Pediatrician Education And Salary Information

There are so many jobs out there to choose from. When search for one, it is important to look at all aspects of the job to find out what will fit you the best. If you love children and like helping people, then a job as a pediatrician may be the perfect job for you. A pediatrician is a doctor that treats infants, children and young adults. They see patients from birth to age eighteen. 

As a pediatrician you will perform consultations with your patient and a parent or guardian. Parents are often in the room since the age of the patients is often young and parents can also advise of any symptoms that patients may be experiencing. As a pediatrician you will give immunizations and shots, perform routine check ups, prescribe and administer medicines as needed, create treatment plans and follow up on progress of the patient.

They may also take blood and urine samples for lab analysis. As a pediatrician you will handle all of your own paperwork which will include maintaining and updating patient files. You may also have to refer patients to specialists when they are needed. Some pediatricians also specialize in certain areas such as allergy, obstetrics, infancy and more.

Pediatrician Salary

The average pediatrician salary is around $167,000 per year. This is the same as an hourly salary of about $79. Although most pediatricians are paid with a yearly salary. There are many things that will affect the amount of the pediatrician salary. One thing that will greatly affect the pediatrician salary is the place you work. Different types of facilities offer different salaries. Working with the local government can net you $171,000 per year. 

Working with a specialist doctor’s office is $181,000 per year. The salary for a pediatrician that works at an outpatient care facilities can make as much as $182,000 a year. The lowest salaries for pediatricians can be found working in colleges, universities and surgical hospitals. These industries pay between $100,000 to $150,000 a year.

Pediatrician Education

If you decide to become a pediatrician, you will have to dedicate many years to your pediatrician education. There are several different pediatrician educational requirements that you will have to meet. The first step in your pediatrician education is to obtain a pre-med bachelor’s degree. This is generally done in history or science although any type of bachelor’s degree is acceptable. After this is complete, you can apply and get accepted into a medical school. This must also be an accredited school and program. This schooling will take an additional four years to complete. It will include in class work and on site clinical rotations. 

After this portion of the pediatrician educational requirements are met, you will need to one year residency and a one year internship program. The last part of the pediatrician education is to complete and pass the USMLE exam. After passing all of these parts, you are now able to practice medicine on your own or in a clinic or hospital. It takes eleven years to complete your educational requirements.

Pediatrician Work Environment

The work environment of a pediatrician is usually typical for that of most medical professions. They will often work in a doctor’s office setting in addition to hospital rooms, lab settings and even in the operating room. They typically work longer hours than most of the other professions and many do work sixty hours or more per week depending on the patients that they have to see. Many doctors are also on call at all hours of the day or night including days that may be scheduled days off. On average, a pediatrician will see about 100 patients per week. 

The job may be highly stressful so you will need to be able to handle high stress situations. Since you are working with children, you will also need to have lots of patience and understanding. It is also a job in which you will be exposed to sickness and infectious diseases. There is also a high level of being sued. You must take great care in the treatment that you provide for this reason especially. Pediatricians are often very busy and have lots of different tasks that need to be completed at one time so being able to handle and control your office is important.

There are many reasons that you may decide to become a pediatrician. It is a job in which you will be able to make a difference in the life of your patients. It is also a job in which you will have a chance to make a great salary and also a job that has a great outlook for the future. There is an expected increase of almost thirty percent more jobs being added to the market. This means that there will be even more jobs added to the market as time goes on. This makes making the decision to become a pediatrician that much easier.