Board Certified Pediatrician - Grants for Medical

Board Certified Pediatrician – Overview

A pediatrician is a medical professional specializing in children’s health care, offering preventive health services and treatment for sick and injured children.

As a pediatrician, you will handle your patients’ physical and emotional well-being from infancy through adolescence.

These doctors are trained to detect children’s physical and mental problems and ensure that the children get adequate medical care.

Who is a Pediatrician?

A pediatrician is a specially-trained medical doctor focusing on medical and healthcare for infants, toddlers, and teens.

General pediatrics is a vast branch of medicine and is classified into different sub-specialties.

This way, doctors can focus better on addressing children’s and adolescents’ health and medical needs.

As a board-certified pediatrician, you can choose any of the sub-specialties mentioned below:

Pediatric Oncology
Neonatology
Pediatric surgery
Pediatric Cardiology
Pediatric hospice care
Pediatric infectious disease
Pediatric pulmonology
Pediatric emergency care
Adolescent medicine

Every one of these subspecialties plays a role in improving the health of children and ensuring that they live happy and healthy lives.

How to become a Board Certified Pediatrician?

Board Certified Pediatrician – How to Become a Board-Certified Pediatrician

These are the basic steps to becoming a board-certified pediatrician in the US:

1 – Acquire a bachelor’s degree

The first step to becoming a board-certified pediatrician is to earn a bachelor’s degree.

Many colleges and universities offer pre-med tracks that help you study the type of coursework you can expect in medical schools.

Consider acquiring a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry, Biology, or another relevant pre-medical field.

In addition, you should complete coursework in organic and inorganic chemistry, including biology, physics, and chemistry.

In the meantime, you should also prepare to take the MCAT (Medical College Admission Test), which is necessary to gain admission into any medical school in the US.

2 – Complete medical school

The next step to becoming a board-certified pediatrician is to complete a 4-year medical school program.

You can pursue an M.D. (Medical Doctor) or a D.O. (Osteopathic Medicine) degree. These degrees give you the training required to succeed as a board-certified pediatrician.

During medical school, you should take courses in biochemistry, anatomy, pharmacology, microbiology, physiology and pathology.

During the last 2 years of medical school, students participate in clinical rotations across various medical specialties, including pediatrics, to gain hands-on experience in diagnosing and treating patients under the supervision of experienced physicians.

Your clinical rotations will cover a wide range of medical specialties, including, but not limited to, family practice, pediatrics, and obstetrics/gynecology.

3 – Get a medical license

Once you complete medical school, you must obtain a license to practice medicine in any state within the US. To do this, you need to undertake and pass the licensing examination. Along with passing

the license exam, you will also need to fulfill any prerequisites outlined by your state medical licensing board for pediatricians.

4 – Complete the residency program and internship

Upon successfully finishing medical school and obtaining your state license, you should enroll in your residency training in pediatrics.

A pediatric residency program is necessary for aspiring pediatricians to have the clinical experience and training to diagnose and treat children.

During pediatrics residency, you have a chance to improve your communication and presentation skills. This training also helps candidates be ready to work in different healthcare settings.

5 – Choose a fellowship

A fellowship is optional and typically pursued by those seeking to specialize further in pediatrics. However, most aspiring pediatricians opt to specialize in the field of pediatrics. Some common and popular sub-specialties in pediatrics the fellowship include:

Oncology
Nephrology
Immunology
Cardiology
Pulmonology
Rheumatology
Neonatology

6 – Get board certification

To be recognized as a board-certified pediatrician, you must obtain certification from the American Board of Pediatrics (ABP), a member of the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS). Certification by the American Osteopathic Association (AOA) is for osteopathic physicians.

Board certifications are a way to assure patients and potential employers that you have additional skills and knowledge to perform a pediatric role.

Board-certified pediatricians should complete continuing education to maintain their credentials.

What is the average salary for Board Certified Pediatricians

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the average annual salary for board-certified pediatricians in the US is around US$190,350.

Several factors influence the exact salary, such as specialization, experience level, and geographic location.

Conclusion

If you want to help children, make a positive impact on the youth, and ensure long-term high-earning potential, you should become a board-certified pediatrician.