Neonatology...anyone?

[JustK]

Hi everyone! Well for starters I am a sophmore in highschool and was wondering about the medical field, specifically the neonatal side of things.

If you wouldn't mind answering a few questions, It would be appreciated.

1. Why did/do you want to be a Neonatologist or work in the field?

2. Where did you go to school and how many years? or If you could, where do you want to go?

3. If you are already a doctor, what is a typical day like for you? What are your hours, or schedule?

I'm sure I have many more questions, but this is just a few.

Thanks!

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[Pepipanda]

I'm also a high schooler, but I have a potential interest in Neonatology. One suggestion I have for you is to join the Neonatology group here on SDN. Its purpose is to inform people who are interested in neo about how to get into the field, and what people in it do.

 

[45408]

There's an entire neonatology forum here, and I think you might have to request permission to get access to it. oldbearprofessor is an SDNer who has been a neonatologist for a long time and is the moderator for the neonatology subforum. Anyways, it has lots of good discussion that you would probably like to look through.

 

[JustK]

Thanks, I've sent a request for the group, and I have read posts from their group. Sounds like a great one.

 

[olemissbabydoc]

1. Worked as a volunteer/shadowing in the nicu for about 150 hrs+. Try to get some nicu/neo experience... you'll find out quickly that you love it or hate it. Babies are precious, but these babies are VERY, VERY sick (which is NOT precious).

2. So far... 4 yrs college (music major), 2 yrs grad/post-bacc work to get prereqs.. I'm lookin at 4 yrs of medical school. 3 years of peds residency, and 3 years of neo.

 

[JustK]

When did you get started on volunteering?

 

[olemissbabydoc]

When did you get started on volunteering?

In the NICU - during my post-bacc work.

In general - freshman year of college.

 

[BigRedBeta]

I think it's great that you guys have interest in such a specific area of medicine, but I'd caution you against getting to "set" on anything at the moment. If you're just going to be a sophomore in the fall, you have about 13 years (3 years of HS, 4 years of college, 4 years of med school, and neo match is held early in the fall of your 3rd year of peds residency) before you'd need to make a final decision about going into neonatology! As a HS Sophomore, that's almost as long as you've been alive!

So my advice is just to be open about future specialties. Learn as much as you can, and in particular, really focus on the next step of the process - that means doing well in your HS classes and standardized tests so you can get into a college you really love.

 

[JustK]

Thanks for the input. I guess I've always answered to the question "what do you want to be when you grow up" instantly and my minds stuck. I know I should just get through highschool first then worry about the rest later.