Pediatrician Interviews - What to Ask?

sardavbak · August 2015

Wondering what questions y'all have asked when starting to interview for pediatricians? We have two interviews with peds this week, and I don't really know what to ask when we go!

breezypip · August 2015

The only question I can think of is whether or not they treat patients that don't vaccinate since that's something that's important to me.

It might be good to make sure their views align with yours when it comes to breastfeeding, antibiotics, dietary needs, etc...

Also it's good to know how their on call works, office and weekend hours and whether the doctor comes to the hospital for the first check up when the baby is born.

Magnolia+Mama · August 2015

I'm sure others will have lots of great suggestions ~ one I found most helpful was asking if the pedi was a parent himself. It was helpful to me to know they would recommend the same medicine / treatment / whatever for their own child.

LauraSmarterSpam · August 2015

I didn't really interview anyone with DS since he arrived surprisingly early. Later in the morning after he was born, my OB came into my recovery room and asked DH and me if we had decided on a pediatrician yet. When we told him no, he recommended DS's pediatrician. She is amazing and will be DD's pediatrician as well.

I don't know what I would ask, but I would try to look at reviews from other parents.

LeggoxMyxPreggo · August 2015

I haven't even considered any peds yet (didn't even know you could "interview" one)

Aside from whether they take your insurance, and if they're willing to accommodate any religious views (or any other moral/ethnic/cultural views) you may have regarding medicine, I don't really think there is much else to ask.

It's really whether you like how the front desk and Pediatrician operates, how close the pharmacy is to your home, if the doctors are over worked or not... (over worked doctors tend to be rough and a little more callous than they have to be) There was one doctor my brother used to cry at the very sight of when he was tiny - and to be honest I couldn't blame him, she was a bitch.

MommaC8713 · August 2015

I am going to ask about recommendations for when to introduce a bottle, sleeping arrangement recommendations and probably do they treat unvaccinated kids? I think its more in how they answer than the hardfast answer itself. There may be a time or two that you disagree with a doctor but its more in how they handle the situation and whether or not you trust them and get along with them.

courtney198078 · August 2015

I would definately ask about what there protocol is for after hours and weekend issues/emergencies and if you can get an appointment to be seen same day if your child is sick. I went through several before I found one I really liked. They always get my girls in the same day if needed they are also a large practice so you may see a different dr but I like every one I have seen. They also have an after hours call line and the nurses are excellent you feel as though you are talking to a dr. My pediatrician also has 2 locations one has Saturday hours and the other has Sunday hours. Also find out where they recommend going if the office is closed we also have several kid meds in the area which the pediatrician recommend going to for emergencies they can do IV fluids X-rays stitches Etc. The ER is usually the last place they recommend to take little ones if you don't have to.

LC122 · August 2015

There was an earlier thread on this. I'm mobile and can't link to it. I gave a long answer on that thread so I'll spare the repeat.

laceyglowacki · August 2015

I honestly think it's a waste of time to do interviews like this. Look up reviews on your pediatrician candidates and go by words of others experiences with them. Your interview could go so wrong but your doctor could really know their stuff, or you could have a doctor who can shmooze you but not know a thing. It's really important if you are considering pediatrician stay you realize you may see the same doctor every visit or a completely different one and just because you love them your child might hate them, or be freaked out by a new person every time. When looking look for after hours and weekend care, that was really important to me but it may not be to you.

seahawksfans · August 2015

I definitely want to meet at least one doctor at a ped practice before I give birth. There are so many appointments right away after birth and I want to know who I can call if the baby has issues after we leave the hospital. I want to know I agree with their values and approach toward medicine and that we will not be waiting days for an appointment if LO is sick. My OB said you can even request to have your ped visit your baby in the hospital so it isn't a stranger caring for your child while you are there and they can follow up after. She requests to know who your ped at one of your last OB appts. Not sure if you have to tell the hospital too when you get there but maybe, I guess you have to ask your hospital where you plan to deliver about that.

krick43 · August 2015

We had a meeting with our pediatrician last week. I felt pretty good going in because I already knew him-he was actually my pediatrician when I was a kid! He had just opened his practice when I was a baby so he's still pretty young and going to keep his practice open for a while! (I asked!)

I wanted my husband to meet him and see if he liked him. He led a lot of the conversation by explaining his beliefs on vaccinations, treatment, breastfeeding and his call schedule. Fortunately we were on the same page and DS agreed! I think that's really important when looking for a Dr!

sardavbak · August 2015

Thanks everyone for the suggestions. We had two interviews this week and found a doctor we love! Just in case anyone else is looking for Qs to ask, here is the list we came up with:

Do you accept unvaccinated patients? (We did not want a practice that did)
What is the availability like to get same-day sick appointments?
Is there a lactation consultant on staff?
Where do you have hospital privledges?
Do you have an after-hours line or doctor on call?
What is the recommended schedule for well-baby checkups?
What tests do you do in the office vs. sending patients elsewhere (eg. strep throat, blood draws, etc.)
Do you have walk-in or call-in hours?
Do you have evening and/or weekend hours?

Most of these questions were answered by the doctors before I got around to my list, but I found it helpful to keep a little list of Qs in my phone so I made sure we got all the same things answered at both of the practices we interviewed at.

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