3 answers
Mya
Student
Elk River, Minnesota
5
Questions
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What are the hours of a regular pediatrician?
I hear many different answers so I was wondering if someone could help me learn about their hours or schedule.
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3 answers
Chinyere Okafor
Educationist and Counseling Psychologist
616
Answers
Port Harcourt, Rivers, Nigeria
Updated
Chinyere’s Answer
Hello Mya,
Good question! Pediatricians typically work a range of hours, depending on their work setting (private practice, hospital, or clinic). Here’s a general breakdown:
- Private Practice Pediatricians: Their hours are usually Monday through Friday, around 9 a.m. to 5 or 6 p.m. Some may also work on Saturdays for a half-day or alternate weekends.
- Hospital-Based Pediatricians: Their schedules can be more irregular, including shifts during nights, weekends, or holidays. These hours depend on the hospital’s needs and whether they work in emergency or inpatient care.
- Clinic Pediatricians: They may follow standard business hours, but some community clinics offer extended hours, meaning pediatricians could work later in the evening or on weekends.
Additionally, pediatricians may be on call for emergencies or to consult patients after hours. The specific schedule can vary widely based on the practice setting and location.
Best wishes!
Good question! Pediatricians typically work a range of hours, depending on their work setting (private practice, hospital, or clinic). Here’s a general breakdown:
- Private Practice Pediatricians: Their hours are usually Monday through Friday, around 9 a.m. to 5 or 6 p.m. Some may also work on Saturdays for a half-day or alternate weekends.
- Hospital-Based Pediatricians: Their schedules can be more irregular, including shifts during nights, weekends, or holidays. These hours depend on the hospital’s needs and whether they work in emergency or inpatient care.
- Clinic Pediatricians: They may follow standard business hours, but some community clinics offer extended hours, meaning pediatricians could work later in the evening or on weekends.
Additionally, pediatricians may be on call for emergencies or to consult patients after hours. The specific schedule can vary widely based on the practice setting and location.
Best wishes!
Eric Emery
Pediatrician
1
Answer
Denver, Colorado
Updated
Eric’s Answer
I will echo what the previous answers said in that there is not one set time and one of the more interesting aspects of medicine is that after medical school and residency, you get a lot of freedom in deciding what time of job and what hours you would like to work. The main types of pediatric jobs include:
Outpatient (clinic)
Inpatient (hospital)
Outpatient can vary from private practice, group practice, urgent care, telemedicine, full time, part time, per diem. Most "typical" pediatric clinics are open 8 hours a day, between 8-9am to 4-6pm. Sometimes clinics will have a Saturday opening to see newborns or other follow up visits, usually a half day (9am-12pm).
Urgent care positions are usually 8 or 12 hours shifts, and stay open later in the afternoon when the regular offices close, for example 3pm-11pm or 8am-8pm. Urgent care more often includes weekend shifts because they tend to be open 7 days a week. "Being on call" means that you answer phone calls from parents with issues after the work day is done, even overnight. This tends to be split with other providers in your clinic if possible. Sometimes clinics will have a nursing line to screen initial calls and then only contact you if it's urgent/emergent.
Inpatient hours, as said above, vary widely. Those are usually longer shifts, 10-12 hours, starting around 6-8am and finishing around 6-8 pm. These can be during the day or you can do night shifts which are exactly what they sound like. The weekly schedule can vary as well, from a set number of shifts per month which means each week is different to 7 days on and 7 days off, it can be a wide range. Hospitalist positions tend not to be "on call" like an outpatient pediatrician.
Full time, part time, and per diem can mean different things, but full time tends to mean at least 32-40 hours per week, part time is half that, and per diem (as needed) means you pick up shifts when you want to or when they are available.
Good luck!
Outpatient (clinic)
Inpatient (hospital)
Outpatient can vary from private practice, group practice, urgent care, telemedicine, full time, part time, per diem. Most "typical" pediatric clinics are open 8 hours a day, between 8-9am to 4-6pm. Sometimes clinics will have a Saturday opening to see newborns or other follow up visits, usually a half day (9am-12pm).
Urgent care positions are usually 8 or 12 hours shifts, and stay open later in the afternoon when the regular offices close, for example 3pm-11pm or 8am-8pm. Urgent care more often includes weekend shifts because they tend to be open 7 days a week. "Being on call" means that you answer phone calls from parents with issues after the work day is done, even overnight. This tends to be split with other providers in your clinic if possible. Sometimes clinics will have a nursing line to screen initial calls and then only contact you if it's urgent/emergent.
Inpatient hours, as said above, vary widely. Those are usually longer shifts, 10-12 hours, starting around 6-8am and finishing around 6-8 pm. These can be during the day or you can do night shifts which are exactly what they sound like. The weekly schedule can vary as well, from a set number of shifts per month which means each week is different to 7 days on and 7 days off, it can be a wide range. Hospitalist positions tend not to be "on call" like an outpatient pediatrician.
Full time, part time, and per diem can mean different things, but full time tends to mean at least 32-40 hours per week, part time is half that, and per diem (as needed) means you pick up shifts when you want to or when they are available.
Good luck!
Rachel Gilmer
RN, Labor & Delivery; College Faculty
21
Answers
Los Angeles, California
Updated
Rachel’s Answer
The reason you are hearing different things is because there are really different situations as described by the previous person. You say"regular pediatrician" which I'm guessing you mean an office only pediatrician. The problem is there isn't really such a thing. If you have a private solo practice (meaning you do not have any partners in your practice/ office), you are solely responsible for all your patients. When there's a parent with a late night question or concern they call YOU!! Then you tell the patent what to do, go to the Emergency room or call the office in the morning, or you prescribe treatment over the phone.
Most pediatricians like to share this burden, so then you will take call on some nights and the partners will take the other nights.
Then to maintain your admission status at hospitals you have to take call for the emergency room as well, either in person or available for phone or in person consults.
Being a doctor of any kind has many facets and though you may eventually get the "perfect" schedule, you will have to spend some years building up to that.
I'm excited for you though, as a pediatrician you will make a difference in so many lives for the present and into the future. Healthy children grow up to be healthy adults and then have healthy children.
Welcome to the world of medicine! It's exciting!
Most pediatricians like to share this burden, so then you will take call on some nights and the partners will take the other nights.
Then to maintain your admission status at hospitals you have to take call for the emergency room as well, either in person or available for phone or in person consults.
Being a doctor of any kind has many facets and though you may eventually get the "perfect" schedule, you will have to spend some years building up to that.
I'm excited for you though, as a pediatrician you will make a difference in so many lives for the present and into the future. Healthy children grow up to be healthy adults and then have healthy children.
Welcome to the world of medicine! It's exciting!