How Many Years of College Does It Take to Become a Pediatrician?

If you are compassionate, desire to work with children and have a gentle touch, then becoming a pediatrician may be an ideal career choice. Having a good heart doesn’t mean you can just jump into an office and start diagnosing ill children. How long does it take to become a pediatrician? You have to go through years of college, medical school and internships to start your own practice. The education you get ensures that you’re a quality caregiver who knows her stuff. Prior to starting down the path to being a pediatrician, be sure you’re willing to complete many years of schooling before beginning your career.

Undergraduate Degree

How many years of college is required to be a pediatrician? Before you can study medicine, you must obtain a bachelor's degree in any field. Studying a science like biology, chemistry or anatomy will help you with your courses in medical school. While you're in school, work or volunteer in the medical field as often as possible. In addition to graduating with an undergraduate degree, you will have to take the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT).You submit the scores, along with your transcripts, resume, essays and recommendation letters, to medical schools when you're beginning your senior year in college.

Medical School

You may be wondering how long does it take to become a pediatrician? Medical school lasts for four years. The first two years are focused on laboratory and classroom experience. You'll learn about the human body, diseases, patient care and medical ethics. After you've completed the classroom portion of medical school, you'll begin your rotations at hospitals and doctor's offices. You'll learn about how to diagnose and treat illnesses by studying internal medicine, family practice, obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics, psychiatry and surgery.

Medical Residency

When you're doing your rotations, you apply to medical residencies in pediatrics. You'll spend 3 years under the supervision of a licensed pediatrician and other doctors. Usually you'll complete this residency in a hospital. You select a track for the type of pediatrician you want to be -- if you want to be a family practitioner, for example, you would want to work under the care of a doctor who is known to be a strong family practitioner. How long does it take to become a pediatrician that is a specialist? If you're interested in pediatric psychiatry or another specialty, you should choose your residency and the director of your program to suit those interests.

Specialty Areas

After you've taken your national medical exams and satisfied any state or local requirements to be licensed, you'll be able to practice privately if you choose. As a doctor, you are required to stay current on the latest education and industry advances, so you'll have to occasionally complete new courses or retake examinations. If you want to specialize in an area of pediatrics like surgery or oncology, you must take between two and 10 additional years of coursework under a licensed doctor in that field.