After you enroll in medical school, youโre likely to be pondering what kind of physician you want to be. ย For students who are passionate about working with babies, children, or teens, becoming a pediatrician might be at the top of the list of choices. ccording to the 2020 AAP Annual Survey of Graduating Residents, 95% of graduating pediatric residents say they would choose pediatrics again.
We have assembled information on the steps needed to become a pediatrician or enter pediatric surgery to help you identify each of the major steps..
What is a pediatrician doctor?
According to theย pediatrician definitionย offered by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), these physicians address the mental, physical, and social health of children from birth through adolescence. In addition to providing guidance related to healthy growth and development, pediatricians also diagnose and treat a wide range of illnesses. Pediatricians also work diligently to support familiesโ efforts to create a nurturing home environment that ultimately ensures childrenโs needs are being met.
To appropriately assess and diagnose young people, anyone pursuing aย pediatrician careerย mustโฏbe able to work effectivelyโฏwith children andโฏtheir adult guardians.โฏManaging the fear, vulnerability, andโฏanxiety that parents feel when their children arenโt feeling well requires excellent communication and empathy.
Pediatricians can choose to work in primary care or focus on a specificโฏsubspecialty such as pediatric surgery.โฏRegardless of their specific focus, the AAP notes, pediatricians act as consultants and also collaborate with other physicians and health care providers.
7 Steps to Becoming a Pediatrician
Now that you have a clear idea of whatโฏthe job entails, youโre probably eager to learn howโฏto become a pediatrician.โฏYou might even wonder, โHow long does it take to become a pediatrician?โ As youโll soon see, it can be anywhere between 7 and 15 years depending on where you are in your journey.
1. Obtain a bachelorโs degree
To apply to medical school, youโฏmustโฏfirst complete your undergraduate studies.โฏItโs worth noting that there is no โrightโโฏmajor. While mostโฏmed school applicants have a degree in a science concentration, you can study any subject so long as you focus on getting good grades in courses that are part of the med school admission requirements.
2. Take the MCAT & Apply to Medical School
If your plan is to attend medical schoolย right afterโฏcollege, youโll want to start preparing for early by studying for and taking theย Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) while completing your bachelorโs degree.
Most students complete theย application processย through the American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS), Canadaโs Ontario Medical School Application Service (OMSAS), or specific school websites. They all have similar requirements. In addition to taking the MCAT, youโll need to provide transcripts, letters of recommendation, a personal statement, and more.
Whileโฏgood grades and a strong MCAT score are important, rest assured thatโฏthere are many factors medical schools take intoโฏconsideration. Your life experience and history of accomplishments as an employee, volunteer, and student may also carry a lot of weight.โฏMedical schools look forโฏย certainโฏcore competenciesโฏ thatโฏhelpโฏdemonstrate your preparedness for becoming a physician, including:
- Cultural competence
- Teamwork
- Critical thinking
- Resilience and adaptability
- Scientific inquiry
- Human behavior
- Ethical responsibility to self and others
3. Graduate from medical school
After your hard work has earned you a spot in medical schoolyou will attend lectures and complete labs in a variety of subjectsโฏlikeโฏanatomy, physiology, biochemistry, pathology, pharmacology, and behavioral science during your first two year.
Inโฏthe final two years of medical school,โฏyou will get to work directly with patientsโฏduring clinical rotations. These experiences allow you to gain exposure to an array of specialties like surgery, internal medicine, obstetrics and gynecology (OB/GYN), psychiatry, family practice, and pediatrics.
5. Begin the licensure process
You must become licensed to legally practice medicine in the US. Students typically fulfill this requirement by taking the three-part United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) series. Plan to startย ย early because youโll want to take the USMLEโฏย Step 1ย near the end of your second year. Youโll complete Step 2 during your fourth year then finish with Step 3 during residency.
6. Apply for and complete a residency in pediatrics or surgery
As medical school draws to a close, youโll want toโฏapply for a pediatric residencyโฏposition. Pediatric residency typically lasts three years, but your training may take longer if you choose to further specialize in an area like pediatric cardiology or pediatric emergency medicine.
If you are interested in pediatric surgery, you will need to complete five year of adult surgery training before an additional two year of fellowship training in Pediatric Surgery.
For Pediatric residents, itโs common to start around 5:30 in the morning. St. Georgeโs University (SGU) graduateโฏDr. Karolina Petro is chief pediatric resident at Goryeb Childrenโs Hospital in New Jersey, and she outlines aย typical day.โฏ According to Dr. Petro, a typical day usually entails receiving reports from the night team and going over specificโฏcases.โฏThe rest of the day isโฏspent making rounds, speaking with patients and families, performing procedures,โฏattendingโฏlectures, andโฏlearning from senior doctors.
6. Become board certified
After completing aโฏthree-year residency program, pediatricians are eligible to pursue board certification. While this credential isnโt necessarily required, it demonstrates that a physician has gone above and beyond state licensing requirements. To achieve this designation, pediatricians must pass theโฏrigorous exams administered by theโฏย American Board of Pediatrics.โฏTo remain certified, pediatriciansโฏmustโฏcomplete continuing education requirements throughout their careers.
If you choose a path of Pediatric Surgery, that means that you will need to become certified for the American Board of Surgery in both General Surgery and Pediatric Surgery.
Pursue a career in pediatrics
Now that you have a better understanding of how to become a pediatrician and the alternate route for pediatric surgery, you might feel eager to get started. But before you can pursue this specific field, you first need to get into medical school. Give yourself the best possible odds of receiving an acceptance letter by heeding the advice in our articleย โ5 Ways to Strengthen Your Medical School Application.โ
Ready to start your medical school journey?
Are you considering St. Georgeโs University Medical School? If you need any more convincing, just reach out to someย graduatesย orย current students. Theyโre happy to tell you what their experiences were like.
If you feel like SGU could be the right medical school for you, take the next step. Continue your research by visiting ourย request information page.
This article was originally published in March 2021. It has since been updated to include information relevant to 2023.
