Salary, Job Description, How To Become One, and Quiz
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Pediatricians
Pediatricians diagnose, treat, and help prevent children's diseases and injuries.
Table of contents
What they do
Pediatricians diagnose, treat, and help prevent children's diseases and injuries.
- Examine children regularly to assess their growth and development.
- Treat children who have minor illnesses, acute and chronic health problems, and growth and development concerns.
- Collect, record, and maintain patient information, such as medical history, reports, or examination results.
- Prescribe or administer treatment, therapy, medication, vaccination, and other specialized medical care to treat or prevent illness, disease, or injury in infants and children.
Typical day
On a daily basis, Pediatricians treat children who have minor illnesses, acute and chronic health problems, and growth and development concerns. They prescribe or administer treatment, therapy, medication, vaccination, and other specialized medical care to treat or prevent illness, disease, or injury in infants and children.
A typical day for a Pediatrician will also include:
- Collect, record, and maintain patient information, such as medical history, reports, or examination results.
- Examine patients or order, perform, and interpret diagnostic tests to obtain information on the medical conditions and determine the diagnosis.
- Examine children regularly to assess their growth and development.
- Explain procedures and discuss test results or prescribed treatments with patients and parents or guardians.
- Direct and coordinate activities of nurses, students, assistants, specialists, therapists, and other medical staff.
Other responsibilities
Besides their typical day, Pediatricians also operate on patients to remove, repair, or improve the functioning of diseased or injured body parts and systems. They may also provide consulting services to other physicians.
On a weekly to monthly basis, Pediatricians refer patients to medical specialists or other practitioners when necessary. They might also prepare government or organizational reports of birth, death, and disease statistics, workforce evaluations, or medical status of individuals.
In addition, they plan, implement, or administer health programs or standards in hospitals, businesses, or communities for the prevention or treatment of injury or illness.
Although specific duties may vary, many of them plan and execute medical care programs to aid in the mental and physical growth and development of children and adolescents.
To some Pediatricians, it is also their responsibility to monitor patients’ conditions and progress and reevaluate treatments as necessary.
What is the job like
Job satisfaction
Is this job meaningful
89% said they were satisfied with their job and 88% said they found their job meaningful.
My typical day A typical day for me as a practicing pediatrician starts by coming into the office about an hour before seeing patients. During that hour I review labs and talk to patients about the lab results. I also spend some time in the morning finishing my charts from the day before. Charting takes … Read More
I’m the Chief Medical Officer and Lead Pediatrician for Brave Care, a modern primary and urgent care center for kids based out of Portland, Oregon. My day at work looks like a combination of in-person urgent care visits, combined with telemedicine care; both during standard hours and after hours. The tasks which take up most … Read More
I was in a group private practice for about 10 years. The schedule was four full days, one evening and one Saturday morning per month. We were on call about one week out of four. I saw about 30 to 40 families per day. Most practicing pediatricians have responsibilities in three areas, taking calls, doing … Read More
I have worked as a pediatrician in several clinical settings such as solo practice, group practice, and community health centers. I have also taught medical students and resident physicians in a pediatric clinic. Work can be challenging, especially in solo practice. Hours can be long, but the rewards are many. There is great satisfaction in … Read More
Pros
Suitable for people who like to solve problems mentally.
Suitable for people who value achievements and are results-oriented.
This career is perfect for people who love to work indoors.
Demand for this career is growing very fast.
Cons
Not suitable for people who like to start and carry out projects.
It is very hard to get into this career. Extensive skills, knowledge, and experience are required for this career.
Long working hours (More than 40 hours per week).
How much do they make
Average salary
Average hourly wage
Entry-level Pediatricians with little to no experience can expect to make anywhere between $69,470 to $126,930 per year or $33 to $61 per hour.
| Salary by experience | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Highest (Top 10%) | $208,000+ | $100+ |
| Senior (Top 25%) | $208,000+ | $100+ |
| Median | $177,130 | $85 |
| Junior (Bottom 25%) | $126,930 | $61 |
| No experience (Bottom 10%) | $69,470 | $33 |
This table shows the top 10 highest paying industries for Pediatricians based on their average annual salary.
| Salary by industry | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Offices of Other Health Practitioners | $209490 | $100.72 |
| Outpatient Care Centers | $207560 | $99.79 |
| Local Government | $198940 | $95.65 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | $197090 | $94.75 |
| Offices of Physicians | $191770 | $92.20 |
| Specialty Hospitals | $180120 | $86.59 |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals | $169090 | $81.29 |
| Other Residential Care Facilities | $139030 | $66.84 |
| Other Ambulatory Health Care Services | $131230 | $63.09 |
| Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools | $93950 | $45.17 |
View more salary by industries here.
