A pediatrician is a medical doctor focused on the overall health of children. They serve as primary care physicians, examining children, treating illnesses/injuries, and managing medical records. The study of pediatrics has evolved from ancient Egyptians to the establishment of children's hospitals in the 1800s. Becoming a pediatrician requires 4 years of undergraduate education, 4 years of medical school, 3-4 years of residency training, and potentially 2-3 years of fellowship. While the candidate's skills did not perfectly match a typical pediatrician profile, they have the qualities like communication and problem solving skills needed to succeed in medical school and a pediatric career.

1. M E A G A N H U F F
H L T H 4 1 9 0
PEDIATRIC MEDICINE

2. OVERVIEW
• A pediatrician is a medical doctor concerned with the
overall health of children
• Most serve as primary care physicians, but
pediatricians can specialize in certain areas as well
• Common daily tasks include:
• Examining children to assess growth and development
• Treating minor illnesses and injuries
• Prescribing treatments and medications
• Compiling patients’ medical records

3. HISTORY OF PEDIATRIC MEDICINE
• The study of medicine dates back to the Egyptians
around 2500 BC
• Hippocrates is known as the Father of Western Medicine
for his contributions to clinical medicine
• In the early 1800s, there was a movement in French
hospitals to separate children from adults to help prevent
disease exposure
• The first American children’s hospital was opened in
1854 in Philadelphia
• The American Board of Pediatrics was founded in 1933

4. QUALITIES OF A PEDIATRICIAN
• Excellent Communicator
• Observant
• Resourceful
• Patient
• Flexible
• Energetic
• Stress Tolerant
• Dependable

5. O*NET PROFILE RESULTS
Meagan’s Results
• Social: 33
• Conventional: 22
• Enterprising: 17
• Investigative: 16
• Artistic: 15
• Realistic: 5
Typical Physician Results
• Investigative
• Social
• Realistic

6. MY QUALIFICATIONS
• Social:
• I enjoy working with and helping people. As a camp counselor, I learned that I
especially enjoy working with kids
• The communication and collaboration skills learned from this job will greatly
benefit me as a physician
• Conventional:
• I use planning and organization skills in all aspects of my life (school, activities,
etc.)
• Physicians must be organized in order to correctly diagnose and treat their many
patients
• Enterprising:
• I have gained leadership and managerial skills as vice president of my sorority and
in other leadership positions
• Physicians are the leaders of healthcare teams, so although not included in the
O*NET results, it is a valuable skill for pediatricians to have
• Investigative:
• I had a relatively high score for this characteristic, even though it was ranked fourth
• I enjoy observing, analyzing, and problem solving and have further developed these
skills through my Creative Inquiry
• These qualities are the foundation of the study of medicine

7. THE ROAD TO BECOMING A
PEDIATRICIAN
• 4 years of undergraduate education
• 4 years of medical school
• 3-4 years of internship/residency
• 2-3 year fellowship for certain specialties
• Not necessary to be a general pediatrician

8. ACADEMICS
• Sciences:
• Biology
• Chemistry
• Organic Chemistry
• Biochemistry
• Physics
• Anatomy and Physiology
• English and Other
Humanities
• Literature
• Public Speaking
• Ethics/Decision Making
• Social Sciences
• Psychology
• Sociology
These courses are prerequisites for most medical schools so that students are
well prepared for the rigorous curriculum

9. MEDICAL SCHOOLS
• Emory University School of Medicine
• Atlanta, GA
• 560 medical students
• Ranked 23rd for best research medical schools by U.S. News and
World Report

10. MEDICAL SCHOOLS
• MUSC College of Medicine
• Charleston, SC
• 725 medical students
• Ranked 60th for best research medical schools by U.S. News and
World Report

11. MEDICAL SCHOOLS
• Medical College of Georgia
• Main Campus: Augusta, GA
• 920 medical students
• 95% are Georgia residents
• Ranked 76th for best research medical
schools by U.S. News and World
Report

12. GROWTH POTENTIAL & SALARY RANGE
• Salary Range (2014): $93,120 to $187,199 per year
• Median: $163, 350
• Employment: currently around 35,000 pediatricians in
the U.S.
• Growth Potential: expected to increase by 9-13% by 2024
• Growth rate is faster than average

13. CONCLUSION
• Although I did not score exactly the same as the O*Net
profile for physicians, I do have the necessary skills and
characteristics to be a successful pediatrician
• The road to becoming a physician is lengthy and
challenging, but I am ready to embark on this journey!

14. REFERENCES
“Admissions.” Medical University of South Carolina. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 January 2016.
http://academicdepartments.musc.edu/com/admissions/.
“Best Healthcare Jobs: Pediatrician.” US News and World Report – Money. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 January 2016.
http://money.usnews.com/careers/best-jobs/pediatrician.
“Best Medical Schools: Research.” US News and World Report – Education. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 January 2016.http://grad-
schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-medical-schools/research-rankings.
“History of Pediatrics.” Pediatrics. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 January 2016. http://www.pediatrics.com/history-pediatrics.
“Medical College of Georgia Facts.” Medical College of Georgia. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 January 2016.
http://www.gru.edu/mcg/facts.php.
“Occupational Employment and Wages: Pediatrician.” U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. N.p., 15 March 2015. Web. 18
January 2016. http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes291065.htm#(5).
“Quick Facts.” Emory University School of Medicine. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 January 2016.
http://med.emory.edu/about/quick_facts.html.
“Summary Report for: Pediatricians, General.” O*Net Online. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 January 2016.
http://www.mynextmove.org/profile/ext/online/29-1065.00.