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Paediatrician

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Primary Secondary Post-16

A paediatrician is a very special type of doctor who looks after babies, children, and young people, usually up to the age of 18. They are experts in child health and growth, understanding that children are not just small adults and have unique medical needs. Paediatricians diagnose and treat a wide range of illnesses, injuries, and health conditions that affect children, from common childhood infections to more complex or long-term diseases like asthma, diabetes, or developmental problems. They might work in a hospital, seeing children who are very unwell, or in a clinic, helping children manage ongoing health issues and making sure they are growing and developing as they should. It's a hugely rewarding job where you get to help children feel better and support their families. Working as a paediatrician involves lots of different tasks. You'll spend time talking to children and their parents, listening carefully to their concerns, and examining young patients. You'll need to be good at explaining things in a way that children and their parents can understand, often using simple language. Paediatricians also order tests, interpret results, prescribe medicines, and sometimes perform procedures. They often work as part of a team with other healthcare professionals, like nurses, physiotherapists, and play therapists, to provide the best possible care for children. Empathy, patience, and excellent problem-solving skills are really important in this role, as is a genuine love for helping children.

Paediatrician

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📊 Statistics

Starting Salary

For doctors in foundation training (the first two years after medical school), the starting salary in the NHS is around £32,398. As a specialist registrar training to be a paediatrician, this increases to between £55,322 and £63,152.

Experienced Salary

Once fully qualified as a consultant paediatrician, the salary can range from £93,666 to £126,281, depending on experience and responsibilities within the NHS.

Training Duration

Becoming a fully qualified consultant paediatrician usually takes between 10 to 14 years after starting medical school, including university, foundation years, and specialist paediatric training.

🚀 Careers in this path

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Children's Nurse

A Children's Nurse looks after babies, children, and young people who are unwell. They work in hospitals or in the community, helping children feel better and supporting their families.

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Play Specialist

A Play Specialist works in hospitals, using games and activities to help children understand their treatment, cope with their illness, and have fun while they're recovering. They make hospital a less scary place.

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Youth Worker

A Youth Worker helps teenagers and young adults with various challenges they might face. They run clubs, activities, and offer advice and support, helping young people grow and make good choices for their future.

Build Your Foundations

Excel in Science Subjects

Focus on getting good grades in science subjects like Biology, Chemistry, and Physics during your secondary school years.

For GCSEs, aim for strong passes in science subjects, Maths, and English. These form the essential academic base for further study in medicine. At A-Level, Biology and Chemistry are usually mandatory, with a third subject often being Physics or Maths. Achieving high grades (typically A or A*) is crucial for university applications.

Gain Work Experience

Seek out opportunities to gain experience in healthcare or with children, even if it's volunteering.

Work experience shows your commitment and understanding of the field. Look for volunteering roles in hospitals, care homes, hospices, or even nurseries and primary schools. It's not always about direct medical work; understanding patient care, communication, and working with children is invaluable. This also helps you understand if this career is truly for you.

Develop Essential Skills

Work on skills like communication, empathy, problem-solving, and teamwork, which are vital for a doctor.

Paediatricians need to be excellent communicators, not just with children but also with their parents, often explaining complex medical information clearly and kindly. Empathy, resilience, critical thinking, and the ability to work effectively in a team are also highly valued in medical school and throughout a medical career. Participating in school clubs, sports, or youth groups can help develop these skills.

University and Medical School

Apply to Medical School

Once you have your A-Levels, you'll apply to university to study Medicine.

This is a highly competitive process. You'll need excellent grades, a strong personal statement, and usually pass specific admissions tests like UCAT or BMAT. Research different medical schools as some have slightly different entry requirements or teaching styles. Prepare thoroughly for interviews, as these are a key part of the selection process.

Complete Your Medical Degree

Study for 5 or 6 years to get your medical degree (MBBS or MBChB).

