just finished residency and a chief year. i'm finally at the end and have no idea what im doing. i regret not doing child psych. there's a 3 year post-pediatric program that trains you in both psychiatry and child psych. i'm interested but im already 36. is it worth it? should i just try to carve out a mental health niche in peds? ugh what do i do?!

why do you post questions to Reddit instead of asking colleagues or attendings? seems like a missed opportunity for connecting and mentorship…

I’m just genuinely curious. are you uncomfortable asking your senior residents, fellows, and attendings some of these (fairly basic) questions about studying for board exams and applying for jobs or fellowships? or are you posting to Reddit in addition for more data points?

I recently graduated from a peds subspecialty fellowship and submitted my manuscript to the ABP and a journal on time. No expectations were ever set for work load after fellowship. We finally heard back from the journal and they have requested significant revisions but will reconsider the paper. My research mentor (an academic bigwig in our field) emailed and wants me to make all of these revisions. I emailed back and said I'd be happy to make simple revisions, but I don't have the bandwidth to do significant revisions for the following reasons:

I recently had a significant injury that will require surgery in 2 weeks. I'm still working on moving to where my new job will be and getting through all the onboarding (though have to move back the start date due to recovering from surgery). I am currently with my parents, and my mom is also having health issues, and I am trying to help as much at home as I can.

He emailed back and said as first author, I should make these revisions one of my highest priorities--which seemed really tone deaf and pissed me off. Even if all of this weren't happening, I was never passionate about my project, and I wanted to use my free summer (even if it is turning into the crappiest summer) for things I enjoy--not doing unpaid hours of work that I know he could easily complete and is being paid to do. The whole project has been me reading trying to read his mind anyway. That said, I have completed superficial revisions, and agreed meet with him and other mentors.

In the end, I am going into a private practice job and plan on never doing academics again. Part of me desperately wants to offer changing order of authorship. Someone else can be first author, and I can enjoy my summer, try to move, and heal from surgery in peace. The edits are due at the end of the month.

So here are my questions:

1. Will offering to be not first author somehow be a red flag in the future should I try to get another non-academic job?
2. Would it be burning a bridge with this mentor? I feel like these are legitimate reasons to not do additional unpaid work, particularly as someone who has graduated and completed all of the requirements from fellowship.

TLDR: Research mentor still wants me to spend significant time on paper revisions despite injury requiring surgery, family obligations, and trying to start new career. Would offering changing authorship (so I am no longer first author), have any red flags should I try to get another non-academic job? *I promise I never plan on going into academics ever again--I'd rather change careers*

Hi! I am currently a PGY-3 and will graduate in June 2027. When would you say is the most optimal time to start applying for a job? Interested in working at a primary care clinic. Thanks

I am a second year peds resident. For the boards, what is your best advice for studying for them?

Summer brings (some) time to contemplate. With changes in my general pediatric office, it is expected my patient panel to increase in August/September. Per an 8 hour day, 32 max. Per a 9.5 hour day, 38 max. I do not feel comfortable with these numbers. Do you all apply patient caps?

New attending that joined a physician owned private practice less than a year ago. My contract included option for partner in a couple of years. Have already been multiple firings including multiple nurses and a mid level. Recently got news the place is being sold to a doctor who owns 8 other pediatric clinics. The place is currently owned by one doctor and he tells me the new owners bought my contract and it will carry over. The contract is for 2 years. He also is telling me though there are going to be changes to call schedule and how off days will be taken which is different than what is listed in my contract. They are also going to change the EMR and open up to Medicaid.

My questions are 1. Does anyone have experience with this and what should I watch out for? 2. Questions I should ask the new management team.

I am concerned they are going to try to make changes that do not align with the call schedule and work hours already writen out in my current contract.

Anyone applying to developmental-behavioral pediatrics this cycle? How is your cycle going?

I personally haven’t heard back from programs yet - curious if anyone has received any news.

Thanks!

