A pediatric pulmonologist is a doctor who specializes in the treatment of children with diseases of the respiratory system or airways. This medical specialty has a small number of doctors, despite the fact that some of the diseases it treats, such as childhood asthma, are common. This could indicate that the specialty will be in high demand in private practice or in hospitals, and many people are interested in learning more about how to enter the field. Simply put, hard work, success in college and medical school, and then completing back-to-back fellowships that provide the necessary specialty training can lead to a career as a pediatric pulmonologist.
People who want to become pediatric pulmonologists should start early focusing on getting good grades in math and science in high school. These could help you get into more prestigious colleges, which could increase your chances of getting into medical school. It’s worth noting that in some systems, college and medical school are combined, though the length of training is roughly the same. If a student’s high school grades aren’t up to par, he or she may want to consider attending a community college to take any remedial courses that are required. Many people are accepted into excellent universities with good community college grades.
Undergraduate students can choose from a variety of majors, including biology, premed, microbiology, and biochemistry. The main focus should be on getting good grades and, in places like the United States, preparing for the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT). The likelihood of being accepted to medical school is partly determined your performance on this test.
People will study for three years in medical school and then complete a year of internship. They can choose to become doctors at this point, but many people prefer to continue their education. Pediatrics is the first field of study for a pediatric pulmonologist. Prior to studying pulmonology, people will need to complete a three-year fellowship in pediatrics. There are still a lot of opportunities in this field to study children’s respiratory conditions, which can help with work later on.
Pediatric pulmonology is the second fellowship required to become a pediatric pulmonologist. Doctors will learn everything they need to know in order to become experts in this field here. Both fellowships are likely to require a lot of clinical work and practice in hospitals, and doctors can expect to work long hours and be in high demand while studying in this field. Doctors can apply to the appropriate board for certification after completing both fellowships, which are not done at the same time.
Many pediatric specialties necessitate a significant amount of time. A person who wishes to pursue a career as a pediatric pulmonologist must be prepared to devote a significant amount of time to study and practice: approximately 14 years from the start of college. It’s also a good idea for pediatric specialists to feel at ease working with children, as this is a different population with different needs than adults. Those who are uninterested in the problems and challenges that the child patient brings should consider a career in adult pulmonology.