Occupation · SOC 29-1243
Pediatric Surgeons
Diagnose and perform surgery to treat fetal abnormalities and birth defects, diseases, and injuries in fetuses, premature and newborn infants, children, and adolescents. Includes all pediatric surgical specialties and subspecialties.
Median wage
$239,200
$189,720–$239,200
Projected growth
—
—
Annual openings
—
per year
Employed (US)
1,050
Job Zone 5
Typical preparation
Extensive preparation
Stackable credential programs
57 mapped
Core skills
Active ListeningCritical ThinkingReading ComprehensionSpeakingSocial PerceptivenessMonitoringJudgment and Decision MakingWriting
Knowledge areas
Medicine and DentistryCustomer and Personal ServiceEnglish LanguageBiologyPsychology
Technology & tools
Graphics or photo imaging softwareMedical softwareHuman resources softwareOperating system software
Representative tasks
Analyze patient's medical history, medication allergies, physical condition, and examination results to verify operation's necessity and to determine best procedure.Conduct research to develop and test surgical techniques that can improve operating procedures and outcomes.Consult with patient's other medical care specialists, such as cardiologist and endocrinologist, to determine if surgery is necessary.Describe preoperative and postoperative treatments and procedures, such as sedatives, diets, antibiotics, or preparation and treatment of the patient's operative area, to parents or guardians of the patient.Direct and coordinate activities of nurses, assistants, specialists, residents, and other medical staff.Examine fetuses, infants, children, and adolescents, and diagnose health issues to determine need for intervention, such as surgery.Examine instruments, equipment, and operating room to ensure sterility.Examine patient to obtain information on medical condition and surgical risk.Follow established surgical techniques during the operation.Inform parents and guardians of child's health problems and surgical procedures through various channels, such as in-person and telecommunication systems.Interpret results of preoperative tests and physical examinations.Manage surgery services, including planning, scheduling and coordination, determination of procedures, or procurement of supplies and equipment.Monitor patient's recovery, making follow-up visits and using postoperative assessment techniques, such as blood and imaging tests.Operate on fetuses, infants, children, and adolescents to correct deformities, repair injuries, prevent and treat diseases, or improve or restore patients' functions.Perform transplantation operations, such as organ transplants, on fetuses, infants, children, and adolescents.Prepare case histories.Provide consultation and surgical assistance to other physicians and surgeons.Refer patient to medical specialist or other practitioners when necessary.
Competency framework
Skill expectations by proficiency level.
emerging
Patient medical histories — collect and document under direct attending supervision in a pediatric surgical unit.Pediatric anatomy and developmental physiology — demonstrate foundational knowledge when preparing pre-operative assessments under faculty guidance.Diagnostic imaging and lab results — review and summarize findings for senior surgeons during morning rounds in a children's hospital setting.Health and medical histories — obtain from patients and caregivers using structured intake protocols under attending oversight.Surgical instrumentation and sterile technique — identify and handle correctly in the operating room under direct scrub-team supervision.Clinical observations and physical examination findings — record accurately in the electronic medical record under attending direction in an inpatient ward.Pediatric patient and family communication — practice using age-appropriate, plain-language explanations under supervision during pre-operative consultations.Post-operative monitoring parameters — recognize and report deviations from expected values to the supervising surgeon in an ICU environment.Evidence-based surgical protocols — read and apply standard guidelines under direction during simulated and real case preparation.Medical software and imaging platforms — navigate and retrieve patient data under instruction within hospital information systems.
developing
Pediatric surgical diagnoses — formulate independently for routine cases by integrating history, physical findings, and diagnostic studies in a general pediatric surgery clinic.Patient medical histories — obtain, interpret, and synthesize with reduced oversight to inform surgical planning across common pediatric conditions.Pre-operative care plans — develop and coordinate for elective pediatric procedures with minimal attending intervention in an ambulatory surgical setting.Intraoperative decision-making — execute standard maneuvers and adapt to expected anatomical variations during routine procedures in a pediatric OR.Post-operative complication monitoring — monitor patients and implement first-line interventions independently in a pediatric surgical ward.Neuromusculoskeletal and developmental assessments — perform structured evaluations and document findings for pediatric patients in a multidisciplinary clinic.Caregiver and patient education — deliver consistent discharge instructions and follow-up guidance using clear verbal and written communication.Critical thinking in case review — analyze outcomes and contribute substantive observations during morbidity and mortality conferences.Electronic medical record documentation — produce complete, accurate operative notes and progress notes routinely without peer review in a hospital system.Interdisciplinary collaboration — coordinate care plans with pediatric anesthesiology, nursing, and ancillary teams in a hospital surgical unit.