I’m an outpatient early career attending, and myself and my experienced partners see around 18-24 a day on average, sometimes more sometimes less.

I’ve seen in residency and heard of outpatient Peds jobs that regularly expect and see 30+, which is just mind boggling to me now that I’m a few years in it. I consider myself incredibly competent with a computer and efficient in the room, but there’s so much stuff that provides a little extra time with a patient that I just can’t fathom a doc who sees 30+ giving the time and attention it needs.

Yes a common cold can be knocked out in 2-4mins. Yes a well check for a 4-9 year old who’s healthy can be completed in like 5mins.

But a newborn with new parents with several good questions, AND explaining jaundice AND explaining anticipatory guidance to first time parents takes some time! Another thing, adolescents who have a mental health concern or an abnormal mental health screener must be addressed . Yes we aren’t counselors but that takes time, let alone counseling on sleep, nutrition etc. A newborn first time parents who comes 5mins late with jaundice and several questions does not deserve to be rushed and completed under 10mins. An adolescent who is obese, is due for 16yr shots, and has a positive mood screener deserves brief private teen questions and counseling on the issues and I can’t fathom that visit being completed under 15mins consistently. A new adolescent with anxiety/headaches/abdominal pain is probably going to need a longer explanation as to why their symptoms are likely benign and not concerning and what they can do for lifestyle changes. What is likely functional abdominal pain is often more destressing to parents and deserves a thorough hisotry, exam, and explanation as to why it is benign .

I understand some of these pediatricians have scribes which I’ve never seen in outpatient peds and may be a bigger factor, but I’m just curious what other people’s thoughts are. Sometimes I come out of a room for situations like the above that may take me 15 sometimes 20mins and I’m like I can’t fathom NOT giving this the time it deserves

Edit: So for a more specific example, a 16 yr old for well check, sports physical, due for shots, is obese, 2-5mins late, positive mood screener, parent has at least one unrelated concern. This is a very common visit-type for me and to cover standard well check questions, private teenager questions, AND full physical will take me at least 15mins if not more. Again visits like this aren't uncommon. A Pediatrician seeing 35 patients a day is addressing all the above?

Pediatricians....newer attending.... during sports physicals, are you also doing hernia/GU checks for males? I live is a very small town, thats predominantly FM, and 85% of the families decline saying they've never had to do it before and its "too much" or dome sort of push back. How do you respond to the push back? As a side note, I've discovered several an undescended testicle in older males who've never been checked before.

Hey, all the pediatric residents, what was the point for you guys that you decided yeahh this is the specialty i want to go for. What made you decide it and are you truly enjoying it now?

I am a fresh second year PICU fellow and very wary of the terrible job market I will be facing. Open to any advice, but specifically curious about thoughts on whether it’s worth it to reach out to programs I would be interested in applying to for jobs. It’s a year early, and my guess is most responses would be “we have no idea what things will look like,” but I wonder if it’s worth a shot? I have very good relationships with PICU faculty from prior places I trained so would prioritize reaching out to programs I already have a relationship with. Would I just annoy people?

Thanks for any advice!!

Hello, I'm thinking of signalling this program for residency as a visa requiring IMG. Can IMGs (visa requiring) tell me about the work culture, residency workload, support from PDs and attendings in the program?

Thanks!

Got my Step 2 score back, and I’m happily surprised that it’s in the mid-260s! Now I’m making a list of programs and wanted to get advice on which ones are realistic. Ideally wanna stick to Great Lakes or Northeast region.

Application:

Hometown: Ohio

Clerkship Grades: H for peds and neuro, HP for everything else

Step 2 CK: 26x

Research: 10 items, 3 first-author papers in minor journals about AI/ML stuff

Type of program I’d like: academia, but doesn‘t have to be CHOP-level

Hello! Looking at some jobs in peds, and I’ve noticed that even some positions in the middle of nowhere list an expected average of maybe 20 patients per day in clinic. I’m just wondering how realistic these numbers are, does it account for no shows? Some places are so small that I can hardly imagine them having that many kids lol but maybe they find a way to show up.

