Training of Pediatricians
It can help you to understand your pediatrician and develop a better relationship if you realize how many years of training that he had to go through to learn how to take care of your child. Your child's doctor endured many years of school, training, and sleepless nights before becoming a pediatrician.
Training begins with four years of college, followed by four years of medical school, and then three years in a pediatric internship and residency program. Although there probably is no pediatric training during college and just a few months of it in medical school, the three years of residency are spent solely on learning to take care of children, including newborns, infants, preschool and school-age children, and teenagers. These eleven years of training leave most pediatricians well prepared to recognize and treat common pediatric problems as well as provide guidance to help you raise happy and healthy children.
As an alternative to a pediatrician, there are other health-care professionals who can provide your child's care. These include family practice doctors, nurse practitioners, pediatric nurse practitioners, and physician assistants. Just be sure to see a health-care provider who cares for a lot of kids on a regular basis.
In addition to graduating from each of these programs, your pediatrician had to pass three steps of the United States Medical Licensing Examination to get his medical license, and also had to pass an exam from the American Board of Pediatrics to become board certified in pediatrics.
A pediatrician's training doesn't end there. Even after eleven years of preparation and all of those exams, your pediatrician also has to complete training each year to get Continuing Medical Education (CME) credits. This training includes attending medical conferences as well as other lectures and courses, where health professionals learn about the latest medical discoveries and treatments.
