Pediatrics

Pediatrician
Source: http://oregoncis.uoregon.edu/default.aspx

Pediatricians Overview

Pediatricians provide medical care for infants, children, teenagers, and young adults.
Pediatricians provide primary care and take care of children's general health needs. They ask parents questions to learn about their child's health. Like most doctors, pediatricians focus on preventing problems before they begin.
Pediatricians see their youngest patients for regularly scheduled visits called well-baby checks. At each check-up, they check the child's growth, weight, and development. They advise parents about immunizations and other ways to keep their children healthy. They educate their older children about exercise, hygiene, and eating healthy food.

Pediatricians examine patients and order lab tests. They explain test results and review treatment options with parents and the patient. If more than one treatment option is available, they help parents decide which option to choose. They also monitor the patient's condition and make changes in the treatment plan if needed.
For serious conditions, pediatricians refer patients to health care specialists for testing or treatment. Some pediatricians specialize in treating children with cancer or heart problems.
Pediatricians share similar tasks with other types of physicians, they:

• Assign tasks to nurses and other health care workers
• Consult with other health care professionals
• Oversee the business aspects of running an office
• Keep detailed records about each patient
• Write reports for insurance companies and government agencies

Some pediatricians teach at medical schools. They may also do research on procedures and treatments for disease. Advances in medicine require pediatricians to update their skills regularly.

 

Specific Work Activities

The following list of occupational tasks is specific to pediatricians.

• Treat children who have illnesses, health problems, and other medical concerns.
• Examine children to chart growth and development or diagnose conditions.
• Order or perform tests to find out about patients' health.
• Collect, record, and maintain patient medical history and exam results.
• Provide consultation services to other doctors. Refer patients to specialists when necessary.
• Prescribe or give medication, therapy, or vaccinations to children.
• Operate on patients to improve their health.
• Supervise nurses and other medical staff.
• Plan and operate medical care programs that benefit children.
• Research and study new ways to prevent or control diseases.
• Prepare medical reports on birth, death, and disease statistics.
• Attend conferences to stay current on medical information.

Common Work Activities

Pediatricians perform the following tasks. These tasks are common to many occupations.

• Make decisions and solve problems.
• Document and record information.
• Get information needed to do the job.
• Assist and care for others.
• Explain the meaning of information to others.
• Update and use job-related knowledge.
• Identify objects, actions, and events.
• Establish and maintain relationships.
• Work with the public.
• Analyze data or information.
• Communicate with supervisors, peers, or subordinates.
• Communicate with people outside the organization.
• Process information.
• Use computers.
• Organize, plan, and prioritize work.
• Judge the value of objects, services, or people.
• Coordinate the work and activities of others.
• Teach others.
• Guide, direct, and motivate others.
• Think creatively.

Working Conditions

In a typical work setting, pediatricians:
Interpersonal Relationships

• Have a high level of social interaction. They constantly talk with patients, parents, and medical staff.
• Are greatly responsible for the health and safety of their patients and the people they supervise.
• Are responsible for the work outcomes of the staff they supervise.
• Often are placed in conflict situations in which patients and family members may be unpleasant or angry.
• Work as part of a team providing care to patients.
• Communicate with medical staff and patients daily by phone, e-mail, and in person.

Physical Work Conditions

• Always work indoors.
• Work daily with patients who have diseases or infections.
• Wear protective clothing weekly such as masks, gloves, or apron.
• Work physically near patients.

Work Performance

• Must be very exact and accurate in performing their job. This is very important because very serious mistakes could risk patients' health.
• Repeat the same physical and mental activities, especially when performing exams.
• Make decisions on a daily basis that substantially impact patients and their families.
• Make nearly all their decisions and set their daily tasks and goals independently.
• Must meet strict weekly deadlines.

Hours/Travel

• Work more than 40 hours per week.
• Generally work a set schedule.
• May travel between office and hospital to visit patients.
• Work on the weekends and nights when on call.

Physical Demands

Pediatricians frequently:

• Sit and stand for long periods of time while examining patients.

It is important for pediatricians to be able to:

• Speak clearly so listeners can understand.
• See details of objects that are less than a few feet away.
• Understand the speech of another person.
• Hold the arm and hand in one position or hold the hand steady while moving the arm.
• Use fingers or hands to grasp, move, or assemble very small objects.
• Make quick, precise adjustments to machine controls.

It is not as important, but still necessary, for pediatricians to be able to:

• See details of objects that are more than a few feet away.
• Focus on one source of sound and ignore others.
• See differences between colors, shades, and brightness.
• Hear sounds and recognize the difference between them.

Skills and Abilities

Pediatricians need to:

Communicate

• Express ideas clearly when speaking or writing.
• Listen to others, understand, and ask questions.
• Read and understand work-related materials.

Reason and Problem Solve

• Combine several pieces of information and draw conclusions.
• Analyze ideas and use logic to determine their strengths and weaknesses.
• Notice when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong.
• Judge the costs and benefits of a possible action.
• Use reasoning to discover answers to problems.
• Understand new information or materials by studying and working with them.
• Develop rules or follow guidelines that group items in various ways.
• Identify problems and review information. Develop, review, and apply solutions.
• Concentrate and not be distracted while performing a task.
• Determine how a system should work. Study how changes in conditions affect outcomes.
• Identify ways to measure and improve system performance.
• Make sense of information that seems without meaning or organization.
• Think of new ideas and original or creative ways to solve problems.

