When should I switch my teenager from a pediatrician to a family doctor?

Most pediatric practices see patients through age 18, and some continue to 21 or through college. There is no rule that forces a switch. Teens who want more privacy or who have adult-type health needs sometimes move to a family medicine practice at 16 to 18. Ask your pediatrician what the practice's age limit is so the transition is not rushed when they age out.

Does my child need a sports physical for St. Johns County schools?

Yes. Student athletes in St. Johns County public schools must have a current Florida High School Athletic Association preparticipation physical, form EL2, completed each year before practice. Many pediatric offices book these in May through July, and some hold dedicated sports physical days. Self-pay sports physicals typically cost $40 to $90. Ask the school athletic office for the exact form and deadline, since they change.

Pediatricians in Jacksonville & Northeast Florida, FL

Pediatricians in Northeast Florida

St. Johns County has one of the youngest and fastest-growing populations in Northeast Florida, and the pediatric offices in Nocatee, Julington Creek, Fruit Cove, and along CR 210 feel it every flu season. Most local pediatricians are part of larger groups affiliated with Baptist Health, Wolfson Children's Hospital, Nemours Children's Health, or UF Health, with Wolfson in Jacksonville serving as the children's hospital for the region. Independent practices still operate in St. Augustine and Ponte Vedra. Parents here care about a few practical things: whether the office holds same-day sick slots, how far the drive is at school pickup time, whether sports physicals and Florida school entry forms (DH 680 and DH 3040) are handled quickly, and how the practice handles vaccine schedules. Ask about new patient waits, which can be long for newborn registrations in the northern part of the county.

How to choose a pediatrician in Northeast Florida

Popular practices in Nocatee, Julington Creek, and Ponte Vedra sometimes cap new newborn patients. Schedule a prenatal visit in your third trimester, confirm the practice accepts your insurance, and get the hospital your baby will be born at to send records to the office you chose.

Ask how sick visits work

Find out whether the office reserves same-day slots, whether it has a separate sick waiting area, and what the weekend options are. Some local groups run Saturday morning sick clinics. Otherwise your fallback is a pediatric urgent care, and there are a limited number in the county.

Check hospital affiliations

If your child ever needs admission, you want a pediatrician who can coordinate with Wolfson Children's Hospital in Jacksonville, the main children's hospital for the region, or with UF Health Flagler in St. Augustine. Ask which hospital the practice works with and whether they have newborn privileges where you plan to deliver.

Verify the license and board certification

Look up the doctor on the Florida Department of Health license site. Board certification through the American Board of Pediatrics can be confirmed online. Many practices also use pediatric nurse practitioners, who are licensed separately and often handle well visits.

Ask about forms, portals, and refills

St. Johns County schools require the Florida Certification of Immunization (DH 680) and a school entry physical (DH 3040). Ask how fast the office turns those around in July and August and whether you can request them through a portal instead of calling.

Bower Lyman Center for Medically Complex Children at Wolfson Children's

5.03 Google reviews

Pediatrician · Jacksonville

841 Prudential Drive, Jacksonville

Pediatrician in Northeast Florida

Call now(904) 202-8920

Profile Website

Pediatrician questions, answered by local experts

How much does a pediatrician visit cost without insurance in St. Johns County?

A self-pay sick visit at a local pediatric office typically runs $110 to $220, and a well-child visit $150 to $300 before vaccines. Vaccines are priced separately and can add $25 to $250 each depending on the shot. Children without insurance may qualify for Florida KidCare or Medicaid, and the Vaccines for Children program provides free vaccines through participating offices and the county health department. Ask the office about self-pay discounts.

What vaccines does my child need to start school in St. Johns County?

Florida public and private schools require a Certification of Immunization, form DH 680, showing the state-required vaccines for the child's grade, plus a school entry health exam on form DH 3040 for kindergarten and new students. Requirements are set by the Florida Department of Health and can change, so ask your pediatrician or the St. Johns County Health Department for the current list for your child's grade. Exemptions have specific rules; ask the office.

Is there a children's hospital near St. Augustine?

The closest full children's hospital is Wolfson Children's Hospital in downtown Jacksonville, about 45 minutes to an hour from St. Augustine and 25 to 35 minutes from Julington Creek and Nocatee. Wolfson also operates pediatric emergency services at Baptist Medical Center South near the Duval and St. Johns line. UF Health Flagler Hospital in St. Augustine has an emergency department that treats children and transfers complex cases.

Where can I take my child for after-hours care in Nocatee or Ponte Vedra?

Several pediatric practices in the northern county run evening or Saturday sick clinics for their own patients, so call your office first. Pediatric-focused urgent care is available at a small number of locations in St. Johns and southern Duval counties, and general urgent care clinics in Nocatee, Ponte Vedra, and along CR 210 see children over certain ages. For breathing trouble, head injuries, or high fever in an infant under three months, go to an emergency room.

Pediatricians in Northeast Florida

Get matched with up to 3 verified doctors

Pediatricians in Northeast Florida

How to choose a pediatrician in Northeast Florida

Pediatrician questions, answered by local experts