Career Research

Description

Pediatric surgeons perform specialized surgery on infants, children, and young adults. They are trained to attend to this specific age group ranging from simple procedures to rare and complex ones. There are also many subspecialties within pediatric surgery depending on the type of unique issue a patient presents. Along with surgical skills, pediatric surgeons are also required to have good interpersonal skills, a solid communication foundation and a caring nature to them—children aren't always able to speak what they feel, so being able to interpret and communicate effectively all while maintaining a compassionate manor is crucial.

Education Requirements

Pediatric surgery takes years of education and mastery. All future pediatric surgeons must earn a Bachelors degree and takes the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT) in order to be admitted into medical school. Medical school for pediatric surgeons spans across 4 years—upon completion of the course aspiring surgeons receive a Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) degree. Next, pediatric surgeons must be admitted into a five-year general surgery residency program with a subsequent two-year fellowship program specializing in pediatric surgery. Once these two courses are finished, these up-and-coming pediatric surgeons must pass the U.S. Medical Licensing Exam (USMLE) and obtain a board certification by the American Board of Surgery. Only then can a person be labeled as a practicing pediatric surgeon.

Job Outlook

Under current economic conditions, it is projected that the supply of jobs for pediatric surgeons will grow rapidly. The current entry rate of pediatric surgeons is 34 people per year. This number set to grow to 56 people per year after 2025 through 2030. This correlates with the predicted increased rate of complex surgeries. The rising number of niche surgeries creates a path for subspecialties within pediatric surgery to be created in order to train said surgeons to be able to perform these procedures. In general, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects that employment of physicians and surgeons, including pediatric surgeons, will grow by about 3% from 2021 to 2031. 

Salary and Advancement

The salary for a pediatric surgeon can vary depending on geographical factors and place of work. As March 1st, 2025, the average salary of a pediatric surgeon is $543,170. However, Salary.com released the statistic that the pay of a pediatric surgeon nationally ranges from $439,216 to $680,969, with most professionals earning between $344,081 and $805,937. Again, there are many factors that can affect what a pediatric surgeon makes, but the most significant one is experience. In New York, a surgeon with less than a one year of experience (entry level) can expect to make around $496,120. Whereas a pediatric surgeon with over 8 years of experience (senior level) can expect to make around $608,690. This is a whopping 19% increase in salary amount over the course of 8 years.

Potential Barriers

Pediatric surgery is an every evolving, complex field. Meaning that being able to keep up with all of the new technologies, techniques, and methods of detection can be overwhelming and, at times, feel impossible. Not to mention the fact pediatric surgery requires a ton of supervision, so if one can not achieve this, becoming a pediatric surgeon can be even more difficult. Overall, becoming a pediatric surgeon is doable, but there are many things that have to be accounted and planned for in order to create the maximum amount of success.