If your child has a disease that affects the skin, hair or nails, your child may see a pediatric dermatologist.
A pediatric dermatologist is a dermatologist who specializes in diagnosing and treating infants and children. This medical doctor first becomes a dermatologist. Extra study and training are needed to become a pediatric dermatologist.
Pediatric dermatologist. Skin disease can affect children differently, and a pediatric dermatologist understands these differences. Some diseases that affect the skin, hair or nails are more common in children. Some of these diseases only occur in children. Diseases that a pediatric dermatologist is likely to treat include:
How to become a pediatric dermatologist
Becoming a pediatric dermatologist requires many years of education. To become this type of medical doctor, a person must successfully complete:
- College, earning a bachelor's degree.
- Medical school, becoming a medical doctor (MD) or doctor of osteopathy (DO).
- Internship, 1 year.
- Residency program in dermatology (at least 3 years) and pass the board exams.
- Fellowship (advanced medical study and training) in pediatric dermatology (1 to 3 years).
Who is a board-certified pediatric dermatologist?
After successfully completing a fellowship in pediatric dermatology, the doctor can take the board exams. If the doctor passes these exams and meets other requirements, the doctor becomes a board-certified pediatric dermatologist.
All board-certified pediatric dermatologists are:
- Board-certified in dermatology.
- Board-certified in pediatric dermatology.
Some also are board-certified in pediatrics.
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