How to Become a Children's Doctor

Becoming a children's doctor is a challenging process involving years of study and preparation, but the rewards of helping to improve and maintain the health of children are great. Anyone considering a career in pediatric medicine should take time to research the steps and to make sure she is willing to commit the years of study and energy necessary to become a board-certified pediatrician.

Instructions

1. Focus on studying hard and achieving high grades during high school. Some schools offer courses for students preparing for a medical career, but all schools offer a variety of science courses, and the student hoping to become a doctor should take as many as possible. Grades are an important component in the process as they affect both the college and medical school to which a student is accepted.

2. Complete a bachelor's degree, which includes courses in biology, chemistry, physics, mathematics and English. Many premed students major in biology or chemistry, but there are other options as long as the premed courses are taken. To find the exact courses required, access the website of the medical schools you are interested in and search for their premed requirements. Many schools will also make recommendations of courses they think will better prepare incoming students.

3. Volunteer in the pediatric wing of a local hospital to get experience in a medical setting if possible. This will help prepare you for your eventual goal of becoming a doctor as well as convey to the medical schools you apply to that you are serious about your career path.

4. Take the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT), an 8-hour multiple-choice test that covers physical sciences, biological sciences and verbal reasoning and a writing sample. A high score on the MCATs is necessary to be a competitive medical school applicant.

5. Apply to medical schools, submitting your undergraduate transcript as well as your MCAT scores and the required personal recommendations. Once you are accepted, you can expect to attend for 4 years, spending the first 2 years taking classes and the second 2 years in medical rotations under the supervision of professional doctors. The classes will include anatomy, physiology and microbiology, while the rotations will include pediatrics, surgery, psychiatry and family practice.

6. Upon graduation from medical school, you will need to complete a 2- to 6-year residency or internship in pediatric medicine. Residents, who are considered doctors but are not yet board certified, practice under and are trained by certified doctors in a clinical setting during these years.

7. Take and pass the board test in pediatrics to become a certified pediatrician, or children's doctor.