52 | Oh BABY! Common Questions to Ask Your Pediatrician Before going in for the interview, check out the office. Is it clean and organized? Are there separate waiting rooms for sick and healthy? Is the staff courteous? Do they listen to parents’ concerns? What are the office hours? Is there a lab on site? What doctor is recommended for work not done on site? Do they do eye and hearing checks in the office? How easy is it to get through on the telephone? Is the practice large or small? Is there more than one office? How much time is spent at each office? When you interview the pediatrician, ask them about their educational background. How long have they been in practice? Are they board certified? How do they stay current on the latest medical developments? Can they be reached with questions, either routine or emergency? Do they have specific call-in times? Do they have a Website that will allow you to reach them by email? In the event your child becomes ill, when would they refer your child to the emergency room? What hospital do they use? Who covers when they are away? Are there resident physicians, nurse practitioners, medical students and nurses on staff? How involved will they be in caring for your child? What kind of time will they spend with your child at a typical visit? When do they prescribe medication? What kind of medication do they regularly prescribe? How do they handle a situation where you disagree with their treatment? If your family situation is nontraditional, how will the pediatrician and the office staff treat you?