How to Become a Pediatrician: A Step-by-Step Guide For Your Medical Career
Learn about pediatrics and how to successfully enter this medical field.
Pediatrics is a well-known medical specialty. It is popular among professionals for various reasons, including the rewarding and fulfilling nature of working with children, the opportunity to build long-term patient relationships and the emphasis on preventative care.
In this step-by-step guide, we dive into how to become a pediatrician, exploring their roles and responsibilities, various subspecialties and the earning potential in pediatric medicine.
What Is a Pediatrician?
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, pediatrics is “a specialty of medical science concerned with the physical, mental and social health of children from birth to young adulthood.”
So, what does a pediatrician do? Pediatricians play a central role in the health and well-being of all children, diagnosing and treating a wide range of illnesses and providing guidance and advice to patients and parents during regular check-ups.
The role of a pediatrician varies from physical examinations to establishing treatment plans for long-term conditions. Pediatricians must have excellent communication and empathy skills to manage sensitive and emotional discussions and liaise with patients’ families and caregivers.
Pediatrics is a collaborative field, with pediatricians working closely with other areas of medicine, including general medical specialties like orthopedics, dermatology and immunology. Pediatricians also regularly provide clinical advice to social services, educators and experts in other fields.
Subspecialties in Pediatric Medicine
Pediatricians can work in primary care or focus on a specific subspecialty. Pediatric subspecialties range from neonatology to adolescent medicine and appeal to medical professionals for various reasons, including personal interests, earning potential and long-term career goals.
Here are five common pediatric subspecialties:
Pediatric Surgery: Pediatric surgeons are trained to perform various procedures on children, from minor operations to major surgery. A pediatric surgeon is one of 14 types of surgeons recognized by The American College of Surgeons.
Pediatric Cardiology: Pediatric cardiologists diagnose and treat all heart-related conditions in children.
Neonatology: Neonatologists are trained to care for newborn infants and treat ill or premature newborns in neonatal intensive care units.
Pediatric Emergency Medicine: Pediatricians trained in this subspecialty work in emergency departments to provide immediate medical attention to children with acute illnesses or injuries.
Adolescent Medicine: This pediatric subspecialty focuses on the health needs of teenagers, treating issues relating to various areas, including mental health and puberty.
How to Become a Pediatrician
Wondering how to become a pediatrician? From earning a bachelor’s degree to securing board certification, follow these six essential steps to become a fully licensed pediatrician:
1. Earn a Bachelor’s Degree in a Healthcare-related Field
After exploring your passion for medicine and preparing for a medical career during high school by studying science-related subjects, including biology, chemistry and physics, the first step to becoming a pediatrician begins with earning a bachelor’s degree.
Pursuing a health-related bachelor’s degree provides a solid foundation for a career as a pediatrician and ensures you meet the prerequisite course requirements for acceptance into an MD program. Biological sciences are the most popular pre-med courses before medical school, while students can also pursue courses in fields like humanities, English, health and social sciences.
2. Gain Experience in Healthcare
Gaining hands-on experience in healthcare during your secondary and undergraduate studies is important. Whether it’s a part-time job at your local hospital or voluntary roles and internships, it will enhance your medical school application and provide valuable healthcare experience before pursuing an MD degree program.
3. Take the MCAT and Apply to Medical School
The Medical College Admission Test (MCAT), conducted by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), is a prerequisite for medical school for U.S. students. The MCAT consists of standardized multiple-choice questions and produces a final score, which is a key factor in medical school admissions. Students typically take the MCAT exam in the final year of their undergraduate program before applying to medical school.
During the medical school application process, students must also submit a personal statement, academic transcripts, letters of recommendation and attend medical school interviews. Applications can generally be submitted directly via an individual school’s application system, or through services like the American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS) or Canada’s Ontario Medical School Application Service (OMSAS). St. Matthew’s University allows MD program applicants to submit a copy of their AMCAS, AACOMAS, TMDSAS or OMSAS application.
