Pediatric Critical Care Work-Life Balance: What Doctors Actually Say

Based on 11 verified physician responses, Pediatric Critical Care has a 3.9/10 average career satisfaction rating.82% of Pediatric Critical Care physicians say they would choose the specialty again if starting their career over. The average Pediatric Critical Care physician works 52 hours per week.

Pediatric Critical Care physicians commonly report loving: building meaningful patient relationships, intellectual stimulation and diagnostic challenges, clinical variety, the ability to make a tangible difference in patient outcomes, and procedural diversity. Many also appreciate the collegial environment and opportunities for subspecialization.

Based on SalaryDr data, Pediatric Critical Care physicians work an average of 52 hours per week. This varies by practice setting—academic and hospital-employed positions often require more hours than private practice.

The most commonly cited challenges from Pediatric Critical Care physicians include: administrative burden and documentation requirements, call schedules impacting personal time, work-life balance pressures (especially early in career), and compensation concerns relative to training length. Some also mention challenging patient populations or high-acuity cases as sources of stress.

82% of Pediatric Critical Care physicians surveyed say they would choose Pediatric Critical Careagain if starting their career over. This data is based on 11 verified, anonymous physician responses collected by SalaryDr.