What is a Pediatric Surgeon?

Pediatric surgeons take care of children from the newborn period through the teenage years. While specialization among adult surgeons usually focuses on a particular organ or region of the body, pediatric surgery is the subspecialty that deals with a defined age group.  Pediatric surgeons are trained to operate anywhere from the neck to the pelvic region. 

Becoming a pediatric surgeon requires completion of one of the longest training pathways in the US medical system.  After graduating medical school and completing an accredited residency program to achieve board certification in general surgery, a pediatric general surgeon performs an additional fellowship exclusively devoted to children’s surgery.  The typical pediatric surgeon completes 9 years of training after medical school and has passed two certifications administered by the American Board of Surgery, one in general surgery and one in pediatric surgery.

To learn more about the special qualifications and training of a pediatric surgeon visit the American Board of Surgery or the American Pediatric Surgical Association website.  The American Pediatric Surgical Association is the professional society of pediatric surgeons in the United States and Canada.  There are fewer than 800 pediatric general surgeons practicing in the United States and Canada.

While some adult surgeons may treat children, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American College of Surgeons recognize the advantages of having children with surgical conditions under the care of specially-trained pediatric surgeons.