The Ultimate Launchpad for
Your Healthcare Career

I have been working in a pediatric clinic for the last few weeks, which is a pretty new experience for me. I don’t have a lot of experience working with children in general life or in the medical field, and at first, I was a little nervous about taking this position. However, now I am so glad that I took the leap and started working in this specialty because it has been so rewarding and continues to be a learning experience.

Pediatric Care is Unique

At first, I thought pediatrics would be a lot like family practice as both are dedicated to the long-term care of their patients, but they are very different from each other. In pediatrics, not only are you monitoring and supporting the health of your patient, but you are also working with the parents and family members to support their lifestyle and to help them with any concerns that they have as a parent. This approach is extremely apparent during newborn visits when the provider spends half of the visit discussing how the parents are adjusting to life with a child. It is almost like the pediatrician is caring for the needs of the entire family as a unit and not just for the needs of the child. I have never observed this phenomenon in any other field within medicine. It has been extremely rewarding to care not only for the child, but also for their siblings, for parents, and the general health of the entire family.

The Variety Keeps it Interesting

There is a lot of variety within pediatrics, even though the patient population comprises only children and adolescents. I never knew how different medical care could be for newborns, toddlers, children, and teenagers. It has been a huge educational experience to  learn about the different stages of childhood development and the milestones that children are supposed to be hitting. Before working in pediatrics I had little to no knowledge of children. However, after only a few weeks of working within the specialty I gained so much knowledge regarding vaccine schedules, alternate vaccine schedules, necessary supplements that children need at various stages of their life, and the different infantile milestones.

I was also exposed to a lot of disabled children, which taught me so much about delayed milestones and what sort of care children with severe physical or mental disabilities require. I have not had any experiences like this in any other specialty within medicine. It seems to be unique to pediatrics, which makes working within this specialty all the more valuable. I had no idea how exciting and mentally stimulating it would be to work within pediatrics. I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to scribe in a unique environment.

Rewards Continue Adding Up

Besides the clinically interesting things associated with pediatrics, working in this specialty is also extremely rewarding because of the relationship you develop with the patients. Unlike in urgent care, doctors see their pediatric patients at least yearly, and during the first few years of life, they come in sometimes every three months. Therefore, if you scribe in a pediatric clinic for a good amount of time, you will really get to know the patient. They will remember you from previous visits, and you can develop your own personal relationship with the families.  This dynamic is completely unique to pediatrics, and I have not developed my own relationship with patients while scribing in any other specialty.

In conclusion, if you are interested in working with children, or want to work in one of the most supportive, empathetic, and uplifting work environments, then scribing for a pediatric clinic would be your best choice.