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Ashley
Student
Kerrville, Texas
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What does an average day for a Pediatrician look like?
I am interested in becoming a pediatrician, but I would like to know more. What does a typical day in your life, as a pediatrician, look like? #pediatrician #pediatrics #medical
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Cristina Matheus F.
Pediatrics
7
Answers
Miami, Florida
Updated
Cristina’s Answer
Depends on where you work as a pediatrician.
In an office you will see children all day that come for their annual checks you check if they’re growing and developing and make sure they are being healthy. Also give advice to the parents about certain things they ask.
If you work in a hospital you will be taking care of sick children and treating them so they get better and you can send them home
In an office you will see children all day that come for their annual checks you check if they’re growing and developing and make sure they are being healthy. Also give advice to the parents about certain things they ask.
If you work in a hospital you will be taking care of sick children and treating them so they get better and you can send them home
Thomas Sutherland
Associate Continuity and Recovery Specialist, CBCP
207
Answers
Detroit, Michigan
Updated
Thomas’s Answer
"A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A PEDIATRICIAN
7:30 AM
Dr. Williams doesn’t just take care of children as a pediatrician — he’s also a father. He begins a typical day by dropping his daughter off at school. He then heads over to Dell Children's Medical Center of Central Texas, where he works as a hospital-based pediatrician.
8:00 AM
Dr. Williams arrives at the hospital and his workday begins. He starts by talking with the physicians who took care of the pediatric patients overnight. This is called “signout,” as one doctor passes the torch of patient oversight to another.
The signout discussion provides Dr. Williams with updates about his patients. During this time there’s also usually an education conference, or patient care conference, with case managers. These care meetings help ensure everyone on the health care team is on the same page in regards to patient needs.
These care meetings help ensure everyone on the health care team is on the same page in regards to patient needs.
9:00 AM
After the initial updates, Dr. Williams begins making his morning rounds. He checks in with patients and their families, and he spends time talking with them.
Dr. Williams works with patients ranging from babies to teenagers. He says he frequently sees cases of bronchiolitis, also known as a chest cold, as well as patients experiencing asthma attacks, and an array of other illnesses. Sometimes he sees children with infections of the bones, joints, or urinary tract. He may also see children with genetic disorders or prematurity. There’s truly no typical day.
He doesn’t just interact with patients and their families — Dr. Williams interacts with residents and medical students as well. They accompany him as he goes on his rounds, so his days are filled with teaching and supervising as well. Rounds typically last until around 11:30 am.
Rounds typically last until around 11:30 am.
MIDDAY
Following rounds, Dr. Williams rounds up some lunch. Sometimes he eats with colleagues in the doctors’ dining room, which is his chance to socialize with his peers. He also points out that there’s a fair amount of work that’s accomplished during the lunch period. Sometimes there are lunchtime educational conferences, and sometimes he and other physicians will end up doing informal conferencing.
1:00 PM
Dr. Williams’ afternoons start with finishing up notes from the morning rounds. His residents will write up notes on their patients, and Dr. Williams reviews them for accuracy. He also contributes an addendum to support the residents’ writings.
Afternoons are also spent working in a teaching center. When students and new physicians need to be evaluated, Dr. Williams reviews their performance and provides feedback on a variety of tasks, such as how they are seeing their patients and how they are writing their notes.
He also points out that working at a hospital involves some business knowledge. Dr. Williams serves on a few committees at the hospital, including the Pediatric Leadership Board, which comprises elected physician representatives that set strategies for the hospital. They examine how to best serve their young patients and maintain the hospital's market share and financial health.
3:00 PM
“Sometime between 3 and 4 pm I meet with the person who is going to be covering the patients for the evening,” Dr. Williams says.
"Sometime between 3 and 4 pm I meet with the person who is going to be covering the patients for the evening."
During this signout, Dr. Williams tells the incoming physician about the patients. He gets them up to speed with the patients’ cases and any concerns he may have. The physician coming in will work overnight at the hospital, which is staffed 24 hours a day. Dr. Williams explains that this is not always the case for pediatricians — they sometimes take calls from home.
