Pediatricians are physicians who address a variety of needs -- physical, emotional and social -- of children from birth until early adulthood. The field offers a many options for pediatricians to shape their careers, from taking care of a child's general needs to specializing in a certain area. Becoming a pediatrician takes a lot of training, time and money, making the job outlook of utmost consideration. The career outlook is favorable, depending on several factors.
The iSeek website, Minnesota's career portal, reports that while demand for pediatricians varies somewhat with national birthrates, it doesn't typically lessen demand dramatically. That's because some decades have more people being born than other decades who will require pediatric care for 10 to 15 years. If the birthrate drops, pediatricians will still have children older than 10 to take care of. The iSeek website predicts that demand for pediatricians won't decrease because the U.S. population is growing, with people continuing to have babies. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics also notes that the growing population will increase the need for medical care. For physicians and surgeons overall, which includes pediatricians, the bureau predicts that employment will grow 24 percent between 2010 and 2020, faster than the average for all occupations. Some states provide population growth information and prospects for pediatricians on their website. Illinois, for example, expects faster-than-average employment growth through the year 2018 for pediatricians, with about 40 pediatrician openings expected annually in the state.
Pediatricians willing to work in rural or low-income areas, which usually lack adequate numbers of doctors, have the best employment opportunities, according to the BLS. The American Academy of Pediatricians points to factors potentially increasing the need for pediatricians. Among them are: health-care reform laws projected to increase insurance coverage and improve access for children to medical care; an increasing number of children seeing pediatricians who were previously cared for by family doctors; advances in genetics and other technologies; and increasing prevalence of chronic diseases in children.
The American Academy of Pediatricians notes that pediatricians can practice in one or more settings. Generalist pediatricians work in hospitals and as educators and researchers. Pediatric medical subspecialists practice mostly in academic medical centers and specialty hospitals, such as children's hospitals. With their knowledge of factors affecting children's physical, emotional and social health, pediatricians also take on roles in public health, international health, health policy and administrative leadership. A 2010 survey of children's hospitals conducted by the National Association of Children's Hospitals and Related Institutions found shortages in pediatric subspecialties, including areas such as neurology, developmental-behavioral medicine, general surgery and pulmonology. Many pediatricians lack interest in subspecializing due to the need for years of additional training and the typically longer work hours for subspecialists, according to the American Association of Medical College's Center for Workforce Studies. But ongoing public policy pushes, to provide subspecialty loan repayment for example, may draw more pediatricians to subspecialties.
Education and Salary
Becoming a pediatrician takes at least 11 years of education after high school. After college graduation, aspiring pediatricians must complete four years of medical school, then three years of training in pediatrics. Becoming subspecialized requires at least two more years of residency training. Pediatricians must also become become licensed in the state they'll work. In May 2012, generalist pediatricians earned mean annual salaries of $167,640, according to the BLS. But, according to Medscape, in 2012 male pediatricians earned average salaries of $190,000 while female pediatricians earned $156,000 -- a nearly 20 percent difference. However, more female pediatricians work part-time, which contributes to a lower income. The overall level of pediatricians working part-time has increased over the past decade, according to the American Academy of Pediatricians.
- ISeek Careers: Pediatricians
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Outlook Handbook -- 2012-13 Edition -- Physicians and Surgeons
- Illinois WorkNet Center: Pediatricians
- American Academy of Pediatrics: Pediatrics 101 -- A Resource Guide from the American Academy of Pediatrics
- American Association of Medical Colleges: Pediatrics Field in Subspecialist Shortage
- North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition: Improving Access to Pediatric Subspecialists -- Pediatric Subspecialty Loan Repayment
- I Have a Plan Iowa: Pediatrician -- What to Learn
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment Statistics: ccupational Employment and Wages, May 2012 -- Pediatricians, General
- Medscape: Pediatrician Compensation Report -- 2013
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