Pediatrician

Diagnose, treat, and help prevent diseases and injuries in children. May refer patients to specialists for further diagnosis or treatment, as needed.

O*NET reports this occupation under titles such as: Developmental Pediatrician; Emergency Room Pediatrician (ER Pediatrician); General Pediatrician; Group Practice Pediatrician; Medical Doctor (MD); Pediatric Emergency Medicine Physician; Pediatric Physician; Physician; Primary Care Pediatrician

Tasks

• Prescribe or administer treatment, therapy, medication, vaccination, and other specialized medical care to treat or prevent illness, disease, or injury in infants and children.
• Examine children regularly to assess their growth and development.
• Treat children who have minor illnesses, acute and chronic health problems, and growth and development concerns.
• Examine patients or order, perform, and interpret diagnostic tests to obtain information on medical condition and determine diagnosis.
• Advise patients, parents or guardians, and community members concerning diet, activity, hygiene, and disease prevention.
• Explain procedures and discuss test results or prescribed treatments with patients and parents or guardians.
• Collect, record, and maintain patient information, such as medical history, reports, or examination results.
• Monitor patients' conditions and progress and reevaluate treatments as necessary.
• Direct and coordinate activities of nurses, students, assistants, specialists, therapists, and other medical staff.
• Plan and execute medical care programs to aid in the mental and physical growth and development of children and adolescents.
• Refer patient to medical specialist or other practitioner when necessary.
• Teach residents or medical students about pediatric topics.
• Provide consulting services to other physicians.

Knowledge

• Medicine and Dentistry
• Therapy and Counseling
• Biology
• Psychology
• Customer and Personal Service
• English Language
• Sociology and Anthropology
• Education and Training
• Personnel and Human Resources
• Computers and Electronics
• Mathematics

Skills

• Speaking
• Critical Thinking
• Reading Comprehension
• Active Listening
• Writing
• Science
• Active Learning
• Monitoring
• Learning Strategies

Abilities

• Oral Comprehension
• Oral Expression
• Inductive Reasoning
• Written Comprehension
• Problem Sensitivity
• Written Expression
• Deductive Reasoning
• Speech Recognition
• Speech Clarity
• Near Vision
• Information Ordering
• Selective Attention
• Flexibility of Closure
• Fluency of Ideas
• Originality
• Category Flexibility
• Perceptual Speed
• Time Sharing