3 answers
Luna
Student
Lehi, Utah
2
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How do you become a doctor?
How do you become a doctor pediatrics
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3 answers
Dr H
Dr. H's Research
1464
Answers
Australia
Updated
Dr’s Answer
Hey Luna! 👋
Becoming a pediatrician, or any doctor for that matter, is a rewarding journey! Here’s a roadmap to help you out:
1. Complete Your Undergraduate Degree (4 years) 🎓
First, you’ll need to earn a bachelor’s degree. Most aspiring doctors major in biology, chemistry, or another science-related field, but you can technically choose any major as long as you complete the required pre-med courses, like:
Biology
Chemistry (general and organic)
Physics
Math
English
Psychology (helps with understanding patient behavior)
During this time, make sure to get involved in volunteering or shadowing doctors, especially pediatricians, to gain some insight into the medical field!
2. Take the MCAT 🧠
The Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) is a standardized exam that tests your knowledge in areas like biology, chemistry, physics, and reasoning. It's required to apply to medical schools, so prepare for this exam well!
3. Attend Medical School (4 years) 🏫
After undergrad, you'll attend medical school for another 4 years. In medical school, the first two years are usually spent learning the basics of medicine (anatomy, pharmacology, pathology, etc.), and the last two years are more hands-on with clinical rotations, where you’ll work in various specialties, including pediatrics.
This is where you’ll gain the foundational knowledge needed for your future career.
4. Pediatric Residency (3 years) 👶
After graduating from medical school, you’ll enter a pediatric residency program. This specialized training focuses on child healthcare and will last about 3 years.
During residency, you'll work under supervision, seeing patients, diagnosing conditions, and learning everything about treating children, from newborns to teenagers.
5. Fellowship (Optional, 1-3 years) 🌟
If you want to specialize in a certain area of pediatrics (like pediatric cardiology or pediatric oncology), you can pursue a fellowship after your residency. This usually lasts 1 to 3 years, depending on your chosen subspecialty.
6. Board Certification ✅
After completing your residency (and fellowship, if applicable), you’ll need to get board certified by the American Board of Pediatrics or another relevant board in your country. This involves passing an exam that tests your knowledge and skills in pediatrics.
7. Start Practicing as a Pediatrician! 👩⚕️👨⚕️
Once you’ve completed your education and certification, you can begin working as a pediatrician in hospitals, clinics, or even private practices!
A Few Things to Remember:
Patience and Dedication: It takes many years of hard work, studying, and dedication to become a doctor. But the reward is helping kids live healthier, happier lives.
Passion for Working with Kids: Pediatrics is all about caring for children, so you should genuinely enjoy working with young patients and their families.
It’s a long path, but if you're passionate about it, you’ll be changing lives one child at a time. Good luck, Luna! 🌟
Becoming a pediatrician, or any doctor for that matter, is a rewarding journey! Here’s a roadmap to help you out:
1. Complete Your Undergraduate Degree (4 years) 🎓
First, you’ll need to earn a bachelor’s degree. Most aspiring doctors major in biology, chemistry, or another science-related field, but you can technically choose any major as long as you complete the required pre-med courses, like:
Biology
Chemistry (general and organic)
Physics
Math
English
Psychology (helps with understanding patient behavior)
During this time, make sure to get involved in volunteering or shadowing doctors, especially pediatricians, to gain some insight into the medical field!
2. Take the MCAT 🧠
The Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) is a standardized exam that tests your knowledge in areas like biology, chemistry, physics, and reasoning. It's required to apply to medical schools, so prepare for this exam well!
3. Attend Medical School (4 years) 🏫
After undergrad, you'll attend medical school for another 4 years. In medical school, the first two years are usually spent learning the basics of medicine (anatomy, pharmacology, pathology, etc.), and the last two years are more hands-on with clinical rotations, where you’ll work in various specialties, including pediatrics.
This is where you’ll gain the foundational knowledge needed for your future career.
4. Pediatric Residency (3 years) 👶
After graduating from medical school, you’ll enter a pediatric residency program. This specialized training focuses on child healthcare and will last about 3 years.
During residency, you'll work under supervision, seeing patients, diagnosing conditions, and learning everything about treating children, from newborns to teenagers.
5. Fellowship (Optional, 1-3 years) 🌟
If you want to specialize in a certain area of pediatrics (like pediatric cardiology or pediatric oncology), you can pursue a fellowship after your residency. This usually lasts 1 to 3 years, depending on your chosen subspecialty.
6. Board Certification ✅
After completing your residency (and fellowship, if applicable), you’ll need to get board certified by the American Board of Pediatrics or another relevant board in your country. This involves passing an exam that tests your knowledge and skills in pediatrics.
7. Start Practicing as a Pediatrician! 👩⚕️👨⚕️
Once you’ve completed your education and certification, you can begin working as a pediatrician in hospitals, clinics, or even private practices!
A Few Things to Remember:
Patience and Dedication: It takes many years of hard work, studying, and dedication to become a doctor. But the reward is helping kids live healthier, happier lives.
Passion for Working with Kids: Pediatrics is all about caring for children, so you should genuinely enjoy working with young patients and their families.
It’s a long path, but if you're passionate about it, you’ll be changing lives one child at a time. Good luck, Luna! 🌟
Avi Bhavaraju, MD, DABS, FACS, FCCM
Acute Care Surgeon
1
Answer
Smyrna, Georgia
Updated
Avi’s Answer
The traditional way is 4 years of college, get an undergraduate degree, apply to and get accepted into medical school (another 4 years), apply to and get accepted into a pediatrics residency program (another 3 years). Some people will often pursue an advanced degree after college (masters degree) to enhance their application for medical school. There also also combined BA/BS + MD programs that you can apply to after highs school that are 6-7 years that allows you to bypass applying to med school after college, but these are very competitive and quite difficult to get into.
Rita Chuang
Physician
259
Answers
Henderson, Nevada
Updated
Rita’s Answer
This is your timeline:
1. Finish high school
2. 4 years of college
3. 4 years of medical school
4. 3 years of internship/residency
I recommend anyone interested in medicine to work as a medical scribe. They pay you and train you to type notes for doctors. This allows you to see how doctors work and interact with them. When you get into medical school, it will also make your studying easier.
1. Finish high school
2. 4 years of college
3. 4 years of medical school
4. 3 years of internship/residency
I recommend anyone interested in medicine to work as a medical scribe. They pay you and train you to type notes for doctors. This allows you to see how doctors work and interact with them. When you get into medical school, it will also make your studying easier.