Dudes in peds

[Cardsfan]

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So I was playin ball tonight with some of my boys (many who are going into surgical specialties) and as happens so often I got some ribbing for going into peds. Any other guys out there in peds or planning on it have to put up with this? I know its all in good fun, but just interested in other guys thoughts on the issue. I know when I interviewed there were many programs out there with very few male residents so we will definately be in the minority.

 

[bluesteel]

I completely hear you on that.

 

[earmuffs]

I definitely hear you on that.

At SLU one of the years is mostly guys.

One of the many things I love about that place: regular poker night. 😀 No girls allowed! (because once the girls were invited and cleaned out everyone).

I think most of the regulars are finishing this year, so they have a few slots opening up.

 

[SurfingDoctor]

I've honestly never had an issue with it.

 

[jdog]

You know, in medical school, it's easy to poke fun at people for going into certain specialties. Everyone does it. Believe it or not once you get out of med school and into your residency training the surgical specialists are the ones who take the most crap because they concentrate so much on surgery and really don't learn a lot of medicine, so you will hear things like, patient FOOBA. (found on ortho, barely alive).
Once in residency, peds people actually are respected because we have a skill set that no one else does. No one else in the hospital has a freaking clue what to do with a medically sick kid. And when they have kids of their own and bring them to the ER at night, believe me, they respect you.
Surgical people rib us for consulting them for basic ortho stuff and ear stuff that they think is routinie, but at the same time we rib them for their lack of basic history and physical examination skills, and we all have a good time. Peds is fine for dudes. We need more dudes anyway. Try to go to a program with some dudes.

 

[SurfingDoctor]

I'm going to a program with nearby surfing... I could care less if there was too much or too little sausage in the program.

 

[Doc-Hollywood]

Women outside of medicine dig you cuz they love a guy that loves kids.

your sirgical resident buddies will be working too much to go out and when they do they will have become so abrasive they can't get lucky.

you, on the other hand will be beating the ladies off with a stick ( both in and outside of work )

take it on faith. been there and done that 😉

 

[mytirf]

You know, in medical school, it's easy to poke fun at people for going into certain specialties. Everyone does it. Believe it or not once you get out of med school and into your residency training the surgical specialists are the ones who take the most crap because they concentrate so much on surgery and really don't learn a lot of medicine, so you will hear things like, patient FOOBA. (found on ortho, barely alive).
Once in residency, peds people actually are respected because we have a skill set that no one else does. No one else in the hospital has a freaking clue what to do with a medically sick kid. And when they have kids of their own and bring them to the ER at night, believe me, they respect you.
Surgical people rib us for consulting them for basic ortho stuff and ear stuff that they think is routinie, but at the same time we rib them for their lack of basic history and physical examination skills, and we all have a good time. Peds is fine for dudes. We need more dudes anyway. Try to go to a program with some dudes.

I completely agree...everyone always gives me a hard time for going into peds, but then when I talk to my friends with kids, they have nothing but encouraging comments especially because I'm a guy. Also I get irritated with the perpection that all we do in peds is play with the kids and have fun. I mean don't get me wrong I love the kids and hanging out with them but I also take caring for them very seriously and I think that sometimes is not projected well especially to medical students. I want people to realize that caring for sick kids is a nobale and respectable profession. I think I'm going to start a group called the "Serious Goofballs" where guys can hang out and be guys as well as discuss important issues. Hell maybe we should make it a national society 🙂

Peace

 

[jocg27]

Bringing back an old thread...

now that people have had some time to get started as interns, I'm wondering how the gender breakdown is at your program and what you think about it.

 

[Cuthbert]

I'm not an intern yet, but can answer to the first question. I haven't gotten any flack for choosing peds. Except from the fp's who want me to go to their program. "Oh you'll have a lot of peds in fp!" Yeah, I'll also have a ton of 90 year old train wrecks. I can't wait for peds!

 

[CTWhale]

At my program (pretty big, around 40 interns) our class is almost 50/50 male/female. Probably unusual, but such places exist if it's important to you.