4:30 PM
After signout, Dr. Williams heads home to his family, usually leaving the hospital sometime between 4 or 5 pm. But sometimes, Dr. Williams is the one working the evening and overnight shift. In that case, his day is just beginning. Either way, Dr. Williams finds his career as a pediatrician fulfilling and rewarding.
“You hear a lot of stories about physicians finding their job to be a drag or not what they expected it to be, but I don’t feel that way,” Dr. Williams says. He thinks his role is one of the reasons he’s avoided burnout. “Working in pediatrics provides lots of opportunities to have heartwarming interactions with kids. I think it keeps us from getting too jaded.”"
7:30 AM
Dr. Williams doesn’t just take care of children as a pediatrician — he’s also a father. He begins a typical day by dropping his daughter off at school. He then heads over to Dell Children's Medical Center of Central Texas, where he works as a hospital-based pediatrician.
8:00 AM
Dr. Williams arrives at the hospital and his workday begins. He starts by talking with the physicians who took care of the pediatric patients overnight. This is called “signout,” as one doctor passes the torch of patient oversight to another.
The signout discussion provides Dr. Williams with updates about his patients. During this time there’s also usually an education conference, or patient care conference, with case managers. These care meetings help ensure everyone on the health care team is on the same page in regards to patient needs.
These care meetings help ensure everyone on the health care team is on the same page in regards to patient needs.
9:00 AM
After the initial updates, Dr. Williams begins making his morning rounds. He checks in with patients and their families, and he spends time talking with them.
Dr. Williams works with patients ranging from babies to teenagers. He says he frequently sees cases of bronchiolitis, also known as a chest cold, as well as patients experiencing asthma attacks, and an array of other illnesses. Sometimes he sees children with infections of the bones, joints, or urinary tract. He may also see children with genetic disorders or prematurity. There’s truly no typical day.
He doesn’t just interact with patients and their families — Dr. Williams interacts with residents and medical students as well. They accompany him as he goes on his rounds, so his days are filled with teaching and supervising as well. Rounds typically last until around 11:30 am.
Rounds typically last until around 11:30 am.
MIDDAY
Following rounds, Dr. Williams rounds up some lunch. Sometimes he eats with colleagues in the doctors’ dining room, which is his chance to socialize with his peers. He also points out that there’s a fair amount of work that’s accomplished during the lunch period. Sometimes there are lunchtime educational conferences, and sometimes he and other physicians will end up doing informal conferencing.
1:00 PM
Dr. Williams’ afternoons start with finishing up notes from the morning rounds. His residents will write up notes on their patients, and Dr. Williams reviews them for accuracy. He also contributes an addendum to support the residents’ writings.
Afternoons are also spent working in a teaching center. When students and new physicians need to be evaluated, Dr. Williams reviews their performance and provides feedback on a variety of tasks, such as how they are seeing their patients and how they are writing their notes.
He also points out that working at a hospital involves some business knowledge. Dr. Williams serves on a few committees at the hospital, including the Pediatric Leadership Board, which comprises elected physician representatives that set strategies for the hospital. They examine how to best serve their young patients and maintain the hospital's market share and financial health.
3:00 PM
“Sometime between 3 and 4 pm I meet with the person who is going to be covering the patients for the evening,” Dr. Williams says.
"Sometime between 3 and 4 pm I meet with the person who is going to be covering the patients for the evening."
During this signout, Dr. Williams tells the incoming physician about the patients. He gets them up to speed with the patients’ cases and any concerns he may have. The physician coming in will work overnight at the hospital, which is staffed 24 hours a day. Dr. Williams explains that this is not always the case for pediatricians — they sometimes take calls from home.
4:30 PM
After signout, Dr. Williams heads home to his family, usually leaving the hospital sometime between 4 or 5 pm. But sometimes, Dr. Williams is the one working the evening and overnight shift. In that case, his day is just beginning. Either way, Dr. Williams finds his career as a pediatrician fulfilling and rewarding.
“You hear a lot of stories about physicians finding their job to be a drag or not what they expected it to be, but I don’t feel that way,” Dr. Williams says. He thinks his role is one of the reasons he’s avoided burnout. “Working in pediatrics provides lots of opportunities to have heartwarming interactions with kids. I think it keeps us from getting too jaded.”"