My Career Pediatrician

Introduction

Most individuals want to make a difference and leave a positive mark on the

the World through their work, as it is the center of their inspiration and what propels them to achieve. I also desire to positively impact other people’s lives, especially children and teenagers. This has been my primary motivation to pursue a career in pediatrics, and I am pretty sure there are other motivations concerning this. Additionally, I have longed to learn how to treat infants and children since I was eight years old, and that ambition inspired me to follow a profession in pediatrics. According to Dickson-Swift et. (2), Pediatrician is a medical field that focuses on treating infants, children, and teenagers. It offers a wide range of healthcare services for children’s health, such as disease prevention, treatment of acute and chronic conditions, disease management, and diagnosis. Professions in this field mostly unite with the patient’s family to improve the patient’s health. It has always been my desire to see the infant and children happy and healthy; thus, being a pediatrician would be a fulfilling thing for me at a personal and professional level, motivating me to be committed to this course and my future career as a pediatrician. My professional interests are working and interacting with children, lifelong learning, and making a difference. They suit me because I am empathetic, pay attention to details, and have excellent communication skills that would significantly impact this field.

About The Pediatrician Profession

As a Pediatrician, I am subjected to various functions and responsibilities. I am primarily responsible for diagnosing and treating diseases that young children or neonates may suffer from. Surgical procedures, physical examinations, biopsies, and laboratory tests would be used to identify the ailment that the children would be experiencing. The diagnosis entitles me to provide medication and instructions (Inkster et.163). In addition, I am responsible for monitoring the patient’s response to the prescribed treatment and cure and conducting developmental assessments to identify potential problems early on. Besides, as a pediatrician, they are moments when I am pushed to determine whether the patient needs a specialist and a more advanced treatment. In such instances, I am accountable for referring the affected to an expert, such as a neurologist or cardiologist, for further analysis and treatment. Pediatricians advocate for child-beneficial immunization, anti-smoking, and school health measures. Together with nurses, social workers, and psychologists, they provide the best possible treatment for their patients, particularly children. Pediatricians must immunize and vaccinate children during outbreaks of measles and mumps. As a certified professional, I counsel parents of afflicted children on their children’s health and how to care for them at home, including correct diet, protection, and hygiene (NHS).

Being a pediatrician is a sensitive field that calls for supervision. Because of this, I must be supervised by senior medical professionals with more abilities, experience, and competency than me, just like other healthcare practitioners. In hospitals, clinics, and private practices, they may supervise junior pediatricians and provide guidance (Brodar et al.660). Moreover, I would be counselled by medical executives overseeing me. In hospitals, clinics, and other healthcare facilities, the medical director supervises all the sectors of daily operations. They may have the charge of supervising pediatricians to ensure that they are giving their patients the unsurpassed upkeep following all the policies and orders of the hospital. Furthermore, paediatrician that specialize in pediatric cardiology or neonatology are board-certified. They could mentor other pediatricians pursuing these specialties.

I would mainly like to work in a public hospital and collaborate with other healthcare providers, such as neurologists, cardiologists, nurses, and medical assistants, to execute my roles and duties efficiently and effectively. Working as Pediatrician requires a higher level of interprofessional collaboration which would enhance the comprehensive diagnosis and assessment of the patients as the other specialist would give their opinions concerning the children’s sickness hence having a comprehensive assessment and diagnosis (Brodar et al.662). Through collaboration with other professionals, there would be improved treatment outcomes. Creating child-specific care plans as a multidisciplinary team is beneficial. These plans should consider the child’s requirements, preferences, and medical history. This method often yields better results. Each healthcare practitioner brings their expertise to child care.

Furthermore, interprofessional collaboration helps enhance patient safety, effective communication, and increased professional satisfaction. Collaborating with other medical specialists makes identifying potential hazards and creating preventative protocols possible (Loo et .2020). Preventative strategies can be developed by working with other medical specialists. Interprofessional collaboration improves healthcare professionals’ communication, which improves patient care. Collaboration amongst professionals is beneficial as it helps reduce and overcome language and cultural barriers that hinder patients’ treatments. This can boost knowledge about a child’s condition, which improves management. Interprofessional collaboration among healthcare personnel can foster teamwork and a more positive work environment. This may improve pediatric nurse job satisfaction and reduce burnout, increasing nurse retention and improving child care.

