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CAREER EXPLORATION
PROJECT
Tamah Anderson
EDUC 1300: Learning Frameworks

31456- MW 2:30
Fall 2014

Tamah Anderson
EDUC 1300 Learning Frameworks
31456- MW 2:30
Career Exploration Project
Introduction:
When people ask me what I want to be, I immediately say Pediatrician! I have five
sisters and they are all really annoying and Im probably annoying to them. When someone says
they have multiple siblings, the first thing many people thing about is that that person may not
want kids or what anything to do with kids. I have a lot of siblings, but I still want to work with
kids and have kids of my own. I first became interested in this career because I thought that it
meant taking care of babies, but it now means much more. My mother works at MD Anderson
and she just wants the best for me but sometime she loses hope. This career means a lot to me as
well as it does to my parents. I want it for myself and to get my families attention.
I have special skills that would make this career easy for me such as: a desire to work
with children, put people to ease, good communication skills with parents and their children,
great attention span, and child bound level of patience. In terms of weaknesses, I dont have
much patience for childrens parents and I hate rude parentsin other words, I would knock the
mess out of a bad attitude parents. But overall these are my likes and dislikes of this career
choice.
My goals in this career is to really just succeed so that I can make a long life living of it. I
love children, I like working with them, I like helping them, but overall I just like making sure
that the children of the world are safe and okay. Being a Pediatrician would feed my passions,
actually in many different ways. One: Im going to know that Im doing something affective in
the world by taking care of our youth itself, and two: Ill always feel like Im a somebody as
the world makes us think we should and be. I feel that I can make a change if I work hard at it.

Tamah Anderson
EDUC 1300 Learning Frameworks
31456- MW 2:30
Career Exploration Project
Research Paper:
With a specialized medical degree in pediatrics, you have many options in the type of
work environment you want. You can choose to take a position at a traditional hospital, children's
hospital or clinic, or you can go into private practice. Pediatricians also can choose to work in
general pediatrics or specialize in areas that treat more advanced child health issues, like surgery,
cardiology and neurology.
A general pediatrician treats all types of infectious childhood diseases including mumps,
measles and chicken pox. During the course of a regular workday, a doctor deals with matters
ranging from a case of acne to a child's ongoing battle with muscular dystrophy. Many of their
patients have yet to develop communication skills; therefore, the physician must be able to
provide a diagnosis based on visual and auditory. Most general pediatricians work in family
health practices. HMOs and children's hospitals hire the majority of pediatricians, with smaller
private pediatric clinics being the second largest employer. Most pediatricians work more than
full-time, usually around 60 hours per week. Those who work in hospitals or clinics should often
work in shift rotations and on an on-call basis. Even general pediatricians in private practice are
often called in to consult with hospital doctors when one of their regular patients is brought in as
an emergency patient.
Choosing a pediatrician school is based on both the general medical knowledge obtained
and the availability of a residency. When choosing, it's important that the student has conducted
proper research and understands what is required of him or her to eventually become a medical
doctor. After completing their undergraduate studies, prospective doctors are required to go

Tamah Anderson
EDUC 1300 Learning Frameworks
31456- MW 2:30
Career Exploration Project
through four years of medical schooling followed by a hospital residency lasting 2-6 years. The
first two years of medical school require both classroom and laboratory work. Some classes may
include biochemistry, organic chemistry, pharmacology, pathology, medical ethics, diagnosis and
patient examination. The second two years are dedicated to working alongside licensed
physicians in rotations of various natures, including pediatrics. Becoming a pediatrician next
involves research and work at the residency level. This is why an aspiring pediatrician may want
to look into residency programs early on. Pediatricians follow the same medical training regime
as other doctors. Many complete bachelor's degree programs and then go on to pursue medical
degrees from an accredited medical school. Most pediatricians obtain a Doctor of Medicine
(M.D.). However, individuals with a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.) may also practice
general pediatrics in primary care or family practice offices. Both require four years of medical
school and 3-8 years of internships and residencies. Upon graduation, pediatricians must pass the
U.S. Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) in order to practice as physicians.
Admission to medical school is competitive. Applicants are required to submit Medical
College Admission Test (MCAT) scores and undergraduate transcripts. Undergraduate
coursework in English, biology, chemistry and physics is required prior to admission. Many
prospective pediatricians also volunteer or work part-time at a hospital or other healthcare
facility to gain medical experience. The debt that many medical students build up to get through
school. Depending on whether you go to a public or private medical school, you might pay from
$24,553 to $37,445 a year, and you will likely end up with an average of about $90,745 in debt.
Neonatal and perinatal medicine is a specific field associated with pediatrics. Neonatal
medicine treats illnesses related to newborns and perinatal medicine addresses medical concerns
3

