{"id":1590,"date":"2025-07-17T09:36:03","date_gmt":"2025-07-17T13:36:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mydoctorfamilyclinic.com\/blog\/sin-categorizar\/what-is-a-pediatrician-everything-parents-need-to-know\/"},"modified":"2026-01-09T12:12:09","modified_gmt":"2026-01-09T17:12:09","slug":"what-is-a-pediatrician-everything-parents-need-to-know","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mydoctorfamilyclinic.com\/en\/blog\/pediatric\/what-is-a-pediatrician-everything-parents-need-to-know\/","title":{"rendered":"What is a pediatrician? Everything parents need to know"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><em>Schedule your child&#8217;s next checkup with a My DR Family Clinic pediatrician\u2014your partner in children&#8217;s health.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>From birth, your child&#8217;s health and development become a priority. A pediatrician not only treats illnesses but also guides and supports their growth.<\/p>\n<p>In this post, you&#8217;ll learn what a pediatrician is, what they do, when to see one, how they differ from a family doctor, the types of pediatricians, and how <strong>My DR Family Clinic<\/strong> can help you with professional pediatric care.<\/p>\n<h2>What is a pediatrician?<\/h2>\n<p>A pediatrician is a doctor who specializes in the care of children from birth to age 18 (or even 21). After graduating from an accredited medical school, they complete a pediatric residency of at least three years in general pediatrics.<\/p>\n<p>Some choose to pursue <strong>additional years<\/strong> of specialized training in fields such as pediatric cardiology or neurology. Board-certified pediatricians are licensed by the <strong>American Board of Pediatrics<\/strong> after passing rigorous examinations in <strong>pediatric care<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<h2>What does a pediatrician do?<\/h2>\n<p>A pediatrician is a doctor trained to care for the physical, emotional, and social health of children.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Preventive care:<\/strong> Provides pediatric checkups, vaccinations, and growth and development monitoring.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Diagnosis and treatment:<\/strong> of common diseases such as asthma, infections, influenza and otitis media.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Developmental monitoring:<\/strong> Ensure age-appropriate milestones.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Mental and behavioral health:<\/strong> Support for issues such as anxiety, ADHD, behavior&#8230;<\/li>\n<li><strong>Parents&#8217; Guide: <\/strong>Offers professional medical advice on sleep, nutrition, hygiene, and safety.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>According to the Cleveland Clinic, the role goes beyond the office: educating families and promoting well-being.<\/p>\n<h2>When should you see a pediatrician?<\/h2>\n<p>Pediatricians provide primary care from birth through adolescence. Consult a pediatrician for:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Newborns<\/strong>, infants and first year care<\/li>\n<li><strong>Routine checkups<\/strong> and physical examination<\/li>\n<li><strong>Vaccinations<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Fever, infections<\/strong> or any <strong>illness<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>School or sports exams<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Developmental or feeding concerns<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>They are the first point of contact for children&#8217;s health and also provide support during emergencies or long-term plans.<\/p>\n<h2>Pediatrician vs. Family Doctor<\/h2>\n<p>Both pediatricians and family doctors provide primary care, but with key differences:<\/p>\n<h3>Pediatrician:<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Specialized only in <strong>children<\/strong><\/li>\n<li>Specific training in <strong>pediatric residency<\/strong><\/li>\n<li>Expert in vaccines, milestones, and childhood diseases<\/li>\n<li>Ideal for complex needs or pediatric specialists<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Family doctor:<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Serves from babies to the elderly<\/li>\n<li>Provides continuity between generations<\/li>\n<li>Convenient for families who prefer a single doctor<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The pediatrician is best equipped to handle conditions <strong>affecting children<\/strong>, but the two can work together to provide comprehensive care. Get more tips about <a href=\"https:\/\/mydoctorfamilyclinic.com\/en\/blog\/primary-care\/questions-to-ask-your-new-doctor\/\">Questions to Ask Your New Doctor<\/a> by reading our blog!<\/p>\n<h2>Types of pediatricians and pediatric specialties<\/h2>\n<p>Beyond the general pediatrician, there are pediatric subspecialists such as:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Pediatric cardiologists<\/li>\n<li>Pediatric neurologists<\/li>\n<li>Pediatric endocrinologists<\/li>\n<li>Pediatric Gastroenterologists<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The <strong>American Academy of Pediatrics<\/strong> recognizes several <strong>sub-specialties<\/strong>, and some physicians choose to become dual-certified (pediatrics + another specialty) after residency and fellowship training at accredited medical centers.