- knowledge of medicine and dentistry
- sensitivity and understanding
- counselling skills including active listening and a non-judgemental approach
- thinking and reasoning skills
- to be thorough and pay attention to detail
- customer service skills
- the ability to accept criticism and work well under pressure
- excellent verbal communication skills
- knowledge of psychology
- to be able to use a computer and the main software packages competently
Your day-to-day duties may include:
- assessing children who are ill, injured or have disabilities
- referring patients to specialist consultants for tests
- prescribing medication, surgery or therapies
- explaining diagnosis and treatment plans to parents and children
- writing patient notes and producing medical reports for professionals
- monitoring patient progress and responses to treatments
- supervising and training junior medical staff
You may need to wear a uniform.
You could work in an NHS or private hospital, at a health centre or in the community.
Your working environment may be physically and emotionally demanding.
You can apply for senior consultant roles, once you're on the General Medical Council Specialist Register.
You may go on to lead a team, manage a department or become medical director for an NHS Trust.
You could also move into teaching and training students, trainee doctors and other healthcare professionals.
You can find out more about careers in paediatrics from the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health and Health Careers.
