ents ▁are ▁in ▁their ▁own ▁legal ▁class , ▁having ▁rights ▁to ▁their ▁own ▁health ▁care ▁dec isions ▁in ▁certain ▁circumstances . ▁The ▁concept ▁of ▁legal ▁consent ▁combined ▁with ▁the ▁non - legal ▁consent ▁( ass ent ) ▁of ▁the ▁child ▁when ▁considering ▁treatment ▁options , ▁especially ▁in ▁the ▁face ▁of ▁conditions ▁with ▁poor ▁pro gn osis ▁or ▁complicated ▁and ▁pain ful ▁procedures / sur ger ies , ▁means ▁the ▁ped iat ric ian ▁must ▁take ▁into ▁account ▁the ▁des ires ▁of ▁many ▁people , ▁in ▁addition ▁to ▁those ▁of ▁the ▁patient . ▁ ▁Education ▁requirements ▁▁ ▁Asp iring ▁medical ▁students ▁will ▁need ▁ 4 ▁years ▁of ▁under grad uate ▁courses ▁at ▁a ▁college ▁or ▁university , ▁which ▁will ▁get ▁them ▁a ▁B S , ▁B A ▁or ▁other ▁b ach elor ' s ▁degree . ▁After ▁comple ting ▁college ▁future ▁ped iat r icians ▁will ▁need ▁to ▁attend ▁ 4 ▁years ▁of ▁medical ▁school ▁( MD / MB BS ) ▁and ▁later ▁do ▁ 3 ▁more ▁years ▁of ▁res iden cy ▁training , ▁the ▁first ▁year ▁of ▁which ▁is ▁called ▁" intern ship ." ▁After ▁comple ting ▁the ▁ 3 ▁years ▁of ▁res iden cy , ▁phys icians ▁are ▁el ig ible ▁to ▁become ▁cert ified ▁in ▁ped iat rics ▁by ▁passing ▁a ▁rig orous ▁test ▁that ▁de als ▁with ▁medical ▁conditions ▁related ▁to ▁young ▁children . ▁ ▁In ▁high ▁school , ▁future ▁ped iat r icians ▁are ▁required ▁to ▁take ▁basic ▁science ▁classes ▁such ▁as ▁bi ology , ▁chem istry , ▁physics