1. Bachelor's Degree: First, you'll need a bachelor's degree from an accredited university. While there's no required major, pre-med coursework is highly recommended and often includes a strong foundation in biology, chemistry, physics, and mathematics.
2. Medical School: After completing your bachelor's degree, you'll need to attend and graduate from a four-year medical school (MD or DO program). Medical school is very competitive, requiring high grades and MCAT scores.
3. Residency: Following medical school, you'll need a three-year residency in pediatrics. This is a hands-on training program where you'll work under the supervision of experienced pediatricians, gaining practical experience in diagnosing and treating children's illnesses.
4. Board Certification (Optional but highly recommended): After completing your residency, you can choose to become board-certified by the American Board of Pediatrics (or equivalent organization in other countries). This demonstrates competency and expertise in the field and often improves career prospects.
In summary, it takes a minimum of 11 years of education and training after high school to become a pediatrician: four years of undergraduate study, four years of medical school, and three years of residency. Many pediatricians then pursue fellowships for additional sub-specialization (e.g., neonatology, pediatric oncology).