proficient
Complex pediatric surgical diagnoses — evaluate and determine management independently for non-routine and rare conditions across the full scope of pediatric surgery.Operative strategy — design and execute advanced minimally invasive and open surgical procedures autonomously in a high-volume children's hospital.Intraoperative complications — identify, problem-solve, and resolve unexpected findings without escalation during complex pediatric cases.Comprehensive health and medical history integration — synthesize multi-system patient histories and external records to guide nuanced surgical decision-making in tertiary care.Neuromusculoskeletal and spine pathology — assess functional status and direct evidence-based surgical or non-surgical management across the pediatric age spectrum.Judgment and decision making under uncertainty — weigh surgical risks and benefits for critically ill neonates and pediatric patients in an intensive care unit.Research literature and clinical evidence — critically appraise and apply current surgical evidence to individualize patient care plans in a subspecialty practice.Multidisciplinary care leadership — lead case conferences and coordinate complex care pathways involving oncology, radiology, and critical care teams.Patient and family counseling — conduct high-stakes informed consent discussions for high-risk procedures with clarity, empathy, and ethical rigor.Quality and outcomes monitoring — analyze departmental outcome data and implement process improvements within a pediatric surgical program.
advanced
Pediatric surgical program strategy — set clinical and operational direction for a division of pediatric surgery across multiple hospital sites and service lines.Surgical curriculum design — develop and oversee residency and fellowship training programs, establishing competency benchmarks for the next generation of pediatric surgeons.Institutional standards of care — author and champion evidence-based clinical protocols and safety guidelines adopted across a health system or national professional body.Organizational workforce development — mentor, evaluate, and promote junior surgeons and trainees, shaping culture and professional identity within a surgical department.Health system decision-making — advise executive leadership on surgical service investment, technology adoption, and resource allocation for pediatric populations.Research enterprise leadership — secure extramural funding, direct multi-site clinical trials, and translate findings into improved pediatric surgical practice nationally.Complex ethical and legal judgment — guide institutional ethics consultations and policy decisions involving high-risk pediatric surgical cases and end-of-life considerations.Interdisciplinary innovation — lead cross-specialty task forces integrating emerging surgical technology, imaging platforms, and informatics into pediatric surgical workflows.National and international advocacy — represent institutional and professional interests at regulatory bodies, surgical societies, and health policy forums.Outcomes and quality stewardship — design and oversee enterprise-wide quality improvement initiatives, benchmarking pediatric surgical outcomes against national registries.
Also known as
398 alternate job titles map to this occupation.
Spinal SurgeonPediatrician, Endocrinology (Air Force 44K3D)Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon, Temporomandibular Joint (Air Force 47S1A)Pediatrician, Cardiology (Air Force 44K4B)Otorhinolaryngologist - Head and Neck Surgeon, Pediatric Otolaryngology (Air Force 45N3C)Surgeon, Oncology (Air Force 45S3H)Surgeon, Peripheral Vascular (Air Force 45S4E)Pediatrician (Air Force 44KX)NeurosurgeonGeneral Surgeon (Army 61J)Aerospace Medical Service Apprentice, Independent Duty Medical Technician (Air Force 4N031C)Pediatrician, Infectious Diseases (Air Force 44K3K)Gynecologic Surgeon and Obstetrician, Minimally-Invasive Gynecologic Surgery (MIGS) (Air Force 45G4F)Aerospace Medical Service Helper, Neurodiagnostic Medical Technician (Air Force 4N011B)Ophthalmologist (Air Force 45E4)Pediatric NeurosurgeonCardiovascular Surgery PhysicianSurgical OncologistSurgeon, Neurological (Air Force 45S1F)Pediatrician, Infectious Diseases (Air Force 44K4K)General SurgeonOphthalmologist, Neuro-Ophthalmology (Air Force 45E3D)Ophthalmologist, Pathology (Air Force 45E3E)Family Physician (Air Force 44F3)Endodontist (Air Force 47E4)SurgeonColorectal SurgeonColon and Rectal SurgeonDentist, Dental Materials Science (Air Force 47G1E)Surgeon, Thoracic (Air Force 45S1A)Critical Care Medicine Physician (Air Force 44Y1)General Medical Officer (Army 62Z)Dentist, Hospital Dentistry (Air Force 47G3H)Critical Care Medicine Physician, Pediatrics (Air Force 44Y3K)Pediatric Orthopedic SurgeonOtorhinolaryngologist - Head and Neck Surgeon, Head and Neck Surgical Oncology (Air Force 45N1B)Aerospace Medical Service Craftsman, National Registry Paramedic (Air Force 4N071H)Aerospace Medical Service Journeyman, Neurodiagnostic Medical Technician (Air Force 4N051B)Aerospace Medical Service Helper, Independent Duty Medical Technician (Air Force 4N011C)Aerospace Medical Service Apprentice, Aeromedical Education Technician (Air Force 4N031G)