What Is a Pediatric Rheumatologist and How to Become One

By ZipRecruiter Marketplace Research Team

A pediatric rheumatologist works with children to diagnose musculoskeletal and some autoimmune rheumatic disease. As a pediatric rheumatologist, you work at a hospital or outpatient clinic, developing treatment plans for patients. Your responsibilities include researching rheumatological diseases and conditions, staying abreast of advances in treatment and diagnosis, to further inform your treatments for rheumatic conditions. You must have superb problem-solving skills and an ability to connect and empathize with children to fully grasp their ailments. Your duties require active collaboration with therapists, surgeons, and other specialists, as you outline treatment plans for patients and communicate with parents and caregivers. With considerable experience, you may transition into working as an instructor, such as at a medical school or by mentoring rheumatology interns.

Obtaining work as a pediatric rheumatologist requires a significant amount of education. Qualifications include obtaining a bachelor’s degree in a medical-related field, upon which you enroll in medical school, and earn your M.D. after four years. After medical school, you complete a three-year internal medicine residency. Once your residency is complete, you then complete a fellowship in rheumatology, lasting at least an additional two years. Pediatric rheumatology further requires an additional two-year pediatric residency on top of the regular rheumatology fellowship. Rheumatologists must have a license to practice from the state where they work, and pediatric rheumatologists must have certification from the American Board of Pediatrics.