions and emergencies in children in that three year specialization course.

These are all mandatory for a doctor to be called as a pediatrician. Most pediatricians go one step further and earn board certification, which helps them to undergo continuous professional education throughout their careers. To treat children in a more specialized and elegant manner, pediatrics has been divided into many sub specialities which can help the specialist to deliver his skills at a detailed level.

Neonatologist : These are the doctors which are trained to handle complicated and high-risk health situations in newborns and infants. Pediatric cardiologist : Pediatric cardiologists are involved in the diagnosis and treatment of heart conditions in children, including congenital heart disease and abnormal heart rhythms.

Critical Care Pediatrician or Pediatric Intensivist : Children also suffer from critical conditions that may prove to be life-threatening.

Critical care pediatricians are the ones with expertise in diagnosis and treatment of children suffering from critical conditions. Endocrinology pediatricians : There is a gamut of hormonal disorders that children go through. These include developmental problems, early or delayed puberty, thyroid disorders, and other hormonal problems for which endocrinology pediatricians are needed who diagnose and manage these conditions in the children.

Gastroenterology pediatricians : The digestive, liver, and nutritional problems in children differ from those in adults. These include a lot of serious problems like bleeding from the gastrointestinal tract, inflammatory bowel disease, lactose intolerance, liver disease, vomiting, pancreatic insufficiency, and others. The experts that diagnose and treat these conditions are known as gastroenterology pediatricians. Pediatric hematologists and oncologists : Some children suffer from conditions that include leukemias, lymphomas, brain tumors, bone tumors, and solid tumors.

Furthermore, diseases of blood cells including the disorders of white blood cells, red blood cells, and platelets can also occur in children which lead to life-threatening situations. Pediatric hematologists and oncologists are the doctors that are involved in the treatment of children with these serious conditions. Neonatal pediatricians : Even though all the pediatricians are equipped with skills to manage children who are newly born, neonatal pediatricians have a distinctive competence in treating infants that are premature or have serious injury, illness, or birth defect.

They also have skills to diagnose problems in the baby during the stage of pregnancy after which they can consult an obstetrician for the management of the condition. Child nephrologis t: Some children develop complications in the kidney, urinary tract, and bladder as well. Furthermore, they are also diagnosed with congenital and acquired renal problems. Child nephrologists are specialised to diagnose and manage these problems.

Pediatric allergist : Diagnose and help in preventing allergic reactions due to food , air, water, etc. Pediatric anesthesiologists : Procedures like surgery need special skills in a doctor. If a child is suffering from a condition that requires surgery, pediatric anesthesiologists are equipped with skills that ensure that the child undergoes that treatment with safety.

Pediatric developmentalist : Some children suffer with developmental problems such as physical deformities like muscular dystrophy.