Children’s skin changes are frequent, and they are often affected by several conditions, such as skin infections, moles, birthmarks, rashes, acne, and psoriasis. In many cases, children do not even know what is bothering them.
Imagine your child has an annoying patch of skin, and no matter how often you have seen a pediatrician, it does not seem to improve. Then, maybe it is time to see a Pediatric Dermatologist specializing in children’s skin problems.
In today’s article, we will learn about what it is to be a Pediatric Dermatologist. Most importantly, we will also learn about the average pay and the duties that one might have to perform as a Pediatric Dermatologist. Read on to learn more.
What Is a Pediatric Dermatologist?
A Pediatric Dermatologist is a doctor who is trained to treat several conditions, such as birthmarks, acne, eczema, and other skin conditions prone to children.
The question might arise: what is the need for a separate specialist when a normal dermatologist can cure skin problems? Now, the thing is, dermatologists treat you once you tell them your problem.
But, when it comes to kids, even they lack the knowledge of what is bothering them. That is why you need a pediatric dermatologist; they have specialized training to recognize normal growth and development.
And, when they see an unusual growth or problem, they treat such a cure. A pediatric dermatologist also diagnoses and treats disorders affecting the hair and nails. They are also qualified to provide surgical treatment for various disorders if required.
Also Read: Job Description – Emergency Medical Technician
Duties of a Pediatric Dermatologist
A pediatric dermatologist’s primary duty is to provide high-quality care to children with significant dermatologic diseases. They must attend a regular pediatric dermatology clinic and provide consulting services to pediatric patients.
They also must educate patients and their families about their skin disorders, treatment, and maintenance. Other secondary duties of a pediatric dermatologist include training other physicians and healthcare team members.
This includes lecturing, mentoring, and designing diagnosis and treatment guidelines and pathways. Pediatric dermatologists must also work with other medical professionals to handle particular cases.
They may also require taking blood samples, order tissue biopsy, skin scrapings, excisions, or skin culture.
Academic Qualifications, Skills, and Experience
Educational qualifications for a career as a pediatric dermatologist are as follows: one requires a medical degree (MBBS, MD, or DO) and must have successfully completed a pediatric dermatology fellowship.
The best candidates can have a master’s degree in medical science and have passed pediatric dermatology licensing examinations. Regarding personality traits, candidates must be patient, kind, and flexible and should know how to treat children.
Other skills that are required are written and verbal communication, problem-solving skills, and knowledge of biology, chemistry, and physics are also equally important. Individuals can work at any hospital or clinic that requires pediatric dermatologists.
The experience level might vary according to the job requirements and employer. However, in general, the usual experience level asked is one year of internship training, three to four years of residency training, and one to three years of fellowship training.
Salary
The pay grade might vary from employer to employer; however, the basic salary ranges from $164,584 to $285,774 per year. The average base salary can be up to $2236,635. The total cash consumption, including the base salary and other annual incentives, can go as high as $363,542 per year.
Finding a Position
There are several online job portals where you can find jobs as a pediatric dermatologist. Glassdoor, Indeed, and Jooble are some of the well-known where you can find genuine job vacancies from trustworthy employers.
Alternatively, you can also find job vacancies published by employers in a local newspaper in your city.
The Bottom Line
Looking at the job market, pediatric dermatology is one of the most highly demanded jobs today. If you want to work as a dermatologist, then a pediatric dermatologist is surely your cup of tea.