<\/p>\n<p>According to the American University of the Caribbean, the <strong>path to becoming a pediatrician<\/strong> requires many years of <strong>medical education, clinical rotations<\/strong>, and passing state exams.<\/p>\n<h2>Training and professional career of a pediatrician<\/h2>\n<p>To become a pediatrician you must:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Graduate from an <strong>accredited medical school<\/strong> (MD).<\/li>\n<li>Complete the clinical requirements of the MD.<\/li>\n<li>Enter and complete a <strong>pediatric residency<\/strong> (minimum three years).<\/li>\n<li>Optional: complete an <strong>internship or fellowship<\/strong> for additional specialization.<\/li>\n<li>Pass the <strong>American Board of Pediatrics<\/strong> exams to become board-certified.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>The training emphasizes <strong>comprehensive care for children and adolescents<\/strong>, preparing these physicians to work with other specialists to provide quality primary care. Get more detailed info about <a href=\"https:\/\/mydoctorfamilyclinic.com\/en\/blog\/primary-care\/what-are-primary-care-specialties\/\">What Are Primary Care Specialties?\u00a0<\/a> by reading our blog!<\/p>\n<h2>How My DR Family Clinic Cares for Your Child<\/h2>\n<p>At <strong>My DR Family Clinic<\/strong>, we offer expert care focused on your child&#8217;s physical and emotional health:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Regular checkups, vaccinations, and developmental monitoring<\/li>\n<li>Care for common illnesses such as flu, asthma, and infections<\/li>\n<li>Child-friendly services and a respectful environment for parents<\/li>\n<li>We accept most insurances and offer same-day appointments.<\/li>\n<li>Team with years of experience in medical education, pediatric residency, and caring for the needs of children<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Choosing us means more than visiting a pediatrician: it means investing in a trusted partner for children&#8217;s health.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/mydoctorfamilyclinic.com\/en\/contact\/\">Contact us today<\/a> to schedule your next appointment with a pediatrician. Take control of your child&#8217;s health with <a href=\"https:\/\/maps.app.goo.gl\/jnqzHjf7z4yZci7x6\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">My DR Clinic Family Clinic<\/a>. Your child deserves the best from the start.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>More related content<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/mydoctorfamilyclinic.com\/en\/blog\/primary-care\/can-pain-cause-high-blood-pressure\/\">Can pain cause high blood pressure?<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/mydoctorfamilyclinic.com\/en\/blog\/diabetes\/type-1-vs-type-2-diabetes-whats-the-difference\/\">Type 1 vs. Type 2 Diabetes: What\u2019s the difference?<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/mydoctorfamilyclinic.com\/en\/blog\/womens-health\/what-are-the-symptoms-of-ovarian-cysts\/\">What Are the Symptoms of Ovarian Cysts?<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/mydoctorfamilyclinic.com\/en\/blog\/primary-care\/what-are-primary-care-specialties\/\">What Are Primary Care Specialties?<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Schedule your child&#8217;s next checkup with a My DR Family Clinic pediatrician\u2014your partner in children&#8217;s health. From birth, your child&#8217;s health and development become a priority. A pediatrician not only treats illnesses but also guides and supports their growth. In this post, you&#8217;ll learn what a pediatrician is, what they do, when to see one, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1586,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[48],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1590","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-pediatric"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mydoctorfamilyclinic.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1590","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mydoctorfamilyclinic.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mydoctorfamilyclinic.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mydoctorfamilyclinic.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mydoctorfamilyclinic.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1590"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/mydoctorfamilyclinic.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1590\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1783,"href":"https:\/\/mydoctorfamilyclinic.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1590\/revisions\/1783"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mydoctorfamilyclinic.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1586"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mydoctorfamilyclinic.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1590"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mydoctorfamilyclinic.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1590"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mydoctorfamilyclinic.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1590"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}