Marleena Castro
Mr. Lagunas
English 12
27 January 2015

Career Research Report: Pediatrician

A pediatrician is a physician who specializes in the diagnosis, treatment and management of children's illnesses. Most pediatricians treat the same child from their birth to their adulthood. The education required to become a pediatrician is to follow the usual courses of medical education, starting with college, then medical school, then residency and occasionally, a fellowship. In total, a pediatrician's training may take up to twelve to fifteen years but may also take longer. They can be doctors of medicine and also be board certified in pediatrics and must complete continuing education course or have to retake a certification exam every five years to stay certified. Pediatricians must be licensed to practice in their state. Pediatricians who want to specialize in a specific area have a variety of choices to choose from. If they may decide to specifically care for newborns who are premature, have birth defects, infections or other problems, they may specialize in Neonatology. Pediatric hematologist-oncologist specialize in the care for children in heart problems. Other pediatricians may specialize in the care for disabled children, or pediatric surgery. 12 percent of pediatricians work in solo or private practice with at least one other physician, while 33 percent work with a pediatric group. They generally work about 47 hours a week. They also work with a variety or other medical professionals such as nurses, pharmacists, physical therapists and dieticians. The average annual salary of a pediatrician in 2011 was $168,650, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

O'Connor Hospital offers quality services and community support since the doors opened in the year 1889. O'Connor Hospital, a member of the Daughters of Charity Health System, is a