Requirements Of the Profession

Providing healthcare services in the pediatrics sector is sensitive; thus, one has to meet some requirements before providing any services. The minimum requirement is a bachelor in a related field; hence, one must go to university or college to earn a degree. This degree can be acquired in any academic field, but biology or chemistry are encouraged (Florida Chapter – American Academy of Pediatrics). The minimum time to complete the degree program is five years. After graduating, medical school applicants must attempt the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT). Whether the student wants to be a doctor or not. Applying to medical school programs is necessary to become a pediatrician. Medical schools accept applicants after undergraduate studies. Medical students spend part of their four years in the classroom and part on clinical rotations. While in medical school, medical students should learn more about teamwork, responsibility, interprofessional collaboration, and how to handle patients so that they can execute their roles and duties effectively and efficiently. When medical students graduate from medical school, the next process entails obtaining a license to practice Pediatrician and medicine. Additionally, in medical school, the students are needed to finish a three-year residency in pediatrics, and during the internship, the student will gain skills in diverse pediatric specialisms (Howell). After concluding a three-year residency program, the students are finally qualified to take board certification exams. Hence, I must meet all these requirements to practice medicine, specifically in Pediatrician.

In Florida, acquiring a license and certification for Pediatrician involves passing the United States medical licensing examination (USMLE) and having a medical license from the Board of Florida Medicine. Moreover, Pediatrician must obtain a certification from the American Board of Pediatrics, which demands a hard exam in pediatrics. Generally, to acquire the title of a paediatrician, they need several years of education and training. Still, the awards of working with children and helping them lead healthy lives make the journey worthwhile.

Continued learning

Every day the World is subject to change, especially in the healthcare field; hence healthcare providers need to be on par with these changes. Being a paediatrician, I must be updated with emerging issues and development in my field; hence, it is essential to practice continued learning after being certified as a paediatrician. Joining professional associations would help one to gain knowledge about Pediatric dynamics and attend continuing medical education courses. The American Academy of Pediatrics, Pediatric Academic Societies, and Society for Pediatric Research are among the professional associations available to paediatrician today. They have many more possibilities (Bogetz, Jori F et al.2015). These associations enable advocacy, access to the latest research and therapeutic practice, and professional networking. ME programs offer medical professionals continued education and training. paediatrician have many continuing education options to stay current on pediatric research and clinical practice. Online classes, workshops, seminars, and conferences are options.

One may attend conferences and participate in an online webinar about paediatrics to enhance the continuous learning process. Attending pediatric conferences is a great method to remain current on research and therapies. Professional organizations hold conferences locally, regionally, nationally, and worldwide. Many professional organizations offer online courses and webinars on paediatrics which would help me remain at par with the changes in this field. Additionally, one can enhance the continuous learning process by reading journals and publications and seeking mentorship and guidance from senior paediatrics. Reading academic journals and other publications is a great method to stay current in your field (Bogetz, Jori F et al.2015).. Subscribing to a journal online or in print ensures you never miss an issue. Consult with experienced paediatrician to remain current on pediatric trends. Ask experienced coworkers or join a professional group for suggestions. Working with others in your field facilitates idea-sharing and knowledge acquisition. Joining a professional association or organization makes it easier to collaborate and network.

Conclusion

Becoming a doctor has been full of great opportunities and difficult trials. I am nervous and eager about the future and my career opportunities. Although I know the commitments and tasks of being a doctor, I am confident that my love for supporting children and families will keep me motivated and focused. My next steps toward becoming a pediatric nurse are continuing my research and gaining more medical experience with children. I plan to apply to medical school and finish my study to become a licensed pediatrician. To stay current in pediatrics, I will seek professional development opportunities and stay involved in pediatric associations. Hence this will keep me up-to-date on pediatrics. I designed a five-year timeline to visualize my ambitions while I work toward becoming a doctor. Completing medical school, an internship, and a residency are necessary. Hence this demonstrates my dedication to civic activities and schooling.

Work Cited

Bogetz, Jori F et al. “Continuing education needs of Pediatrician across diverse specialties caring for children with medical complexity.” Clinical pediatrics vol. 54,3 (2015): 222-7. doi:10.1177/0009922814564049

Brodar, Kaitlyn E., et al. “Comprehensive psychosocial screening in a pediatric diabetes clinic.” Pediatric diabetes 22.4 (2021): 656-666.

Dickson-Swift, Virginia, et al. “The knowledge and practice of Pediatrician in children’s oral health: A scoping review.” BMC Oral Health 20.1 (2020): 1-10.

Florida Chapter – American Academy of Pediatrics. Florida Chapter – American Academy of Pediatrics | Promoting the Health and Welfare of Florida’s Children. 2023, www.fcaap.org/. Accessed 28 Apr. 2023.

Howell, Suzette. “Home.” Pediatric Associates, 2023, pediatricassociates.com/. Accessed 28 Apr. 2023.

Inkster, Teresa, and John Cuddihy. “Duty of candour and communication during an infection control incident in a paediatric ward of a Scottish hospital: how can we do better?.” Journal of Medical Ethics 48.3 (2022): 160-164.

Loo, Benny Kai Guo, et al. “Supporting paediatric residents as teaching advocates: Changing students’ perceptions.” The Asia Pacific Scholar 5.3 (2020): 62.

nhs. “Paediatrician.” Health Careers, 7 Apr. 2015, www.healthcareers.nhs.uk/explore-roles/doctors/roles-doctors/paediatrics/paediatrician/paediatrician.