2. Introduction
My career goal is to become a pediatrician.
In this presentation I will outline a brief history
of pediatrics, details concerning the
necessary education and training to
become a pediatrician, the average salary
and work environment, and finally, why this
career is a good fit for me.
3. History of Pediatrics
Evolved in the late 1700s and early 1800s as the
need to attend specifically to the care,
development and diseases of children became
more apparent (Leucke, 2004)
Early development of the specialty was seen first in
Germany and France
Dr. Abraham Jacobi is considered to be the father
of American pediatrics
First separate pediatrics hospital in US was
founded in Philadelphia in 1855
The American Academy of Pediatrics est. in 1930
The American Board of Pediatrics est. in 1933
4. What is a Pediatrician?
A medical doctor who manages the physical,
behavioral, and mental health of children
from birth until age 21
Typical job tasks:
Give immunizations
Perform annual check ups, monitoring growth,
behavior and skills
Diagnose and treat illnesses, infections or injuries
Give guidance and recommendations
pertaining to child’s health
5. Education Requirements
4 year Medical Degree
3-8 years of residency
Must pass U.S. Medical Licensing
Examination
6. Undergraduate Education
Requirements
I will use the undergraduate course work criteria
for the MUSC in Greenville as an example
Required: 2 semesters biology with lab, chemistry
with lab, 1 semester organic chemistry with lab,
physics with lab, 3 semesters humanities including
English composition/literature
Recommended courses: biochemistry, cell
biology, and genetics
Required to take MCAT no more than 3 years prior
to application date
Clinical and research experience
Volunteer experience
7. Salary
Average resident salary ranges from
$50,000-$60,000 with additional benefits
depending on location of residency;
benefits may include covered education
costs, meals, insurance, etc.
Average starting salary: $135,000
Average salary with years of work
experience: $175,000
8. Career Options
Most pediatricians work in a hospital or
family practice
Some may also work as educators or in
research
Can subspecialize in numerous areas,
which requires additional training
9. O*Net Profiler Results
REALISTIC: 7
INVESTIGATIVE: 20
ARTISTIC: 30
SOCIAL: 30
ENTERPRISING: 14
CONVENTIONAL: 3
As seen above, my two highest scores were tied at 30
for both the artistic category and the social category.
After learning about each category, I definitely related
more and saw more of my own qualities and
preferences in the social category description.
10. O*Net Profiler Results
Continued
Interpersonal skills: necessary for
communicating effectively and professionally
with patients and their families
Promoting learning and personal
development: necessary to help patients help
themselves lead healthier lives and make the
best health decisions
Service: necessary for a career in which you
are helping people on a daily basis
11. Why Me?
I have developed my interpersonal skills through
being involved in a very large student
organization, FCA, where I am a women’s small
group leader and talk and help guide younger
female Clemson students
My love for service is exemplified through the
volunteer work I’ve done, including multiple
mission trips and being involved in my church’s
children’s ministry
As shown in my O*Net Profiler results, I enjoy
communicating, leading, teaching, and serving
others, and I know this would fit well with a career
in health care delivery, especially pediatrics
12. Conclusion
My dream is to become a pediatrician,
and I am well on my way to seeing that
dream become a reality. My O*Net
Profiler results show that I am a good fit for
a career in health care delivery where I
would be working with patients every day,
communicating with them and leading
them to make the best decisions in order
to lead healthy lives.
13. References
Luecke, P. E. (2004). The history of pediatrics at Baylor
University Medical Center. Proceedings (Baylor
University. Medical Center), 17(1), 56–60.
http://education-portal.com/pediatrician_training.html
http://www.webmd.com/baby/what-is-a-pediatrician
http://www.healthcare-
salaries.com/physicians/pediatrician-salary
http://www.onetcenter.org/dl_tools/IP_zips/IP-SR-
deskp.pdf
http://greenvillemed.sc.edu/admission.shtml
