What are Pediatric Doctors? And why are they important?

By: Muneeb Iyyaz

According to the American School of the Caribbean School of Medicine, a pediatrician is a medical doctor who sees and attends to the needs of infants, children, adolescents, and young adults. This branch of healthcare covers a wide range of healthcare aspects from preventative care, to diagnosing and treating illnesses and developmental disorders. They monitor your child's physical development throughout their lives. Their responsibilities include preventive healthcare such as routine checkups, physical/school health documentation, vaccination, and nutritional guidance, and other assistance to prevent possible injuries or illnesses. Furthermore, they also diagnose and manage acute chronic conditions, for example: asthma, infections, allergies, genetic disorders along with many other responsibilities all while monitoring your child's physical, and cognitive development to ensure they meet age-appropriate milestones. To add on, they help to identify a child's possible mental health conditions such as ADHD, autism spectrum disorders, depression, etc. while also educating both children and guardians about the basic hygiene, and developmental expectations.

Pediatricians work beyond simple medical treatment, as they serve as a beacon of light and support for both parents and children. Raising a child comes with many responsibilities with challenges and obstacles, so parents often rely on their pediatricians advice on behavior issues, sleep patterns, and the emotional well being of their child to ensure the best possible path for their growth and developmental process. In addition, paediatricians help families manage through difficult situations such as childhood anxiety, learning disabilities, or addressing concerns about growth, puberty, or any other developmental cycle.

The work of pediatricians can be everywhere, from hospitals to clinics, or offices. They work with many other medical professionals, and not just alone. For example, Dr. David said “...the other healthcare professionals are the nursing staff that support us and the Clerical Staff receptionist also handles the business part and then I work with other healthcare providers. There are 8 doctors, pediatricians that work together and there are also 1 to 3 pediatric nurse practitioners who work without patients.” This summarises that pediatrics dont work solo, rather work with different healthcare professionals that all work together to support one another to finally help patients. 

I interviewed Dr. David Nedeleman M.D., my life long pediatrician ever since I moved to the U.S. He’s watched me grow and develop, and has been working in this expertise for many decades. He works at Associates Pediatrics- a clinic in Schaumburg, Illinois. During the interview, he was asked about his schedule of hours of employment in which he responded “I work 9 o’clock AM to 5 o’clock PM, five days a week, and often visit the Saint Alexius Hospital to visit babies.” We then continued talking about his education where he said “I went to the University of Michigan and got a four-year bachelor's degree in the economics of healthcare, and I went to the University of Michigan Medical School for four years and following that I trained as a resident in pediatrics for three years at Michael Reese Hospital in Chicago.” Generally, the process to become a pediatrician includes 4 years of undergraduate school, 4 years of medical school, 3 years of residency, and a subspecialty if there is a particular area of pediatrics you want to specialize in. Furthermore, to become a pediatrician, one must take the MCAT, then United States Medical Licensure Exam (USMLE), and pass the rigorous exams from the American Board of Pediatrics to finally be able to pursue a career in pediatrics with a salary typically ranges from $191,694 to $249,922 in Chicago, Illinois. 

To add on, we talked about his daily schedule as a pediatrician. He explained his normal routine, and typically is a pretty straightforward schedule. He talks about waking up, going to the clinic and meeting with patients to which once his shift ends, he goes back to his home or sometimes he’ll visit the Saint Alexius Hospital to see newborn children and take care of them during the first few days of their lives. When asked about the reason he wanted to become a pediatrician and not any other speciality, he explained “I always wanted to be a doctor. The intellectual side of working with children and families has always been appealing to me.” When questioned about if he could go back in time, and change his career, he responded that he wouldn't. He explained that he enjoys what he does, helping children with their families is something that he finds passion in and satisfies him intellectually. However, he explained the pros and cons of working as a pediatrician. “...the positives would be that its intellectually satisfying to take care of not only well children, but I also diagnose and treat sick children. In addition, its nice to have relationships with families with children so I can get to know the kids. I sometimes take care of more than one generation family, sometimes two generations, and sometimes even three generations. However, sometimes it's a little difficult to deal with insurance companies and sometimes is a little frustrating when a family does not follow instructions. That's what comes to mind right now, and I should add that the newer system of electronic medical records where everything is done by computer could be extremely frustrating.”

To conclude, in my opinion pediatrics seems interesting. However, it seems to be tiring doing the same things over and over everyday. Based on the information learned from the interview and through research, a pediatrician seems to have a simple and frankly a boarding routine. Although some positives include seeing patients grow, building relations with families it doesn't have the sense of excitement, and the sense of rush I wish to pursue which can only be found in ER medicine, or surgery. My overall impression of the career seems to be a generally fun and peaceful career for people seeking a simple, and straightforward life in medicine.

Work Cited:

“Pediatricians Salary in Chicago, IL | Medscape Salary Explorer.” Medscape.com, 2018, www.medscape.com/physician-salary-explorer?specialty=Pediatrics&city=Chicago&state=IL&dma=Chicago®ion=Great%20Lakes&yoe=15%2C21. Accessed 28 Feb. 2025.

St. George's University. “7 Steps to Becoming a Pediatrician | St. George’s University.” Medical Blog | St. George’s University | the SGU Pulse, 24 Mar. 2021, www.sgu.edu/blog/medical/how-to-become-a-pediatrician-a-step-by-step-guide/.

History – We Are Michael Reese. wearemichaelreese.org/history.

“What Is a Pediatrician?” AUC School of Medicine, 4 Mar. 2021, www.aucmed.edu/about/blog/what-is-a-pediatrician.