Where can they work
Where can Pediatricians work? Here is a table showing the top 10 largest employers of Pediatricians including the average salary in that industry.
| Employers | Total Employed | Annual Salary | Hourly Wages |
|---|---|---|---|
| Offices of Physicians | 18180 | $191770 | $92.20 |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals | 6850 | $169090 | $81.29 |
| Outpatient Care Centers | 1260 | $207560 | $99.79 |
| Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools | 470 | $93950 | $45.17 |
| Specialty Hospitals | 220 | $180120 | $86.59 |
| Other Ambulatory Health Care Services | 170 | $131230 | $63.09 |
| Other Residential Care Facilities | 80 | $139030 | $66.84 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 70 | $197090 | $94.75 |
| Employment Services | 60 | $ | $* |
| Local Government | 50 | $198940 | $95.65 |
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What is the work day like
Working hours
Working schedule
How often do you use email in this job?
Telephone
How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?
Group discussions
How often do you have group discussions in this job?
Public speaking
How often does this job require you to do public speaking?
Level of competition
How much competitive pressure is in this job?
What is the work environment like
Office-style environment
Indoors in an environmentally controlled condition
Warehouse-style environment
Indoors in a non-controlled environmental condition such as a warehouse
Outdoors
Outdoors exposed to all weather conditions
Outdoors – Under Cover
Outdoors but under cover (e.g. structure with roof but no walls)
How to become one
Difficulty to become one
Required level of education
What level of education do you need to perform the job?
Relevant majors
Pediatric Radiology Fellowship Program
Pediatric Rehabilitation Medicine Fellowship Program
Pediatric Cardiology Fellowship Program
Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine Fellowship Program
Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics Fellowship Program
Child Abuse Pediatrics Fellowship Program
Adolescent Medicine Fellowship Program
Pediatrics Residency Program
Pediatric Emergency Medicine Fellowship Program
Pediatric Hematology-Oncology Fellowship Program
Pediatric Pulmonology Fellowship Program
Pediatric Infectious Diseases Fellowship Program
Pediatric Gastroenterology Fellowship Program
Pediatric Nephrology Fellowship Program
Pediatric Endocrinology Fellowship Program
Relevant work experience
How much related work experience do you need to get hired for the job?
On The Job Training
How much on the job training do you need to perform the job?
Should you become one
Best personality type for this career
People with this personality likes to work with ideas that require an extensive amount of thinking. They prefer work that requires them to solve problems mentally.
People with The Builder personality type likes practical and hands-on work. They prefer working with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery.
People with The Thinker personality likes to work with ideas that require an extensive amount of thinking. They prefer work that requires them to solve problems mentally.
People with The Artist personality likes to work with designs and patterns. They prefer activities that require self-expression and prefer work that can be done without following a clear set of rules.
People with The Helper personality type likes to work with people and in teams. They prefer work that allows them to build relationships with others.
People with The Leader personality likes to start and work on projects. They also like leading people and making many decisions.
People with The Organizer personality type likes to follow set procedures and routines. They prefer working with data and details more than with ideas.
You can read more about these career personality types here.
People who are suitable for this job tend to like working with ideas and require an extensive amount of thinking. They like searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.
They also like working with, communicating with, and teaching people. They like helping or providing service to others.
Take this quiz to see if this is the right career for you.
Work Values
Which values are the most important to a person’s satisfaction for this job?
You are someone who is results oriented. You prefer work that allows you to utilize your skills and abilities while at the same time giving you a sense of accomplishment.
You are someone who values job security, steady employment, and good working conditions. You also prefer work that keeps you busy all the time with something different to do every day.
You are someone who values job advancement and leadership roles. You prefer work that receives recognition for the work you do and jobs that are looked up to by others in the company and your community.
You are someone who likes to provide a service to others. You prefer a work environment where you can work with your co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment.
You are someone who values a company that stands behind their employees. You prefer a work environment where everyone is treated fairly and is being supported by the company.
You are someone who likes to work on your own and make your own decisions. You prefer work that requires little supervision and are allowed to try out your own ideas.
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