4. Complete Medical School
Medical students must complete four years of medical school, split evenly into Basic Science and Clinical Medicine portions. Basic Science encompasses classroom and laboratory-based learning, while Clinical Medicine allows students to gain hands-on training with patients in hospital settings during rotations across various specialties, including pediatrics.
Students take two of the three national licensing exams (USMLE) during medical school. The final licensing exam is taken during or after residency training.
5. Pursue a Pediatric Residency Program
After completing an MD degree, those aiming to become pediatricians must pursue a pediatric residency at a hospital or medical center. A basic pediatric residency program lasts a minimum of three years, while students who seek a pediatric subspecialty, including pediatric surgery or pediatric emergency medicine, must complete additional training.
Find out more about medical residency here.
6. Pursue Board Certification and Fellowship
Pediatricians can apply for a medical license and pursue board certification after completing residency training. While pediatricians can practice without board certification, passing the pediatric board certification exam from a certifying board like the American Board of Pediatrics can open the door to extensive career opportunities.
Some pediatricians may also complete a fellowship after a pediatric residency to specialize in a specific area of pediatric medicine. Pediatric fellowships usually last between one to three years and equip pediatricians with specialized knowledge of pediatric medicine to enhance career opportunities and earning potential.
What is the Job Outlook and Salary for Pediatricians?
Pediatrics is a popular medical specialty due to the high demand for pediatricians. With children requiring constant healthcare, a career as a pediatrician ensures job stability in most locations. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 2.1% employment growth for pediatricians between 2023 and 2033.
So, how much does a pediatrician earn? A pediatrician’s salary varies depending on factors such as location, experience and subspecialty. According to Indeed, the average annual pediatrician salary in the United States is $202,311 USD.
Pediatricians can significantly increase their earning potential by training to become specialists in a pediatric subspecialty, like pediatric surgery or pediatric cardiology.
Kickstart your Career as a Pediatrician with an MD Degree from SMU
Now that you know how to become a pediatrician, it’s time to find an accredited medical school to help you achieve your goals.
St. Matthew’s University School of Medicine (SMUSOM) offers an MD program that delivers expansive education and hands-on training, individualized support from dedicated faculty and the opportunity to undertake clinical rotations in the U.S. and Canada.
Completing an MD degree is an essential step to becoming a certified pediatrician. SMUSOM’s rigorous curriculum integrates basic and clinical science to provide students with an in-depth understanding of the human body in health and disease. The MD program offers foundational medical knowledge and practical skills to prepare medical students for successful careers as pediatricians.
In addition to the MD program, SMUSOM offers a Pre-Med Master’s Program and the Gateway Program to prepare students for the demands of medical school.
To learn more about our supportive learning environment, check out this video testimonial from an SMUSOM alumna and currently practicing physician:
Continue your journey to becoming a pediatrician today by contacting us with any questions or applying to St. Matthew’s University’s MD program here.
FAQs About Pediatrics
Pediatrics is a medical specialty for qualified physicians, which means a pediatrician is a doctor. So, what is a pediatrician? A pediatrician is a medical doctor who specializes in children’s physical, mental and social health from birth to young adulthood.
Pursuing any medical specialty is challenging due to the academic and personal demands, with the total post-secondary education for pediatricians spanning a minimum of 11 years, not including a fellowship in a pediatric subspecialty.
On average, it takes between 11 and 14 years to become a fully licensed pediatrician. This is broken down into a four-year bachelor’s degree, four years of medical school, a three-year pediatric residency, and an optional fellowship in a pediatric subspecialty lasting one to three years.
As with most medical fields, specialists can access higher salaries due to their advanced knowledge, skills and expertise. For example, the average annual pediatrician salary in the U.S. is $202,311 USD, according to Indeed, whereas a pediatric cardiologist in the U.S. has an average annual salary of $313,547 USD, according to Salary.com.