Why Choose A Career in Pediatrics?

Prof. Fahad Al Zamil

Professor and Consultant

Pediatric Infectious Diseases

Head of Infectious Diseases Unit

King Saud University

Question:

How many of you are planning to become pediatricians in the future?

Questions?

UK

Job Satisfaction

96% of graduating pediatric residents who are in the job market for a general pediatric job state that they would choose Pediatrics again if they had to do it all over. 2003 AAP Survey Data

Job Satisfaction

Pediatricians rated higher satisfaction than internists in job, career, and specialty satisfaction

General pediatricians more satisfied than all other physicians regarding their relationship with patients and personal time

More likely to recommend their specialty to students seeking advice Shugerman, et. al. 2001, Leigh et. al. 2002

Job Opportunities

80% of residents seeking a general practice position report obtaining their most desired position

Workforce shortages in a variety of pediatric subspecialties mean more job opportunities for graduates

Job Flexibility

26% of pediatricians (as opposed to 14% of all other specialties) have worked part time at some point in their career

Multiple types of jobs offered ranging from part-time to more demanding hours

Pediatrics Training

3 year training (203 programs avail.) Inpatient Outpatient clinic General and subspecialty exposure NICU, PICU ER

Combined Peds/Adult Residency Training

Pediatrics/Internal Medicine (4 yrs) Pediatrics/Derm (5 yrs) Pediatrics/ER (5 yrs) Pediatrics/Genetics (5 yrs) Pediatrics/PM&R (5 yrs) Pediatrics/Adult Psych/Peds Psych (5 yrs)

What are the options?

General Pediatrics Clinic Based

Community Academic

Hospital Based Community Academic

General Pediatrics - background Focus on the physical, mental, social health of

children from birth to 21 years. Prevention, detection, and management of these

issues Major advocates for children (i.e. health/safety

policies, education)

Subspecialty Pediatrics

Most require 2-3 years of post-residency fellowships

Some require training in another discipline before becoming more focused on pediatrics such as: surgery, pathology, radiology

Pediatric neurology and psychiatry can be done with 2 years of general pediatric training followed by 2 years of fellowship

Subspecialty Pediatrics

Adolescent Medicine Allergy/Immunology Cardiology Clinical Genetics Critical Care

Medicine Dermatology Developmental Emergency Medicine Endocrinology

Gastroenterology Hematology/

Oncology Infectious Disease Medical Toxicology Neonatology Nephrology Pulmonology Rheumatology Sports Medicine

Question:

How many of you are planning to become pediatricians in the future?

THANK YOU AND HOPING TO SEE YOU IN THE

FUTURE