Medical school is a demanding but rewarding journey. You'll learn about the human body, diseases, and how to treat patients through a mix of lectures, practical sessions, and clinical placements in hospitals and GP surgeries. You'll cover all areas of medicine, not just paediatrics, to become a well-rounded doctor.

Undertake Foundation Training

After university, you'll complete a two-year 'Foundation Programme' as a junior doctor.

This is your first paid role as a doctor and involves working in different hospital departments and perhaps a GP surgery, gaining hands-on experience in various medical specialties. You'll be supervised by more senior doctors and learn how to manage patients, make diagnoses, and perform basic medical procedures. This period is crucial for consolidating your knowledge and skills.

Specialise in Paediatrics

Apply for Paediatric Training

After your Foundation Programme, you'll apply for specialist training in paediatrics.

This is a competitive application process where you'll need to demonstrate your interest in child health and your suitability for the speciality. It usually involves interviews and assessment centres. During this stage, you'll choose to pursue a career specifically with children.

Complete Specialist Paediatric Training

Undertake several years of specific training focused entirely on child health.

Paediatric training typically lasts around 8 years, during which you'll gain extensive experience across various areas of child medicine, from neonatology (newborns) to adolescent health, and develop advanced clinical skills. You'll work in different hospitals and child health settings, often rotating through sub-specialties like paediatric cardiology or oncology, and complete further exams to become a fully qualified paediatrician.

Become a Consultant Paediatrician

Once specialist training is complete and you've passed all necessary exams, you can apply for consultant posts.

As a Consultant Paediatrician, you'll be an expert in child health, leading teams, making complex decisions about patient care, and often involved in teaching and research. You might choose to specialise even further in a particular area, such as paediatric infectious diseases or developmental paediatrics, or work as a general paediatrician seeing a wide range of conditions in children.

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🎯 View Apprenticeships

Explore relevant apprenticeships that can help you kickstart your career in Paediatrician. Apprenticeships offer hands-on experience and training while earning a wage.

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Career Progressions

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Sample Qualifications

How to become

You can get into this job through a university course or an apprenticeship.

University

To become a paediatrician you'll need to complete:

  • a degree in medicine recognised by the General Medical Council
  • a 2-year foundation programme of general training
  • specialist training which takes a minimum of 8 years

A medical degree normally takes 5 years to complete. Some courses have the option to include an extra year if you want to study a subject further. This is called an intercalated year.

You might be able to study a foundation year before starting a medical degree. This will depend on your circumstances or if you have not studied enough sciences. Check with the admissions department where you want to study.

If you already have a degree, you could take a 4-year graduate entry route into medicine. There’s lots of competition and entry requirements vary, so check with the admissions department where you want to study.

Entry tests

When you apply for a course in medicine, you may be asked to take the University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT).

It tests the skills you'll need on the course, like critical thinking, problem solving, data analysis, communication and scientific knowledge.

Work experience

Medical schools will also expect you to have some relevant paid or voluntary work experience. The British Medical Association provides information on how to find a placement.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • at least 5 GCSEs grades 9 to 7 (A* or A), including English maths and sciences
  • 3 A levels, or equivalent, including biology and chemistry

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Apprenticeship

You might be able to do a doctor degree apprenticeship which will take around 5 years to complete.

The apprenticeship is recognised by the General Medical Council.

You could then progress to the foundation course of general training before completing the specialist training.

Entry requirements

Employers will set their own entry requirements.

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Volunteering

You can gain valuable caring skills from volunteering in education, health, charity or social care settings. You could:

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Registration

Career tips

The General Medical Council has a guide on what it means to be a good doctor. You might find this useful when preparing for medical school interviews.

You can use online resources to find out more about the types of interviews you can expect to get into for medical school.

Professional and industry bodies

You could join the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health and the British Medical Association for professional development and training opportunities.

Further information

You can find out more about careers in paediatrics from the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health and Health Careers.

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