Will pediatricians be replaced by AI?
Updated
Pediatricians score 36 of 100 for AI exposure. The largest share of their task time, 66%, is work AI speeds up while they stay in charge. AI can take over 9% outright, and 25% stays with people.
- 9% AI can do it
- 66% AI helps
- 25% Needs a person
Moderate exposure
Lower than 52% of the 923 occupations we scored.
Task by task
We graded 17 tasks, listed here from most to least exposed. AI can do 2 of them today, speeds up 11 and leaves 4 to people.
| Task | AI exposure |
|---|---|
| Collect, record, and maintain patient information, such as medical history, reports, or examination results. AI scribes and EHR tools can record and organize chart notes. | 70% AI can do it |
| Prepare government or organizational reports of birth, death, and disease statistics, workforce evaluations, or medical status of individuals. Statistical and status reports can be generated from structured data. | 65% AI can do it |
| Monitor patients' conditions and progress and reevaluate treatments as necessary. AI can flag trends in records and portal data; doctor reassesses. | 45% AI helps |
| Refer patient to medical specialist or other practitioner when necessary. AI can draft referral letters and summaries; doctor decides need. | 45% AI helps |
| Conduct research to study anatomy and develop or test medications, treatments, or procedures to prevent or control disease or injury. AI can speed literature review, data analysis and manuscript drafting. | 45% AI helps |
| Advise patients, parents or guardians, and community members concerning diet, activity, hygiene, and disease prevention. AI can draft diet, activity and hygiene advice; doctor delivers it. | 40% AI helps |
| Teach residents or medical students about pediatric topics. AI can build teaching materials and case discussions; teaching stays live. | 40% AI helps |
| Plan, implement, or administer health programs or standards in hospitals, businesses, or communities for prevention or treatment of injury or illness. AI can draft program plans and standards; people lead implementation. | 40% AI helps |
| Plan and execute medical care programs to aid in the mental and physical growth and development of children and adolescents. AI can help draft development care plans; clinician is responsible for them. | 35% AI helps |
| Provide consulting services to other physicians. AI can summarize records and draft consult notes; judgment stays with doctor. | 35% AI helps |
Show the other 7 tasks
| Task | AI exposure |
|---|---|
| Examine patients or order, perform, and interpret diagnostic tests to obtain information on medical condition and determine diagnosis. Exams are hands on, but AI can help interpret test results. | 25% AI helps |
| Explain procedures and discuss test results or prescribed treatments with patients and parents or guardians. AI can draft plain language explanations; live talks stay human. | 25% AI helps |
| Treat children who have minor illnesses, acute and chronic health problems, and growth and development concerns. Hands on exams limit AI, but it can help triage and suggest plans. | 22% AI helps |
| Direct and coordinate activities of nurses, students, assistants, specialists, therapists, and other medical staff. Leading and coordinating staff is interpersonal and accountable work. | 15% Needs a person |
| Prescribe or administer treatment, therapy, medication, vaccination, and other specialized medical care to treat or prevent illness, disease, or injury in infants and children. Vaccines and injections need hands on care; AI only aids prescribing. | 12% Needs a person |
| Examine children regularly to assess their growth and development. Physical growth and development exams need hands on presence. | 10% Needs a person |
| Operate on patients to remove, repair, or improve functioning of diseased or injured body parts and systems. Surgery is hands on physical work in an operating room. | 2% Needs a person |
How pediatricians compare
All occupations (923)
Healthcare practitioners and technical (89)
Pay and outlook in the US
- Median pay
- $210,040 a year, May 2025
- People employed
- 39,390 in the US, May 2025
- Projected change in jobs
- +1.5% from 2024 to 2034
Skills to build
- Review AI-drafted chart notes in Epic Systems
- Document growth and development exams in eClinicalWorks EHR
- Maintain American Board of Pediatrics board certification
- Administer vaccinations and injections during hands on exams
- Coordinate nurses and assistants on daily clinic schedules
Safer roles nearby
5 related occupations with lower scores.
Questions about pediatricians and AI
Will AI replace pediatricians?
Partly. About 3 in 10 working hours go to tasks AI can already do, mostly recording patient information and preparing statistical reports. Examining children, performing procedures and giving vaccines stay with the doctor because they need a person in the room.
Which pediatrician tasks is AI taking over?
Record keeping and reporting are the most exposed. Collecting and maintaining patient information scores 70 on exposure, and preparing birth, death and disease statistics scores 65. AI scribes and EHR tools can organize chart notes, and structured data can generate status reports.
Which pediatrician tasks stay human?
Surgery, growth exams and vaccination stay with the doctor. Operating on patients scores 2 on exposure, and examining children to assess growth and development scores 10. Vaccines and injections need hands on care, and directing nurses and staff takes accountable judgment.
How can pediatricians stay valuable?
Review AI-drafted chart notes in Epic Systems or MEDITECH before you sign them. Use AI to draft referral letters, then decide which specialist each child needs. Spend the time saved on hands on exams and vaccination visits, which score 10 and 12 on exposure.
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