Mentioning wanting to be a pediatrician w/ no peds shadowing

[Lake_Front]

Basically what the title says. I was planning on writing in my secondaries that I am interested in peds, but does it look bad if I do not have any peds/FM shadowing? I have shadowing experience in other specialties, but not primary care. I did volunteer at a children's hospital and other volunteering with children, but I just have not been able to get shadowing experience directly in the field. Would I still be ok mentioning my interest in peds?

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[Goro]

Would you buy a new car without driving it first?

Buy a new suit/dress without trying it on??

 

[Lake_Front]

Would you buy a new car without driving it first?

Buy a new suit/dress without trying it on??

I guess I was more wondering if my volunteering experience with children would be sufficient in backing my interest to continue working with a younger population as a physician? Or is shadowing a must to demonstrate interest.

 

[LizzyM]

I think that it is fine. You will shadow while in med school or do your clerkship -- find out you don't like sick kids and their frantic parents and switch places with someone who was gung-ho for OB-GYN and decided against it after that clerkship. 😉

 

[Lake_Front]

I think that it is fine. You will shadow while in med school or do your clerkship -- find out you don't like sick kids and their frantic parents and switch places with someone who was gung-ho for OB-GYN and decided against it after that clerkship. 😉

Great to know haha!

It wouldn't come across as odd or anything to an adcom though, correct? I will be mentioning my experience working with children as a counselor/volunteering at the children's hospital within the same response.

 

[LizzyM]

Great to know haha!

It wouldn't come across as odd or anything to an adcom though, correct? I will be mentioning my experience working with children as a counselor/volunteering at the children's hospital within the same response.

You have experience in a children's hospital. That's better than your sole experience having been a patient in a pediatrician's office awhile back.

 

[Lake_Front]

You have experience in a children's hospital. That's better than your sole experience having been a patient in a pediatrician's office awhile back.

Ha, fair enough! Just wasn't sure if it was a topic I should avoid in general then or if it was still worth mentioning!

 

[Goro]

Ha, fair enough! Just wasn't sure if it was a topic I should avoid in general then or if it was still worth mentioning!

My take is that the Children's Hospital gig shows one likes kids, but I think it's important to know what a pediatrician's day is like as well.

 

[Catalystik]

I was planning on writing in my secondaries that I am interested in peds, but does it look bad if I do not have any peds/FM shadowing? I have shadowing experience in other specialties, but not primary care. I did volunteer at a children's hospital and other volunteering with children, but I just have not been able to get shadowing experience directly in the field. Would I still be ok mentioning my interest in peds?

Rather than saying you want to be a pediatrician, (since 80% historically changed their minds before applying for a residency), consider mentioning aspects you find appealing when interacting with younger patients (which could also apply to family medicine or pediatric subspecialties). It's better to appear open-minded about a future career choice, rather than set on a single course.

 

[Lake_Front]

Rather than saying you want to be a pediatrician, (since 80% historically changed their minds before applying for a residency), consider mentioning aspects you find appealing when interacting with younger patients (which could also apply to family medicine or pediatric subspecialties). It's better to appear open-minded about a future career choice, rather than set on a single course.

I appreciate the feedback! The prompt response essentially goes "I wanted to become a pediatrician, but I was unsure of my ability to because of blah blah blah. However, I realized that didn't matter after volunteering at a children's hospital/etc, and I'm excited to work with pediatric patients in the future."


Do you think that it is appropriate to mention given the context. I'll probably change the word pediatrician to working with younger patients in general, but would it be a factor for the secondaries I already submitted saying specifically 'pediatrician'?

 

[LizzyM]

I appreciate the feedback! The prompt response essentially goes "I wanted to become a pediatrician, but I was unsure of my ability to because of blah blah blah. However, I realized that didn't matter after volunteering at a children's hospital/etc, and I'm excited to work with pediatric patients in the future."


Do you think that it is appropriate to mention given the context. I'll probably change the word pediatrician to working with younger patients in general, but would it be a factor for the secondaries I already submitted saying specifically 'pediatrician'?

I think that "working with the pediatric population" leaves it open as that could be pediatrics, family medicine, med/peds, or something else.

 

[Lake_Front]

I think that "working with the pediatric population" leaves it open as that could be pediatrics, family medicine, med/peds, or something else.

Perfect, thank you! I did mention the specific term "pediatrician" for some, but fingers crossed that nobody holds it against me!

 

[Catalystik]

I think that "working with the pediatric population" leaves it open as that could be pediatrics, family medicine, med/peds, or something else.

I agree!

 

[Catalystik]

I appreciate the feedback! The prompt response essentially goes "I wanted to become a pediatrician, but I was unsure of my ability to because of blah blah blah. However, I realized that didn't matter after volunteering at a children's hospital/etc, and I'm excited to work with pediatric patients in the future."


Do you think that it is appropriate to mention given the context. I'll probably change the word pediatrician to working with younger patients in general, but would it be a factor for the secondaries I already submitted saying specifically 'pediatrician'?

As presented above, it's fine.

 

[YCAGA]

Just shadow peds for like two half days before your interviews.

What you said is not a "red flag," more like a "naive flag." Wanting to do primary care without shadowing primary care is kind of a mixture of naiveté and arrogance, but maybe I am too much of a hard***. Regardless, liking kids is not enough of a reason to do primary care.

 

[LizzyM]

Just shadow peds for like two half days before your interviews.

What you said is not a "red flag," more like a "naive flag." Wanting to do primary care without shadowing primary care is kind of a mixture of naiveté and arrogance, but maybe I am too much of a hard***. Regardless, liking kids is not enough of a reason to do primary care.

Peds is not just primary care.... there's neonatology and all the other subspecialties that flow out of pediatrics. Enjoying that population doesn't automatically mean that primary care is the only option.

 

[YCAGA]

Peds is not just primary care.... there's neonatology and all the other subspecialties that flow out of pediatrics. Enjoying that population doesn't automatically mean that primary care is the only option.

Definitely. But only half of peds residents do a fellowship and even fellowship bound residents do primary care clinic as a resident. You might have a different perspective but as a medical student, I am always wary of pre-meds that are already set on a sub-speciality of peds or IM.

 

[Lake_Front]

Just shadow peds for like two half days before your interviews.

What you said is not a "red flag," more like a "naive flag." Wanting to do primary care without shadowing primary care is kind of a mixture of naiveté and arrogance, but maybe I am too much of a hard***. Regardless, liking kids is not enough of a reason to do primary care.

I was planning on doing something like that so I have the opportunity to discuss it in interviews and have already made arrangements, but my only concern initially was that it would exclude me from reaching the interview phase at some of these schools to begin with.

 

[YCAGA]

I was planning on doing something like that so I have the opportunity to discuss it in interviews and have already made arrangements, but my only concern initially was that it would exclude me from reaching the interview phase at some of these schools to begin with.

To be honest I don’t think anyone is reading your application pre-interview that rigoursly where they will think, “hmm they said they like kids but they only volunteered at a Children’s hospital, but didn’t shadow!!!!” Much bigger things will make or break your interview invite, but I’ll defer to actual adcoms to say if my perception is consistent with reality.

 

[Lake_Front]

To be honest I don’t think anyone is reading your application pre-interview that rigoursly where they will think, “hmm they said they like kids but they only volunteered at a Children’s hospital, but didn’t shadow!!!!” Much bigger things will make or break your interview invite, but I’ll defer to actual adcoms to say if my perception is consistent with reality.

Ha fair enough! I appreciate the input though, thank you!