2006-06-07 04:59:41 · 4 answers · asked by spyster2777 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Medicine
First, excel at high school so you can go to a good university.
Then go to a good university, take:
1 year general chemistry
1 year organic chemistry
1 year physics
1 year calculus
1 year biology
1 year English
Then in your third year, take the MCAT (it's an 8 hour exam -- study hard). Apply to medical school at the start of your 4th year. Graduate with your baccalaureate degree.
Assuming you make it to medical school, you do 4 years of that. Then apply for a pediatrics residency program. That's a 3 to 4 year residency.
So the break down: 4 years HS, 4 years university, 4 years medical school, 3 years training.
What makes pediatrics special is that it's not about giving medicine to small people. Children are different in their physiology and psyche. You have to learn how to talk to kids, how to treat them because they don't respond to medical care (and I'm not talking about medication here, I'm talking about actual care-giving and bedside manner) the way adults do.
Also, the afflictions you'll be dealing with will be different compared to physicians who handle adults. Children get a lot of infectious diseases. You will learn a lot about immunization, common infection, and the like. You will also need to know a lot about endocrinology because growth is such a major part of child health, and growth is governed by hormones.
Last thing you might wanna note: pediatricians are the lowest paid doctors. It's definitely a labor of love.
Anyway, I hope this was useful to you. My boss is a pediatrician, but she gave up clinical practice to come work for the health department.
2006-06-07 11:24:09 · answer #1 · answered by Gumdrop Girl 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Much of it seems to me (having taken three of my own children to the pediatrician regularly) that being a pediatrician looks boring; no offense, I admire doctors. But pediatriciansd must get horrendously tired of looking at countless sore throats, earaches, and diarrhea. The big skill required maybe the ability to deal with parents........
2006-06-07 07:40:58 · answer #2 · answered by bioguy 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
finish and pass high school.go to undergrad college and get a bachelor's degree.got to med school become a Dr. Then specialize in paediatry
2006-06-07 07:07:36 · answer #3 · answered by bookworm 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You also have to like children an awful lot and be able to put up with their parents!
2006-06-13 16:49:05 · answer #4 · answered by Diane D 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