Pediatricians, General
Diagnose, treat, and help prevent diseases and injuries in children. May refer patients to specialists for further diagnosis or treatment, as needed.
What you’d do
- Prescribe or administer treatment, therapy, medication, vaccination, and other specialized medical care to treat or prevent illness, disease, or injury in infants and children.
- 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.
- Examine patients or order, perform, and interpret diagnostic tests to obtain information on medical condition and determine diagnosis.
- Advise patients, parents or guardians, and community members concerning diet, activity, hygiene, and disease prevention.
- Explain procedures and discuss test results or prescribed treatments with patients and parents or guardians.
- Collect, record, and maintain patient information, such as medical history, reports, or examination results.
- Monitor patients' conditions and progress and reevaluate treatments as necessary.
Skills that matter
- Critical Thinking
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Speaking
- Active Listening
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Learning
How to get there
Extensive preparation: most need graduate school, such as a master's degree or higher
Also called
- General Pediatrician
- Group Practice Pediatrician
- Medical Doctor (MD)
- Physician
- Developmental Pediatrician
- Emergency Room Pediatrician (ER Pediatrician)
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