By- Akanksha Yadav

About the course:

Pediatrics is a field where individuals study the medical care of infants, children and adolescents. MD in Pediatrics is a 3-year-long postgraduate medical program which is focused on the diagnosis, and treatment of medical conditions affecting young children.  During MD Pediatrics, students learn about various concepts and processes related to the paediatrics field. MD Pediatrics course is certified by the Medical Council of India (MCI). MD Pediatrics course should be done by someone who has a strong desire to learn about, analyse and diagnose children's psychological and physical health.

Currently, in India, there are various private/government colleges/institutes where MD Pediatrics course is available. The fees in private colleges are usually higher than the government ones. The tuition fees for MD Pediatrics can go from INR 5,000 to INR 25, 00,000 per annum. After finishing the MD Pediatrics degree, individuals can work as a paediatrician, pediatric surgeons, pediatric cardiologists, neonatologists etc. They can earn a salary of INR 45000 per month to INR 1-2 lakhs per month.

The duration of MD Pediatrics:

MD Pediatrics course is a 3-year postgraduate course. During this course, students study various medical conditions affecting babies, children and young people, significantly below the age of 12 years. Through this course, students also get training on providing nutritional advice for babies, infants, children and adolescents.

The eligibility criteria for MD Pediatrics:

Students wanting to pursue an MD Pediatrics course can check the course eligibility criteria below.

• The student should have an MBBS degree from an institute/college recognized by the Medical Council of India (MCI) with a minimum of 55% marks.
• Candidate should have completed his/her 1-year mandatory internship after completing his/her graduation.
• The candidate should have qualified for NEET-PG or the required entrance examination.
• Admission is usually based on merit in the entrance exam. It is given on the merit list based on marks obtained in the entrance exam and counselling process.

Subjects in MD Pediatrics:

During MD Pediatrics, students study various subjects related to the Pediatrics field in each of the 6 semesters. The semester-wise list of Pediatrics subjects is given below.

Semester 1:

• Behavioural disorders
• Neonatology
• Respiratory
• Growth and development

Semester 2:

• Psychological; disorders
• Endocrinology
• Skin diseases
• Infections

Semester 3:

• Neurological disorders
• Infections
• Genetics
• Cardiovascular
• Social paediatrics
• Nutrition

Semester 4:

• Central nervous system
• Digestive system
• Eye diseases
• Fetus newborn
• Emergency and critical care
• Adolescent health

Semester 5:

• Research project
• Social paediatrics II

Semester 6:

• Internship
• Adolescent health II

Specializations available in MD Pediatrics:

Some of the MD Pediatrics specialization subjects are given below.

• Child abuse paediatrics
• Pediatric Cardiology
• Pediatric Endocrinology
• Pediatric gastroenterology
• Adolescent medicine
• Pediatric Oncology
• Neonatology
• Child Neurology
• Pediatric critical care

Famous entrance examinations for MD Pediatrics:

Medical colleges take students through various entrance examinations. Some of the top entrance examinations are

• NEET PG- The complete form of this exam is the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (Postgraduate). The National Board of Examinations conducts it.
• AIIMS INI CET- The full form of this examination is the Institute of National Importance Combined Entrance Test. AIIMS, New Delhi conduct this exam. Through this examination, students get admissions in various PG courses like Doctor of Medicine (MD), Master of Surgery (MS), Master of Dental Surgery (MDS), Doctorate of Medicine (DM)

Career opportunities after MD Pediatrics:

After finishing the post-graduation degree in Pediatrics, individuals can start their own clinic and practice privately or join any hospital. They can expect a salary of INR 10, 00,000 to INR 20,00,000 per annum.

After their MD Pediatrics degree, individuals can work as

• General Pediatrician
• Neonatologist
• Pediatric Cardiologist
• Professor
• Orthopedic Surgeon
• Critical Care paediatrician

Recruiters:

Some of the top MD Pediatrics graduates’ recruiting organizations are

• Apollo Hospitals
• Fortis Medical Research Institute
• AIIMS (All India Institute of Medical Sciences)
• Max Healthcare
• Sri Ganga Ram Hospital, Delhi
• Surya Child Care, Mumbai
• Christian Medical College and Hospital, Vellore
• Lotus Children Hospital
• Rainbow Hospital for Women and Children
• Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital
• D. Hinduja Hospital

Top institutes/colleges offering MD Pediatrics:

MD Pediatrics course is offered in various colleges in India. The top institutes/colleges are

• D Y Patil Medical college
• MGM Medical College and Hospital
• KJ Somaiya Medical College and Research Center
• All India Institute of Medical Sciences
• Lady Hardinge Medical College
• University college of medical sciences
• Maulana Azad Medical College
• Ramakrishna Mission Seva Pratishthan
• Dr B R Ambedkar Medical College
• King’s George Medical College, Lucknow
• S. Ramaiah Medical College, Bangalore
• SRM Medical College, Hospital and Research Centre, Kancheepuram
• Armed Forces Medical College
• Dayanand Medical College and Hospital, Ludhiana