Nicole Kelly
What is the difference in study/job between a Pediatric Nurse and a Pediatrician?
I want to work in Pediatrics, but I don't know what's the difference between a Pediatric Nurse and a Pediatrician. Does one require more schooling? And what does each job does that differ from one another? #pediatrics #pediatric-nursing #pediatrician #pediatric-nurse
6 answers
Sean Mcgranaghan
Sean’s Answer
For a Nursing degree you are looking at 4 years and to be an MD you are looking at 8 to 10 years of schooling. In the long run the pay scales do reflect this difference in schooling.
Nurses tend to be more hands on with patients and will spend lots of time with them, where as MD's tend to spend less time with the patients and more time looking over and managing the care.
Hope this helps.
Thank you very much! Your explanation really clears up a lot of questions that I have. I think I might go for a Pediatric Nurse then
Nicole Kelly
Cathleen Shannon MSN, CPNP
Cathleen’s Answer
The main differences are in duration of education and levels of responsibility. A pediatric nurse completes a bachelor's degree in nursing (usually 4 years), must pass a National licensure exam and then can work as a nurse. A pediatrician is a medical doctor (MD) who specializes in pediatrics. The pediatrician must complete college (4 years), then graduate from medical school (4 more years), then complete an internship (2-3 more years) before the pediatrician can begin to practice. In responsibility, the nurse will deliver nursing care which would be helping with activities of daily living (bathing, hygiene), physical assessments of the patient, giving medications that are prescribed by a health care provider (MD, CRNP or PA), report any changes in the patient status to the provider and provide health teaching. The pediatrician, as an MD, will perform physical examinations, order lab tests and medication, diagnose and treat illness, perform medical procedures and provide health teaching to a lesser degree. Essentially, the pediatrician is autonomous whereas the nurse can provide nursing care but can only deliver medications and perform some procedures if these are ordered by a health care provider. Hope that helps!
Sarah White
Sarah’s Answer
Rachel Weinheimer
Rachel’s Answer
Richard A.
Richard’s Answer
In the US, to apply to medical school, you need a bachelor's degree. Any 4-year university should suffice.
You will need to get good grades in college in order to apply for medical school. At the medical school I attended, the average GPA is reported to be 3.85, so even one or two B's can hurt your chances of acceptance.
During college study for and complete the MCAT. Apply to medical schools during your last year of college.
Medical school takes 4 years to complete.
After medical school physicians complete a residency for additional training. Pediatric residency lasts 3 years and can be followed by additional fellowship training.
