Pediatric Surgeons
Pediatric surgeons are medical doctors who specialize in performing operations on babies, children, and teenagers to fix birth defects, treat injuries, and cure diseases. They use advanced surgical tools and techniques to help young patients, working closely with teams of nurses, specialists, and other doctors to provide the best care possible. These surgeons also spend time talking with families to explain procedures and conducting research to develop better surgical methods. To become a pediatric surgeon, you need to complete medical school, a general surgery residency, and additional specialized training in pediatric surgery.
Did you know?
Becoming a pediatric surgeon requires 11+ years of post-undergraduate training including medical school, general surgery residency, and fellowship, often resulting in substantial student loan debt exceeding $200,000.
At a glance
Typical average pay
$89,500 Avg/yr
Growth
Stable
Things to consider
High Emotional and Psychological Demands
The profession requires exceptional emotional resilience to handle life-threatening cases involving children and provide compassionate communication with distressed families during critical situations.
Competitive Specialization and Limited Positions
Pediatric surgery fellowships are among the most competitive in medicine with very few positions available annually, requiring exceptional academic performance and research experience for acceptance.
Key responsibilities
Perform transplantation operations, such as organ transplants, on fetuses, infants, children, and adolescents.
Describe preoperative and postoperative treatments and procedures, such as sedatives, diets, antibiotics, or preparation and treatment of the patient's operative area, to parents or guardians of the patient.
Analyze patient's medical history, medication allergies, physical condition, and examination results to verify operation's necessity and to determine best procedure.
Monitor patient's recovery, making follow-up visits and using postoperative assessment techniques, such as blood and imaging tests.
Examine instruments, equipment, and operating room to ensure sterility.