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How do you become a pediatrician, and what courses can you take in high school to achieve that career?
I'm a freshman in highschool, and I'm just starting off the school year. I've been homeschooled for two yrs and I'm going back to a public school.
Just here to get advice on how to start my first year of highschool and how i can become a successful pediatrican as my future career.
#doctor #medicine #college
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4 answers
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Estelle’s Answer
I recommend taking all the AP and/or dual credit classes that you can. This will further prepare you for college classes and provide less expensive credit hours towards your degree. Good luck!
Updated
Yasemin’s Answer
HI Priscilla! Congrats on entering high school, it's definitely an important part of your life as it will help in transitioning you to college. That being said for now I would focus on doing well in high school, so study hard and then take your SATs as well as volunteer in some things that interest you because these will all help you in getting into college. In high school I would recommend to get involved in science related topics and/or clubs, so maybe take AP classes for biology, chemistry, or physics, etc., they are high paced and more difficult because they represent college classes but these are classes you will take in college for your premed (premedical) track. In college you take prerequisite courses and the MCAT to enter medical school, a college adviser will help you more in this path when you enter college, but afterwards in medical school you complete coursework for two years. Then afterwards you begin clinicals where you rotate different areas, around your third you take electives regarding the area of interests, which for you will be pediatrics! For now work hard and do well in high school then when you begin college take prerequisites for medical school, and prepare for the MCAT (medical exam for entering medical school, like the SATs for entering college). You still have much time but if you'd like I would recommend to check out AAMC.org, they give information on medical school applicants both current and future!
Best of luck!
AAMC.org (below website is direct information about HS students for medicine!)
https://students-residents.aamc.org/choosing-medical-career/article/high-school-students/.
Best of luck!
Yasemin recommends the following next steps:
Updated
Kirby’s Answer
Hi Priscilla,
As someone who was interested in the medical field when going to college I have several pieces of advice to share with you. First, I would not worry about trying to satisfy any prerequisites to becoming a pediatrician while in high school. If your school offers AP or advanced classes I would take those in order to be challenged and potentially get credit for high school. I would not recommend taking them in order to help your career in becoming a pediatrician. Those will help you decide if you like science or not, but most often, colleges will make you retake any classes necessary to get into medical school. This is to make sure you are learning the information in order to get into medical school.
I think there is so much pressure to know what you want to do for your career and start preparing for it right away, but you have about 8 years until you apply to medical school to be a pediatrician with plenty of time to take the courses and do the activities necessary to gain experience. For now, I would enjoy your classes and take ones that interest you and challenge you and start worrying about the prerequisites in college.
I hope this helps and good luck in your freshman year!
As someone who was interested in the medical field when going to college I have several pieces of advice to share with you. First, I would not worry about trying to satisfy any prerequisites to becoming a pediatrician while in high school. If your school offers AP or advanced classes I would take those in order to be challenged and potentially get credit for high school. I would not recommend taking them in order to help your career in becoming a pediatrician. Those will help you decide if you like science or not, but most often, colleges will make you retake any classes necessary to get into medical school. This is to make sure you are learning the information in order to get into medical school.
I think there is so much pressure to know what you want to do for your career and start preparing for it right away, but you have about 8 years until you apply to medical school to be a pediatrician with plenty of time to take the courses and do the activities necessary to gain experience. For now, I would enjoy your classes and take ones that interest you and challenge you and start worrying about the prerequisites in college.
I hope this helps and good luck in your freshman year!
Updated
Prit’s Answer
Hi Priscilla,
The above post was great and very descriptive. However, since you just starting your HS and it can be overwhelming to read all of that. I'd highly recommend you to pursue a wide array of extracurricular activities that are related to science, medicine and most importantly, activities that serve the community. The road to medical school and becoming a physician is full of exciting steps and pathways. But it is also a long and difficult journey, so prepare yourself the closer you are to starting undergraduate (college). Please try your best to understand and appreciate the basic sciences while in high school ( you will also relearn them in college) and be involved in your community. Those are the two most important steps to start your pathway to becoming a doctor while in any stage, in high school, college and even medical school.
Keep your mind open for now, into what type of doctor you want to be and not just a pediatrician,. You still have many experience in your near and far future. Best way to learn more about medicine and other specialties in general is to shadow physicians through out high school, but more likely in college.
Good luck and don't forget to enjoy your high school experience,
Prit
Enjoy highschool, join school extracurricular clubs, volunteer in your community
Shadow a doctor
Talk to family and/or friends that are in medicine or know people who are in medince. They'll give the best advice
The above post was great and very descriptive. However, since you just starting your HS and it can be overwhelming to read all of that. I'd highly recommend you to pursue a wide array of extracurricular activities that are related to science, medicine and most importantly, activities that serve the community. The road to medical school and becoming a physician is full of exciting steps and pathways. But it is also a long and difficult journey, so prepare yourself the closer you are to starting undergraduate (college). Please try your best to understand and appreciate the basic sciences while in high school ( you will also relearn them in college) and be involved in your community. Those are the two most important steps to start your pathway to becoming a doctor while in any stage, in high school, college and even medical school.
Keep your mind open for now, into what type of doctor you want to be and not just a pediatrician,. You still have many experience in your near and far future. Best way to learn more about medicine and other specialties in general is to shadow physicians through out high school, but more likely in college.
Good luck and don't forget to enjoy your high school experience,
Prit
Prit recommends the following next steps:
Thank you for the advice, I'll take it into consideration.
Priscilla