Use Math and Science

• Use math and science skills to solve problems.

Manage Oneself, People, Time, and Things

• Check how well one is learning or doing something.
• Manage the time of self and others.
• Motivate, develop, and direct people as they work.

Work with People

• Be aware of others' reactions and change behavior in relation to them.
• Look for ways to help people.
• Use several methods to learn or teach new things.
• Persuade others to approach things differently.

Work with Things

• Analyze needs and requirements when designing products.

Perceive and Visualize

• Identify a pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden in distracting material.

Knowledge

Pediatricians need knowledge in the following areas:

• Medicine and Dentistry: Knowledge of injuries, illnesses, and defects. Also includes the knowledge of setting up a plan for treatment.
• English Language: Knowledge of the meaning, spelling, and use of the English language.
• Therapy and Counseling: Knowledge of the effect of diseases and injuries. Knowledge of how to give advice on social or personal problems. Also includes the knowledge of setting up a plan for treatment.
• Psychology: Knowledge of people, their actions, and mental processes. This may include knowledge of how to treat emotional and behavioral problems.
• Biology: Knowledge of plants, animals, and living organisms and how they function.
• Customer and Personal Service: Knowledge of providing special services to customers based on their needs.
• Education and Training: Knowledge of teaching and the methods involved in learning and instruction.
• Computers and Electronics: Knowledge of computer hardware and software.
• Mathematics: Knowledge of the rules and uses of numbers. Areas of knowledge include arithmetic, algebra, geometry, and statistics.
• Chemistry: Knowledge of the properties of substances and the changes that occur when they interact.
• Sociology and Anthropology: Knowledge of the behavior, customs, and origins of groups of people.
• Administration and Management: Knowledge of managing the operations of a business, company, or group.
• Public Safety and Security: Knowledge of protecting people, data, and property.
• Law, Government, and Jurisprudence: Knowledge of laws, rules, court procedures, and the political process.

 

Interests

Pediatricians are people who tend to:

• Consider achievement important. They like to see the results of their work and to use their strongest abilities. They like to get a feeling of accomplishment from their work.
• Consider recognition important. They like to work in jobs which have opportunities for them to advance, be recognized for their work, and direct and instruct others. They usually prefer jobs in which they are looked up to by others.
• Consider relationships important. They like to work in a friendly, non-competitive environment. They like to do things for other people. They prefer jobs where they are not pressured to do things that go against their sense of right and wrong.
• Consider independence important. They like to make decisions and try out ideas on their own. They prefer jobs where they can plan their work with little supervision.
• Consider good working conditions important. They like jobs offering steady employment and good pay. They want employment that fits their individual work style. They may prefer doing a variety of tasks, working alone, or being busy all the time.
• Have investigative interests. They like work activities that have to do with ideas and thinking. They like to search for facts and figure out solutions to problems mentally.
• Have social interests. They like work activities that assist others and promote learning and personal development. They like to communicate with others: to teach, give advice, help, or otherwise be of service to others.

Preparation

To work as a pediatrician, you typically need to:

• have a high school diploma or GED;
• have a bachelor's degree;
• graduate from medical school;
• complete an internship;
• pass a state licensing exam;
• complete a residency program in pediatrics; and
• pass additional exams to become board certified.

Education after high school
To become a doctor, you must complete medical school. Medical schools grant a Doctor of Medicine (MD) degree or a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DOM) degree. You spend the first two years of medical school in classrooms and labs. You study anatomy, biochemistry, and medicines. You also learn how to take a medical history, examine patients, and make a diagnosis. During the next two years, you work in hospitals and clinics under the supervision of physicians.
You usually need a bachelor's degree to get into medical school. While you do not need to be a pre-medicine or science major, these programs are good preparation. If you earn a liberal arts degree, be sure to take courses in physics, biology, and chemistry.
Some people working in this occupation have not completed this level of education. One reason is they may have entered the field when requirements were different. The table below lists the level of education attained by a group of workers in this occupation. The workers surveyed were between age 25 and 44.

Education level attained	Percentage of workers in this occupation*
Less than high school diploma	0
High school diploma or equivalent	0
Some college, no degree	0
Associate degree	0
Bachelor's degree	1
Master's degree	2
Doctoral (PhD) or professional degree	97

* National data for physicians and surgeons (SOC 29-1060).
On-the-job training
While in medical school, you spend two years working as an intern in a hospital or clinic. As an intern, you rotate through internal medicine, family medicine, obstetrics, oncology, and other hospital departments.
After medical school, you complete a residency program in pediatrics. Residency usually lasts four years. Residents usually work in hospitals. After your residency, you take additional exams to become board certified.
Military training
The military provides advanced training for doctors. However, it does not provide the initial training to become a doctor. Scholarships for advanced medical training are available in return for a required period of military service.

