Pediatricians practice infant and childhood medicine. General pediatricians can choose the type of patients that they want to treat. For instance, if you want to help kids with problems at school, you can see children with learning disabilities.
Rural area patients notice that only a few specialists can treat them. In small towns, general pediatricians have to take care of any child that suffers diabetes.
Pediatric programs of residency last 3 years. Around 30% of pediatricians additionally train in fellowship programs for 3 more years.
These programs prepare them for a career in pediatric subspecialties like Adolescent Medicine, Developmental-Behavioral, Pediatric Endocrinology, Pediatric Rheumatology, Pediatric Sports Medicine, Pediatric Allergy and Immunology, Pediatric Nephrology, Pediatric Pulmonology, Neurodevelopmental Disabilities, Pediatric Cardiology, Pediatric Critical Care Medicine, Pediatric Gastroenterology, Medical Toxicology, Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine, Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Pediatric Hematology-Oncology and Pediatric Emergency Medicine.
This long list of subspecialties has many options for you to choose from. Specialty trainings are an interesting challenge for any pediatrician. Even though they require 3 more years of study they give the chance to serve in specific areas according to their preferences.
Pediatric Radiologists, Pediatric Ophthalmologists and Pediatric Psychiatrists take specialty trainings but they are not pediatricians. Pediatric Surgeons, Pediatric Neurosurgeons and Pediatric Urologists are Pediatric surgical specialists that are not Pediatricians.
This branch of medicine is funny, exciting and challenging. A recent survey of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) revealed that 81.5% of pediatricians are satisfied with their income, professional hours and skills and remaining interested in their career for a long time.