Neonatology is a subspecialty of pediatrics that focuses on the medical needs of newborns. Neonatology teams limit their practice to infants born in the hospital or transferred from other neonatal intensive care units. Neonatology specialists study the effects of a mother’s lifestyle or external environment on the development of newborns. The work schedules can be brutal, and the salary range is not always commensurate with the level of responsibility.
Neonatology is a subspecialty of pediatrics that primarily focuses on the medical needs of newborns or infants. If a baby is born prematurely or presents with an obvious medical problem at birth, it can be taken directly to a neonatology center for intensive care. Neonatology teams generally limit their practice to infants born in the hospital but not discharged, or those transferred from other neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). Once a mother and baby are discharged from the hospital, most neonatology centers will route any emergency care to a standard pediatric care unit.
A pediatrician who wants to become a neonatology specialist must first obtain his or her standard medical license and then complete an additional three years of training. Most work in neonatology is done in larger hospitals with the resources to provide state-of-the-art NICU equipment and staff. Most pregnant women with normal pregnancies would never see a neonatologist under most conditions, although one might be consulted by the birthing team if a complication were to arise.
Neonatology specialists study things like the effects of a mother’s lifestyle or external environment on the development of newborns. There are also medical conditions unique to newborns, such as umbilical cord asphyxia, or a blood condition that causes mothers to form antibodies against their own baby’s blood type. Babies born to mothers addicted to cocaine or alcohol may also be taken directly to a neonatology center for further observation and treatment.
Many pediatricians do not enter the neonatology field because the work schedules can be brutal and the salary range is not always commensurate with the level of responsibility. A starting neonatology specialist may earn as little as $75,000, with a veteran neonatologist making as much as $250,000. Often a critically ill newborn may require 24-hour care, which can mean long shifts and irregular sleep schedules. Most work in neonatology is hands-on, with only an occasional opportunity to pursue research work or attend seminars.
Neonatology can be an exciting field for those who are passionate about pediatrics and critical care in general. NICU staff members tend to be very compassionate and knowledgeable by nature, and the work environment can be far less stressful than emergency medicine or general pediatric practice.
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