Pediatrics is the medical specialty focused on diagnosing and treating conditions affecting patients from birth through age 18. Understanding child development and physiology is crucial for providing appropriate care as children progress through different growth stages.
This course covers core pediatric subspecialties including cardiology, pulmonology, gastroenterology, endocrinology, neurology, rheumatology/orthopedics, and nephrology/urology. Students will learn to conduct well-child visits and assess growth and development milestones. Special emphasis is placed on recognizing normal versus abnormal development patterns.
Prerequisites include human anatomy, physiology, and internal medicine. The course provides essential knowledge for both primary care providers and those pursuing pediatric specialization.
Learning objectives
After the completion of this course, students should be able to:
- Evaluate normal growth patterns and developmental milestones in pediatric patients from birth to 18 years.
- Perform comprehensive well-child visits following standard protocols and guidelines.
- Recognize common cardiovascular, respiratory, and gastrointestinal disorders in pediatric patients.
- Identify key endocrine and metabolic conditions affecting children and adolescents.
- Assess neurological development and diagnose common pediatric neurological conditions.
- Evaluate musculoskeletal disorders and rheumatological conditions in the pediatric population.
- Diagnose and manage common kidney and urinary tract diseases in children.
- Differentiate between conditions requiring general pediatric care versus specialist referral.
- Implement age-appropriate preventive care strategies across pediatric age groups.
- Integrate knowledge of pediatric subspecialties to provide comprehensive patient care.
Course outline
- Growth and Development
- Well-Child Visit
- Pediatric Cardiology
- Pediatric Pulmonology
- Pediatric Gastroenterology
- Pediatric Endocrinology
- Pediatric Neurology
- Pediatric Rheumatology and Orthopedics
- Pediatric Nephrology and Urology