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PEDIATRIC INFECTIOUS DISEASES
What does a Pediatric Infectious Diseases subspecialist do?
What are the career opportunities?
What Board, if any, certifies a Pediatric Infectious Diseases subspecialist?
What is the lifestyle of a Pediatric Infectious Diseases subspecialist?
What is the compensation of a Pediatric Infectious Disease specialist?
HHow do I become a Pediatric Infectious Diseases subspecialist?
Where do I find out about available programs?
When do I apply?
Why should I choose to become a Pediatric Infectious Diseases specialist?
What does a Pediatric Infectious Diseases subspecialist do?
Pediatric Infectious Diseases (ID) specialists diagnose, treat and prevent infectious diseases in children. Additionally, they may function like "medical detectives" and evaluate children with symptoms that are recurrent, atypical or unexplained. They combine clinical care with work as researchers, educators, administrators, hospital epidemiologists or experts in antimicrobial stewardship.
What are the career opportunities?
Career opportunities generally fall into 4 major categories and many in the field may choose to follow several different paths during their careers.
- Academic Medicine - More than 60% of Pediatric ID physicians are employed by medical schools, children's hospitals or community-based teaching hospitals in positions that combine patient care, teaching and often research. Some academic positions also have an international health component.
- Public Service - Pediatric ID specialists find careers with the World Health Organization, the National Institutes of Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Food and Drug Administration or state/local public health departments. The work may involve tracking the epidemiology of infectious diseases, monitoring vaccine preventable diseases and/or investigating unusual or emerging pathogens. Job aspects include leadership in the planning, coordination, and conduct of immunization activities, and evaluation of disease outbreaks.
- Industry - Infectious Diseases remains a top subspecialty in demand among drug/vaccine manufacturers. Industry positions require expertise in science and management, with roles in every aspect of drug or vaccine development/evaluation.
- Private Practice - Only ˜5% of Pediatric ID physicians are in the private sector. Here, the focus is primarily on patient care, diagnosing and treating a broad spectrum of infectious diseases in both the outpatient and inpatient settings, often providing subspecialty administrative/advisory functions for large health care organizations.
What Board, if any, certifies a Pediatric Infectious Diseases subspecialist?
Pediatric Infectious Diseases specialists are certified by the American Board of Pediatrics Sub-board of Pediatric Infectious Diseases. In order to be eligible to take the exam, applicants must first be certified in General Pediatrics. Both exams are administered by the American
Board of Pediatrics.
What is the lifestyle of a Pediatric Infectious Diseases subspecialist?
The professional life of an academic Pediatric Infectious Diseases specialist combines care of patients in both the inpatient and outpatient setting with research, education, administration and, occasionally, work in infection prevention and hospital epidemiology, patient safety or antimicrobial stewardship. On average, the typical Pediatric ID specialist spends 45% of his/her time devoted to clinical care but this varies according to the interests, expertise and practice setting of the individual. Call is always taken from home. The flexibility afforded by a career in Pediatric Infectious Diseases makes it possible to balance a busy, stimulating professional life with a satisfying personal life.
What is the compensation of a Pediatric Infectious Disease specialist?
Compensation depends on the type of practice setting, geographic location and time since completion of fellowship. For those who practice in an academic setting, salaries are commensurate with those of other cognitive pediatric subspecialties. Higher salaries are generally associated with industry positions. For additional salary information for those in academic positions, please click
here or here.
How do I become a Pediatric Infectious Diseases subspecialist?
To be certified in pediatric infectious diseases, one must complete a pediatrics or medicine/pediatrics residency and a 3 year Pediatric ID fellowship, hold a current and valid unrestricted license to practice medicine, plus pass written examinations for pediatrics, and then for Pediatric Infectious Diseases. Most, but not all, pediatric infectious disease fellowship programs use ERAS for the application process and participate in the NRMP Pediatric Specialties Spring Match. For match statistics, click here.
Where do I find out about available programs?
Detailed information about accredited pediatric infectious disease training programs is listed in Fellowship
Training Programs Directory on the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society website.Information can also be obtained on the ACGME, Freida and ERAS websites
When do I apply?
At present, applicants complete ERAS applications in November of their second year of pediatric residency training (20 months before the anticipated start of fellowship training). Programs begin to interview interested applicants in December and January. Most Pediatric Infectious Diseases fellowship training programs participate in the NRMP Pediatric Specialties Spring Match. Training programs that do not participate in ERAS or NRMP may accept applications and interview applicants earlier or later than the ERAS/NRMP timeline. Applicants are encouraged to contact these training programs directly to discuss deadlines for applications and interviews. Some excellent opportunities are still available for residents interested in training beginning July 2013. For information about these programs, please visit http://pids.org/membership/job-postings/fellowship-positions.html
Why should I choose to become a Pediatric Infectious Diseases specialist?
Pediatric Infectious Diseases is a challenging, intellectual specialty. It encompasses all systems in the body and a diverse spectra of diseases, pathogens and and intensities of illness. Practice opportunities are available in a variety of settings. Professional endeavors can be balanced with personal goals to provide a satisfying, rewarding future.
For more information about Pediatric Infectious Diseases, visit these websites:
Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society
ACGME
FREIDA
ERAS Fellowships
Journal of Pediatrics Fellowship Listing
Fellowship Positions Job Postings
A downloadable brochure about a career in Pediatric Infectious Diseases is available by clicking here.
Subspecialty Journal:
Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal
Journal of the Pediatric Infectious Disease Society
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