 

[edmadison]

Two words: Hot Moms!

Actually, one of the nice things about being in pediatrics is no one questions your motives. You don't do it for the money or the prestige.

Ed

 

[zedpol]

yeah, nobody questions your motives...heck, i don't even question my motives. For a while i was going to go into urology but there was a nagging thought in the back of my head that it was for the money. No nagging thoughts anymore.

z

 

[el chivo]

Just wanted to add my own dose of dudage to the thread. . . not going into peds for sure (just started med school two weeks ago), but it seems like the most likely possibility. And I spent Saturday watching college football and drinking Schlitz. The last time I cried was when the 49ers lost to the Giants in the 1989 NFC championship. I was 8. I fart in histology lab without a shred of remorse or embarassment. And gosh I love babies.

 

[Dane07MD]

I'm not even in med school yet, but damn, kids are the shiz. Real dudes work peds.

 

[Portier]

Women outside of medicine dig you cuz they love a guy that loves kids.

your sirgical resident buddies will be working too much to go out and when they do they will have become so abrasive they can't get lucky.

you, on the other hand will be beating the ladies off with a stick ( both in and outside of work )

take it on faith. been there and done that 😉

I'm a 4th year interviewing for Pediatrics spots right now. Of course that entails a fair amount of travelling and meeting residents, atttendings, staff, etc. I've been a few places, and the split is pretty much 50/50 in the programs I look at. There is a curious shift at my current place, though.

While the residents are about 50/50, the staff and attendings are all females. Attractive females....smart females...

I'm fine with taking orders from anyone (I've been military since I was 17), but when I have to stop and ask what they just told me to do again because I was flummoxed while staring into their eyes, that's an issue.

As far as ribbing, I hear none. Here are how my conversations about specialty go:

"So, what do you want to go into?"

"Pediatrics."

"Oh wow. That'll be great."

"Yes, I really enjoy working with children..."

Now, since everyone watches TV doctor shows and know's about subspecialties they ask, "Do you want to subspecialize?"

"Yes...I'm thinking of a Hem/Onc fellowship. I really like the pathology, immunology, new drugs, mechanisms, and the extreme continuity of care. It's like exactly what I want out of medicine."

"Oh dude....that'll be so hard. I couldn't do that."


With other medical types when they hear Pediatrics they think, "Man, kids are scary to work with. Doses are different, lab value norms change, and they crump on you so quickly. Parents are crazy, too!"

And whoever said moms are hot...you're right....Pediatrics is the ultimate interface with the fairer sex job. Dads don't often come to office visits....moms, kids....that's who you see. And nurses by and large are still females....especially pediatrics nurses.

I think Doc-Hollywood's comments match my experience.

 

[FosterChild]

I'm in a Navy Peds program and in my Intern class 4 of 10 of us are male; but the 3rd years only have one female. Perhaps that's a slanted view (most military physicians are probably male, overall) but certainly feel like I'm not an outsider due to my genetic makeup (have that pesky Y-chromosome that everyone on ObGyn seemed to loathe)...

FosterChild

 

[Colinator]

as a single woman going into peds, i'm all for more guys being around! 😉

 

[soulsearchin]

i love kids and so peds is the answer.but this thread makes it sound like pediatricians are always blessed with lots of women all around them too..lol

collinator,im a single guy going into peds🙂

 

[jocg27]

. The last time I cried was when the 49ers lost to the Giants in the 1989 NFC championship. I was 8.

last time I cried was when the Cubs lost to the Marlins in the 2003 NLCS. I was 20.

 

[medstudent99]

Two words: Hot Moms!

LOL!!

 

[BigNavyPedsGuy]

I've gotten some ribbing for my career choice. But then again, I look like the classic ortho guy. But I have noticed that my non-medical friends think it's awesome that I'm going into peds. I think it's just one of those jokes that you're always going to get. Just try to come up with a funny comeback or ten.