Career Explorer Healthcare (clinical)
Human edge, steady
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.
In the middle of the pack: more resilient than 54% of the 831 careers we score. AI exposure is moderate (the Bureau of Labor Statistics rates it moderate), and US jobs are projected to change by +2.0% by 2035, slower than average. The work leans on creative vision and emotional intelligence.
AI struggles with much of this work. Hiring is expected to grow slower than average, or to shrink.
- Median pay (2025)
- $559,030
- Job growth to 2035
- +2.0%
- Openings a year
- fewer than 100
- People doing it (2025)
- 1,300
- Usual route in
- Doctorate or professional degree, then an internship or residency
Where people already use AI for this work
- Analyze health or medical data
- Explain medical information to patients or family members
- Advise others on healthcare or wellness issues
From Microsoft Research, Working with AI (2025).
Work AI rarely helps with
- Examine people or animals to assess health conditions or physical characteristics
- Treat injuries, illnesses, or diseases
- Monitor health conditions of humans or animals
What the Bureau of Labor Statistics expects
- Fewer of these jobs, as the child population declines, reducing demand for pediatric surgery.
Careers using similar strengths, with a stronger outlook
- Orthopedic surgeons, except pediatricHuman edge, growing, Index 72, +4.0%
- Orthotists and prosthetistsHuman edge, growing, Index 96, +12.9%
- Healthcare diagnosing or treating practitioners, all otherGrows with AI, Index 55, +5.5%
- Occupational therapistsGrows with AI, Index 84, +14.8%
Also known as: General Surgeon, Physician, Surgeon, Thoracic Surgeon, Cardiovascular Surgeon, Hand Surgeon, Plastic Surgeon, Vascular Surgeon.
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Sources: US Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections 2025 to 2035; O*NET 31.0; Microsoft Research (2025); Anthropic Economic Index (2026); Eloundou and colleagues (Science, 2024); Felten, Raj and Seamans (2023). How we score. Updated 12 October 2026.