Pediatricians typically start out taking basic and classical subjects in high school including biology, chemistry and physics. Humanities are also important, and those planning to become pediatricians are encouraged to learn a second language. In the United States, Spanish is the most useful language. Students in high school can also benefits by becoming involved in a range of extracurricular activities.
As an undergraduate in college, the pediatrician should take medicine and science based classes. Many colleges offer pre-med programs that prepare students for a further career in medicine. A pediatrician should choose these undergraduate programs or others like them to receive the proper training for medical school. Math, physics, chemistry, biology and microbiology classes are all very important.
Medical colleges only accept a limited number of applicants and tend to favor those who have an excellent college record in the right classes and a good extracurricular life. An undergraduate degree is required and a pre-med degree is certainly preferred. The first two years deal with further training and hands-on application with patients and particular branches of medicine, including internal medicine, radiology and family practice. The third and fourth years are when pediatricians decided their specialty and narrow their focus.
After licensing, pediatrician medical students continue with residency training, which usually lasts about three years and gives them the skills to continue in their practice. They must also receive board certification by the American Board of Pediatrics.
Specialization usually requires a fellowship at a particular medical center or additional residency training, which can take three years or longer. A pediatrician may decide to specialize in pediatric surgery, or syndromes that affect children, or in many other specific medical areas.