Whether it’s for a sickness, vaccine, or wellness appointment, the main destination for children is always the pediatrics office. Dr. Stephanie Brunner, a Pediatrician and University of Washington Medical School graduate mentions, “my favorite part of my job is seeing kids as they grow up. From little babies to adults, it is enjoyable to see patients who have gone to college and are doing great. Also, it is fun to take care of kids, they’re pretty goofy a lot of the time and that’s quite refreshing!”.
What Does a Pediatrician Do?
A pediatrician’s daily responsibilities consist of seeing patients on their schedule, navigating their patient’s diagnoses and treatments, and referring them to other clinics if further assistance is needed. Lastly, pediatricians document what has been done. Pediatricians also visit newborn babies at the hospital. Appointments can vary from illness or injury appointments to preventative care or WellCare appointments. Pediatricians are important as they instill healthy habits in kids and monitor the growth of them to guide them through a healthy childhood.
How Can I Become a Pediatrician?
Four years of undergraduate school, four years of medical school, and three years of residency are the education requirements for this job. To apply to medical schools, an aspiring Pediatrician must score well on the MCAT (Medical College Admission Test). After the residency, a series of board exams must be passed to become board-certified and get a pediatric license. To maintain the license, one must participate in continuing education (Washington requires 200 hours over four years) and taking exams.
Pros and Cons
A Pediatrician’s benefits are being able to see a lot of kids and parents and providing help to patients. Challenges pediatricians face include keeping up with changes in medicine and having limited resources and accessibility. As per Dr. Brunner, dealing with kids is always challenging because they mostly rely on their parents to communicate for them. Dr. Brunner also states that it is necessary to actively listen, empathize well, be patient, and have good communication skills.
Is Pediatrics Right For You?
If you love kids and desire to treat them, then this is the profession for you! Since pediatricians primarily deal with diagnoses, this is a great job if you want to make more decisions regarding general medical care.
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