Career Explorer Healthcare (clinical)
Changing shape
Pediatricians, general
Diagnose, treat, and help prevent diseases and injuries in children. May refer patients to specialists for further diagnosis or treatment, as needed.
Changing faster than most: more resilient than 39% of the 831 careers we score. AI exposure is moderate (the Bureau of Labor Statistics rates it high), and US jobs are projected to change by +1.5% by 2035, slower than average. The work leans on ethical judgement and emotional intelligence.
AI can do many of the tasks, and hiring is expected to grow slower than average or to shrink. The job is likely to change, so build the human parts of it.
- Median pay (2025)
- $210,040
- Job growth to 2035
- +1.5%
- Openings a year
- 1,000
- People doing it (2025)
- 42,200
- Usual route in
- Doctorate or professional degree, then an internship or residency
Where people already use AI for this work
- Advise others on healthcare or wellness issues
- Explain medical information to patients or family members
- Advise patients or clients on medical 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
- Administer basic health care or medical treatments
What the work looks like
- Prescribe or administer treatment, therapy, medication, vaccination, and other specialized medical care to treat or prevent illness, disease, or injury in infants and children.
- Examine children regularly to assess their growth and development.
- Treat children who have minor illnesses, acute and chronic health problems, and growth and development concerns.
- Examine patients or order, perform, and interpret diagnostic tests to obtain information on medical condition and determine diagnosis.
- Advise patients, parents or guardians, and community members concerning diet, activity, hygiene, and disease prevention.
From O*NET 31.0, US Department of Labor.
What the Bureau of Labor Statistics expects
- Fewer of these jobs, as the pediatric population shrinks, constraining demand for pediatricians.
Careers using similar strengths, with a stronger outlook
- DermatologistsHuman edge, growing, Index 78, +6.8%
- PharmacistsGrows with AI, Index 42, +5.2%
- Family medicine physiciansChanging shape, Index 49, +3.3%
- General internal medicine physiciansGrows with AI, Index 42, +4.0%
Also known as: General Pediatrician, Group Practice Pediatrician, Medical Doctor (MD), Physician, Developmental Pediatrician, Emergency Room Pediatrician (ER Pediatrician), Pediatric Emergency Medicine Physician, Pediatric Physician.
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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.