provider careers

Like most physicians, pediatricians typically choose their jobs based on a variety of factors, including family, location, opportunities for professional growth, lifestyle and income. 

And they’ve got options; pediatricians are in short supply and high demand.

But the path to a rewarding pediatric provider career isn’t likely to be paved with yellow bricks if you don’t take the time to consider the environment in which you’ll be spending your days (or nights). 

To help you find the road that’s right for you, take a look at these five different pediatric provider career options: 

The Solo Practice

Solo practitioners enjoy more individual freedom, ultimate decision-making authority when it comes to business decisions and incredibly close and personal relationships with their patients. 

It is often an outstanding career choice for enterprising physicians who possess entrepreneurial spirits. Solo practitioners typically get to immerse themselves in every aspect of the business–from real estate to human resources to technology to care protocols to business development and marketing. 

The vast majority (87 percent) of all pediatric office visits are provided in either private or group practices, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. 

The Group Practice

Pediatricians working in group practices tend to want to work as part of a team in an environment that delivers shorter work hours, shared decision-making responsibilities and plenty of time to focus on patient care.

Group practices often appeal to newly minted physicians interested in joining established practices where they can jump right in with patients, consult with other physicians and learn from experienced mentors. 

Pediatricians who work in group practices have plenty of colleagues–the vast majority of pediatricians in the United States work in group practices, according to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The Locum Tenens

In the 1970s, the federal government awarded a grant to the University of Utah to ensure that clinics in rural areas of the state would be staffed with physicians. Since then, the program has grown to include other areas of the country that are medically under-served. 

Locum tenen positions provide a temporary pediatric provider career path focused on community service. Locum tenens make tangible differences in the lives of children who might not otherwise have access to physicians with the training and skills to meet their needs. In addition, the opportunities allow pediatricians to gain valuable experience which can be used to hone their clinical skills.

Learn more about Locum tenens here. 

The Academic Health Center

The country needs pediatricians and it needs faculty to train them, conduct research to improve health care and develop innovations in delivery. 

This work typically occurs in academic health centers. 

Pediatricians who work in academic health centers work on teams, teach, conduct research and typically have access to the latest technology, tools, equipment and patients. They also enjoy a well-established benefit structure as well as a steady flow of income. 

Learn more about how academic pediatrics is improving the health and well-being of children.

The Community Hospital

Community hospitals play an incredibly important role in the country’s healthcare system. They meet the preventative, tertiary and critical care needs of patients in communities large and small–and they offer incredible opportunities for pediatricians. 

The American Hospital Association estimates that more than 33 million patients were admitted to community hospitals in 2016, and many were children. Pediatricians working in community hospitals often work on complex cases. They partner and collaborate with specialists. And they enjoy a steady flow of income that isn’t typically tied to patient census or clinical appointments. 

There are more than 4,000 community hospitals across the country, making it possible for pediatricians to work in rural, suburban or urban settings. 

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If a community hospital is a career path you’d like to walk down, consider Elliot Health System.

As 2016 comes to a close, it’s time to start thinking about the future. That’s right, it’s time for physicians, physician assistants and nurse practitioners to make their New Year’s resolutions. 

Here’s a look at what you should resolve to accomplish in 2017:

Get on board the mHealth bandwagon

mHealth stands for “mobile health,” and it just might represent the future of health care. 

Right now, nearly 70 percent of all adults in the United States have smartphones, according to the Pew Research Center — and many of these people are using mobile apps to access their medical information, research illnesses and ailments and connect with their physicians. 

mHealth represents an incredible opportunity for physicians to improve efficiency, communications and outcomes. It also offers opportunities for you to grow your practice and keep costs under control. 

For these reasons (and more), the health care app industry is growing incredibly quickly. 

If you are not currently riding along on the mHealth bandwagon, resolve to get on board in 2017. Your patients and your practice will thank you for it. 

Partner with your patients

There was a time in the not-too-distant past when physicians and their teams were clearly in control of nearly every health care conversation. Patients were incredibly deferential (almost to a fault) to their doctors, physician assistants and nurse practitioners. 

Those days are over. 

Today, patients have much more control over their health care. Because patients are paying more for their care, they’re asking more questions, raising expectations and making more decisions about what type of care they receive. 

That’s why you have to partner with your patients. 

Make it as easy as possible for them to access their medical information. Include them in your decision-making process. Create a comfortable and welcoming environment for patients–both literally and figuratively. 

When you partner with your patients, you increase the likelihood that they will choose you for their medical needs–and recommend you to their friends and family. 

Consider a community hospital

If you’re being honest with yourself, it would be easy to admit that you have wondered what it would be like to work at a community hospital. 

You’ve heard the stories about physicians who have the freedom to work on all sorts of interesting cases without having to defer to teams of more senior doctors. You’ve talked to physician assistants who are trusted to use their expanded functions. You’ve read articles about nurse practitioners who are always treated as critically important parts of their medical teams.

And all of these stories have come out community hospitals.

If you have ever wondered what it would be like to work in an environment that offers health care professionals more opportunities and less bureaucracy, 2017 is the time to consider taking your career to a community hospital.