Getting started:

• Get referrals from other parents, your own doctors and social media groups
• Call pediatric offices to make sure they take your insurance
• Google candidates’ names and see what you can learn (education, background, etc.)
• Set up interviews with top two or three choices 

The interview:

• Make a list of questions in advance
• Take notes on the answers
• Get a feel for the doctor – do you “click?”  Are your philosophies similar?  Are you comfortable with this person?

Common questions:

• What are the office hours and doctor’s hours?
• Is it difficult to get same-day appointments for sick patients?
• Who returns your calls and questions — the pediatrician, a nurse or nurse practitioner?
• How are after-hours calls handled — by your doctor, an on-call doctor or a nurse hotline.
• Philosophies on antibiotics, immunizations and child rearing.