Helpful High School Courses

In high school, take classes that prepare you for college. A college preparatory curriculum may be different from your state's graduation requirements. You need a very strong background in math and science to become a doctor. Take as many math and science courses as you can.
You should also consider taking some advanced courses in high school. This includes Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) courses if they are available in your school. If you do well in these courses, you may receive college credit for them. Advanced courses can also strengthen your college application.
Helpful electives to take in high school that prepare you for this occupation include:

• Anatomy and Physiology
• Computer Applications
• Food and Nutrition
• Foreign Language
• Introduction to Health Care
• Nursing
• Safety and First Aid

Many pediatricians are self-employed. If you want to run your own business some day, you should consider taking these courses as well:

• Accounting
• Entrepreneurship
• Introduction to Business

The courses listed above are meant to help you create your high school plan. If you have not already done so, talk to a school counselor or parent about the courses you are considering taking.
You should also check with a teacher or counselor to see if work-based learning opportunities are available in your school and community. These might include field trips, job shadowing, internships, and actual work experience. The goal of these activities is to help you connect your school experiences with real-life work.
Join some groups, try some hobbies, or volunteer with an organization that interests you. By participating in activities you can have fun, make new friends, and learn about yourself. Maybe one of them will help direct you to a future career. Here are examples of activities and groups that may be available in your high school or community.

Hiring Practices

Many pediatricians begin work by joining a group practice or clinic. Some go to work for the hospital where they completed their residency.
The hiring process begins with a background check of the applicant. Employers evaluate past work experience and malpractice lawsuit records. The applicants are interviewed by several of the doctors from the facility they are applying to. Employers look for applicants with good communication skills. They look for pediatricians who can relate to many different people that come to the practice for care.
People with a criminal record face severe barriers to getting licensed in this occupation. If you have a criminal record, contact the licensing board to discuss the details before pursuing this occupation. For more information, see the Licensing topic.

Licensing and Certification

In Oregon, all physicians must be licensed. Applicants for Doctors of Medicine (MD) and Doctors of Osteopathy (DO) must:

• graduate from approved school of medicine or osteopathy;
• complete a one-year residency or internship at a hospital; and
• pass all three parts of the United States Medical Licensing Examination.

Application fee is $375. Registration fee for two years is $438. License must be renewed every two years by completing continuing education and paying $438 renewal fee. Length of residency for those who specialize is longer than one year. Although the license requires only a one-year residency or internship, most physicians complete a three- to five-year residency.
Applicants for a diplomat in pediatrics must:

• complete an additional three-year residency; and
• pass written and oral exams.

For more information about licensing, contact:
Oregon Medical Board
1500 SW First Avenue, Suite 620
Portland, OR 97201
Phone: 877.254.6263 (toll free)
Fax: 971.673.2670
E-mail: bme.info@state.or.us
http://www.oregon.gov/BME/mddo.shtml
All states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico require a license to practice medicine. Licensing requirements vary from state to state. People who want to work in another state should find out what that state requires.

Wages

Nationally, the median wage for pediatricians is $167,640 per year.
Wages vary by employer, years of experience, and hours worked. The doctor's skill, personality, and professional reputation also affect wages. Self-employed pediatricians generally earn more than those who are not self-employed.
Pediatricians usually receive benefits. Typical benefits include sick leave, paid vacation, health insurance, and a retirement plan. Pediatricians who are self-employed must provide their own insurance and retirement plan.

Employment and Outlook

The table below provides information about the number of physicians and surgeons in various regions. It also provides information about the expected growth rate and future job openings. Information is not available specifically about pediatricians.

Location	2010 Employment	Growth Rate Through 2020		Annual Openings
		This occupation	All occupations
Oregon	7,294 Very large	28.3%	18.1%	371 Very high
Central Oregon and Columbia Gorge	476 Very large
Eastern Oregon	184 Very large
North and South Coast	109 Large
Portland Metro	4,594 Very large
Southern Oregon	533 Very large
Willamette Valley	1,777 Very large
United States	691,000 Very large	24.4%	14.3%	305,100 Very high

Employment
Pediatricians are part of the larger group of physicians. In Oregon, 7,294 physicians work in this very large occupation group.
Nationally, 691,000 people work in this very large occupation group. About 12 percent of them are self-employed. Some of these physicians are pediatricians.
Major employers:

• Doctors' offices
• Hospitals

Outlook
For all physicians, Oregon employment is expected to grow faster than the average for all occupations through the year 2020. Excellent job opportunities are expected. Nationally, the number of jobs for physicians is expected to grow faster than the average for all occupations through the year 2020.
The demand for pediatricians varies slightly with the national birth rates. There are some decades when more children are born. For the first 10 to 15 years, children see pediatricians for their medical needs. Thus, even if the birth rate decreases, pediatricians are still in demand as older children need to see them. It is unlikely that the demand for pediatricians will decrease because the population is continuing to grow and more people will have babies.

Advancement

Many pediatricians advance their careers by getting additional training and learning new skills. They can also increase the number of patients they see. After many years of experience, doctors who work in hospitals may become administrators. Others who do research or teach in universities may become department heads. Many pediatricians advance by opening a solo practice.