Job Duties of Pediatricians

Physicians and surgeons diagnose and treat illness and injury through several specialties. For example, internists specialize in problems related to internal organs while obstetricians deal with women's health. Pediatricians are another specialized area.

Description

• Pediatrician care for the health of babies, children, teenagers and young adults, and generally handle injury, infectious diseases and immunizations. Specialties within this field include pediatric surgery and autoimmune disorders.

Environment

• Though pediatricians work in hospitals and for group health organizations, others are in private practices assisted by a staff of nurses and administrators. Some travel frequently between office and hospital to care for their charges.

Training

• Training requires at least four years of undergraduate school, four years of medical school, and three to eight years of internship and residency. States also require a license to practice medicine.

Outlook

• Employment is expected to grow faster than average at 14 percent from the present to 2016, especially in low-income and rural areas where medical professionals are lacking.

Salary

• The national average salary for pediatricians is $153,370 as of May 2008. Those with their own offices average about $156,010 while those in outpatient care centers make $167,020.