Tamah Anderson
EDUC 1300 Learning Frameworks
31456- MW 2:30
Career Exploration Project
affecting unborn babies during the second half of the mother's pregnancy, during childbirth and
for a few weeks after delivery. This related field provides care for both premature and full-term
infants who require medical treatment. To practice neonatal perinatal medicine, you must have a
medical degree in neonatal and perinatal medicine, complete a residency in this specialty and
obtain board certification. According to Duke Children's Hospital, neonatal and perinatal doctors
treat infants with respiratory failure, pulmonary hypertension and perinatal asphyxia, which is
the deprivation of oxygen during pregnancy or childbirth. This pediatric-related occupation also
provides long-term neurodevelopmental follow-up care for high-risk infants. If you choose this
specialty, you'll spend most of your time communicating with parents and caregivers since
infants are too young to communicate verbally.
The chart below shows specialty choice and their salaries. A pediatrician is shown to have
an average salary of 185,740 and percentage of residents slots filled by U.S. M.D. graduates as
72.8%. http://dartmed.dartmouth.edu/spring09/images/supply_side_04.jpg

Tamah Anderson
EDUC 1300 Learning Frameworks
31456- MW 2:30
Career Exploration Project
Interview:
I interviewed my Pediatrician, Dr. Marina L. Ramirez. She has a passion for children and
has explained that she loves her job as a Pediatrician. She works at Kelsey-Seybold Clinic and
shes always accepting new patients. Dr. Ramirez joined Kelsey-Seybold in September 12, 1988.
Dr. Ramirez has been working at Kelsey-Seybold for over 20 years. She really enjoys
watching her patients grow up from infancy to adulthood. Dr. Ramirez exclaimed that she is
honored to be a part of her patients lives and seeing them again as their parents bring them back
to get pediatric care and that she hopes to be there for another 20 plus years. She stated the right
hospital is as important as the right doctor. Well Im guessing thats her.
Dr. Ramirez went to the medical school; university of Texas medical branch of Galveston
and graduated in 1985. She also attended an internship hospital; University of Texas at Houston
and it was completed in 1986. She has worked at Methodist hospital and St. Lukes Medical
Center.
Dr. Ramirez speaks three different languages such as: English, Spanish, and Arabic. She
is a four star recommended Pediatrician. And she has gotten awards such as the Health Grades
Honor Roll.
Dr. Ramirez only accepts these insurances: United Healthcare, Principal Financial Group,
Aetna, Assurant Health, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna, Coventry Health Care, First Health,
Guardian, Health Net, Humana, and Multiplan.

Tamah Anderson
EDUC 1300 Learning Frameworks
31456- MW 2:30
Career Exploration Project
Bibliography:
"Developmental Behavioral Pediatrics Clinic." University of Minnesota Physicians. N.p., n.d.
Web. 17 Dec. 2012.
"History of Pediatrics." Pediatrics.com RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Dec. 2012.
"Pediatric Cardiologist: Job Description and Requirements for a Career in Pediatric Cardiology."
Pediatric Cardiologist: Job Description and Requirements for a Career in Pediatric Cardiology.
N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Dec. 2012.
"Pediatrician Salary." Pediatrician Salary. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Dec. 2012.
"Pediatricians" Job Description - Part 1." Pediatricians Job Description, Duties and Jobs. N.p.,
n.d. Web. 03 Jan. 2013.
"The Career of a Pediatrician." Pediatrician. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Dec. 2012.
"Types of Pediatric Specialists." Find a Pediatric Therapist. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Dec. 2012.
"What Is a Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrician?" HealthyChildren.org. N.p., n.d. Web. 17
Dec. 2012.
What Is a Pediatric Critical Care Specialist?" HealthyChildren.org. American Academy of
Pediatrics, n.d. Web. 17 Dec. 2012.