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?
How 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?
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What does a Pediatric Infectious Diseases subspecialist do?
Pediatric Infectious Diseases (ID) specialists diagnose, treat, and work to prevent infectious diseases in children. Additionally, they often function like "medical detectives" and evaluate children with symptoms that are recurrent, atypical or unexplained. Pediatric ID physicians combine clinical care with work as researchers, educators, and administrators. Pediatric ID specialists also play key roles in global health, healthcare administration, public policy, and in foundations and other organizations, where they work to improve the health of children in the U.S. and around the world.

A downloadable brochure about a career in Pediatric Infectious Diseases is available by clicking here.

To hear pediatric ID physicians discuss their work, why they chose the field, and why they find it so rewarding, click here.

What are the career opportunities?
Pediatric ID specialists have a variety of career choices. Many in the field follow several paths during their careers, applying their unique combination of training and experience to new and diverse challenges. The career opportunities span multiple areas, including:

Research: Basic science, clinical trials, and health outcomes research expand our knowledge and advance the field, ultimately enhancing the health of infants, children, and adolescents.

Private Practice: Those in private clinical practice focus on patient care, diagnosing and treating a range of infectious diseases in both the outpatient and inpatient settings.

Hospital Epidemiology/Infection Control and Prevention: Identifying, preventing, and controlling infections in healthcare settings are critical in improving the quality of patient care. In addition, hospital epidemiologists are involved in outbreak investigations and reporting to national regulatory bodies such as JCAHO and CMS.

Antimicrobial Stewardship (ASP): Coordinating strategies to improve the use of antimicrobial medications can enhance patient outcomes, reduce drug resistance, and lower unnecessary costs. Opportunities in ASP have expanded in recent years to include inpatient and outpatient settings, as well as diagnostic stewardship to optimize the use of our diagnostic resources.

Immunocompromised Host ID: Preventing and managing infectious diseases in immunocompromised hosts and transplant recipients is a major component of ensuring successful outcomes for these patients. This work also lends itself to collaborations across subspecialties for patient care and for research.

Industry: Pharmaceutical companies continue to develop pediatric vaccines and anti-infective agents. Pediatric ID experts play an important role throughout the development and evaluation process.

Public Health: This work includes tracking the epidemiology of infectious diseases, monitoring vaccine preventable diseases, and investigating unusual or emerging pathogens. Pediatric infectious diseases physicians may work part time at a local health department while also seeing patients in the hospital and outpatient settings.

Education: Many pediatric ID physicians work at medical schools, children’s hospitals, or community-based teaching hospitals, training the next generation of healthcare providers. There are opportunities in graduate medical education, including becoming a fellowship program director or residency program director.

Pediatric ID specialists also play key roles in global health, healthcare administration, public policy, and in foundations and other organizations, where they work to improve the health of children in the U.S. and around the world.

What Board, if any, certifies a Pediatric Infectious Diseases subspecialist?
Pediatric Infectious Diseases subspecialists are certified by the American Board of Pediatrics Sub-board of Pediatric Infectious Diseases. 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 inpatient and outpatient settings with research, education, and administration. On average, the typical Pediatric ID specialist devotes 50% of his/her time to direct inpatient and outpatient clinical care but this varies according to the interests, expertise and the 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.

How do I become a Pediatric Infectious Diseases subspecialist?
To be certified in pediatric infectious diseases by the American Board of Pediatrics (ABP), one must complete a pediatric or medicine/pediatric residency and a 3 year Pediatric ID fellowship in a program accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) in the United States or the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RSPSC), hold a current and valid unrestricted license to practice medicine, and pass the ABP certifying examinations for Pediatrics and for Pediatric Infectious Diseases. Pediatric infectious diseases fellowship training consists of 12 months of clinical training. The remainder of fellowship training is devoted to research and other scholarly activities. To learn more about what it’s like to be a pediatric ID fellow, and for tips about preparing for fellowship, see the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society Fellows Survival Guide.

Most pediatric infectious diseases fellowship programs use ERAS for the application process and participate in the NRMP Pediatric Subspecialties Fall Match. Interested applicants should apply for Pediatric Infectious Diseases Fellowships in July of their final year of residency.

Where do I find out about available programs?
Detailed information about accredited pediatric infectious disease training programs is listed in the Fellowship Training Programs Directory on the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society website. Information can also be obtained on the ACGME, FREIDA and ERAS websites. Information on fellowship positions that are still available after the NRMP match can be found here.

When do I apply?
Pediatric Infectious Diseases fellowship training programs participate in the NRMP Pediatric Specialties Fall Match. Applicants complete ERAS applications in July of their final year of pediatric or medicine/pediatric residency training. Pediatric Infectious Diseases fellowship programs can begin receiving and reviewing applications in mid-July. Programs typically interview interested applicants from August to October. Important dates concerning the NRMP Pediatric Subspecialties Fall Match can be found here.

Why should I choose to become a Pediatric Infectious Diseases specialist?
Pediatric Infectious Diseases is an exciting, intellectual specialty. It encompasses all systems in the body and a diverse spectrum of diseases, pathogens, and intensities of illness. This specialty remains constantly challenging due to antimicrobial resistance and threats from new and re-emerging infections. Practice opportunities are available in a variety of settings. Professional endeavors can be balanced with personal goals to provide a satisfying, rewarding future.

A downloadable brochure about a career in Pediatric Infectious Diseases is available by clicking here.

To see a variety of videos in which pediatric ID physicians discuss their work, why they chose the specialty of ID, and why they find pediatric ID so rewarding, click here.

For more information about Pediatric Infectious Diseases, visit these websites:
Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society
ACGME
FREIDA
ERAS Fellowships
PIDS Fellowship Positions Job Postings
Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society Fellows Survival Guide
Pediatric Infectious Diseases Career Brochure
Pediatric Infectious Diseases Video Links

Subspecialty Journal:
Journal of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society
Pediatric Infectious Diseases Journal