You may already be considering about the specialization you want to optfor if you are a pre-med or medical student. For those who are passionate about working with infants, children, or teenagers, becoming a pediatrician may come to their mind. The world’s population is growing rapidly. In contrast to the current number of children and the predicted surge in the following years, there is a glaring paucity of pediatric specialists.
Due to the shortage of pediatric surgeons and a pediatric surgical skill gap, many children, and teenagers around the world lack access to basic life-saving treatment. Healthcare professionals who want to succeed in the booming field of pediatrics have a lot of room to improve due to the widening skill gap and the growing need for physicians around the world.
What is Pediatrics?
This area of medicine is dedicated to the treatment and care of infants, kids, and teenagers. The Greek word “pediatrics,” is derived from the words “pais” and “iatros,” meaning “healer of children.” These medical experts or specialists treat individuals who are younger than 21 years old. In most cases, pediatric care is up to the age of 18 years.
As infant mortality and disease rates have been steadily rising since the 19th century, pediatrics has developed into a distinct medical specialty. In addition to being a distinct specialty, pediatrics is also a collaborative specialty that incorporates other specialties. By 2030, the target is to lower infant mortality rates, stop the spread of infectious diseases, and help adolescents with their mental health.
Paving the path to becoming a pediatrician
To become a pediatrician in India, one must complete a 3-year post-graduate degree in Pediatrics after completing a 5.5-year basic medical degree (i.e., MBBS).
The following are the requirements to become a pediatrician in India:
Schooling:A student must finish their senior secondary level/intermediate level education with a minimum of 50% aggregate. This entails choosing Biology, Physics, Chemistry,and Maths (optional) as your intermediate-level subjects.
An aspirant must qualify for the NEET(UG) entrance examination with the required score to get admitted to the medical college.
Bachelor’s:The bachelor’s in medicine discipline is the minimal academic requirement for becoming a doctor. Therefore, candidates must have earned their MBBS (Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery) from aMCI recognized college or university with a minimum of 55% grade point average.
In India, a 5.5-year programme including an internship is required to be done to be eligible to write the admission exam for a postgraduate specialty (pediatrician). To pursue the PG degree (MS/MD), a medico must qualify and score high in the PG entrance examinations such as NEET-PG, and INI-CET.
Post-graduation: Candidates should then undergo a postgraduate degreein a Pediatrics specialization with at least 50% aggregate. To strengthen learning, one can always take the help from a PG pediatrics online course to get the conceptual clarity. Learning PG pediatrics online helps a student in gaining an edge over their peers and secure good scores. Additionally, candidates have option to earn a Ph.D. in pediatrics to enter the world of research.
Licensing: You must complete this phase to successfully become a pediatrician. Firstly, register with the Indian Medical Council to practice in India. The registration should be renewed annually to continue the practice. A pediatrician must register for establishing a hospital or any practicing premises, and get it authorized by the state government. Each state has its process for registering hospitals that are located on its soil.
Students who hold degrees from other nations but wish to practice pediatrics in India must take the MCI exams. Students from the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada are excused from taking the Medical Council Examination, but students from other nations must pass the MCI Exam to practice pediatrics in India.
Certification: Although this is nota mandate thing, but it just gives the impression that you are very competent in your line of work. It simply depends on the individual’s interest in doing so. This reinforces the value of the fundamental specialization required to provide to patients with cutting-edge care.
Pediatriciansalary
Pediatricsis one of the most lucrative specialties in the medical industry. The wage structure of a pediatrician or average pediatrician’s income varies from place to place due to factors like the economy and the country’s healthcare infrastructure.
According to studies done by a variety of job portals, the typical pediatrician’s annual pay ranges from INR 5 to 8 lakhs depending on their area of specialty in the beginning. More than 8 lakh rupees are paid to neonatologists annually. In the US, a pediatrician’s average yearly compensation is close to US$170,000 whereas, in India, it is over INR 11 lakh.
When it comes to mid-level experienced pediatricians, the annual pay in India is approximately INR 11 lakh. Mid-level neonatologists, on the other hand, may make up to INR 21 lakh annually. The salary structure for upper-level general pediatricians is even more profitable. However, the average yearly income for pediatricians is INR 34 lakh and the average annual salary for neonatologists is INR 41 lakh.
To advance your career or acquire new skills in the profession, you can enroll for Fellowship in Pediatrics. The certificate gained after receiving the certificate is of great value to your career.