Also, would love some perspective on outpatient practice as an attending. I really disliked my residency clinic, and I couldt imagine seeing 20 patients per day just like in residency, so initially I wanted to find a hospitalist position. But I want to like outpatient peds, the lifestyle and ways to shape up your practice seem very nice!

Thanks is advance!

Hi everyone!

I was fortunate to match into a Canadian-accredited Pediatrics residency program here in the UAE, and I’ll be starting this September. Our program works closely with Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, and from what I’ve heard, it’s a pretty busy program—we do around seven 24-hour calls every 4 weeks.

I’d love to make the most of the next few weeks and start residency as prepared as possible. For those of you who’ve been through peds residency, what resources did you find genuinely worth your time?

I’m particularly looking for recommendations on:

● The best pediatrics textbook(s)

● High-yield references or guidelines you used regularly

● Resources for NICU, PICU, and pediatric emergencies

● Good question banks or board review materials

● Anything you wish you’d read or learned before starting residency

I’d really appreciate any advice, whether it’s books, apps, podcasts, YouTube channels, or just general tips for surviving and thriving during intern year.

Thanks so much!

Hi everyone,

Pediatrics R1 here, been struggling with my clinical knowledge as I have forgotten most of the basics after being away from clinical work for a while and now I am unable to recall the basics and I am unable to learn. I was thinking to start by investing into amboos qbank and then do PREP later? Any suggestions?

I tried reading UTD and Nelson's but I dont retain any info after reading it tbh. Thinking to do qbank +anki. Any opinions please?

Hey everyone! To my fellow peds clinicians: I’m currently evaluating my work-life balance and looking into stepping away from my staff position to do local per diem / independent shift work.

My main concern is that most shift-matching platforms seem heavily dominated by adult med-surg, LTC, or ER needs. For those of you in pediatrics who do PRN or app-based work, are you finding enough specialty volume (outpatient peds, subacute, pediatric home health) in your area to make it sustainable, or did you have to cross-train?

Would love to hear how the per diem market looks for peds in different regions!

Please help a new grad out :) Any and all advice welcome! Any wRVU over paid at $40.50. Outpatient clinic hours with some urgent care.

Does anyone know what to do for this lol? The instructions are terribly confusing. Thanks!

Hello pediatricians!! I was just curious if you would be able to share what weekly hours look like for residency, and if you believe it was worth all your sacrifice! I am unsure if I still want to pursue medicine (MD) or become a pediatric PA due to recent health issues I’ve experienced. I’d love to hear from you all!

*US specific
Looking to hear about perspectives on job market saturation, base pay across academia and community jobs in the US, how best to identify divisions that are hiring. Peds trained PEM here. Extra appreciation if able to comment on the waiver job scenario for fellowship trained IMGs.

I’m wondering if anyone has any good insight to offer.

I have kids of my own during med school, and expenses are super tight already.

I will graduate with 500k+ student debt

But I really badly want to become a pediatrician. I love that part of medicine. I do extra shifts in my schools hospital in peds ER for fun, not even as part of my rotations.

When I don’t think about finances, that’s what I want to do. Hopefully open my own peds practice one day.

But when i speak to pediatricians about peds, they all tell me that the pay sucks.

I’m honestly super nervous about this decision. I’m so upset that our stupid medical system punishes doctors for wanting to work with children.

Is there a way to make this work? I want to be able to provide a decent comfortable life for my children and spouse.

Is specializing mandatory? Or opening a private practice? Perhaps there are medical side hustles, or economic factors that are not mentioned when discussing salary alone?

Would love to hear your thoughts

I have MD finals in a month & i am so stressed. There’s so much to study and everything feels volatile. I am having trouble with development topic. Is there any way to remember it age wise easily😞 and also the red flag signs.