Open-ended Question: Limbo Year

[pianola]

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Hi everyone,

I certainly don't want to abuse the privilege of posting in the pediatrics forum as a pre-allo student, but I had a brief open-ended question.

I'm partly finished with my medical school applications and I'm finding myself in a limbo year -- the year before I actually enter medical school (assuming I'm lucky enough to make it in!). Thus far my interest in pediatrics has been based mainly on my experiences volunteering in the pediatric ICU and shadowing a pediatric nephrologist*.

So here's my question: Is there anything different/new that I can do this year to continue getting a feel for what 'pediatrics' encompasses? Are there experiences you would recommend having before entering medical school?

Thanks for your help and advice 🙂,
pianola

PS. It took me a rather long time to decide on a major in college - and ultimately I'm doing a post-bacc/master's to complement my humanities background/fulfill prereqs). I will be completing the second/last year of my master's this coming year. Because I know how paralyzing/time consuming indecision can be, I'd rather like to find out as much as I can about pediatrics now, while I still have some time to contemplate.

(*I've had clinical exposure in other areas, too, but pediatrics has really been the most interesting for me to observe/volunteer).

 

[MonkeyRalph]

I would shadow a general pediatrician in an outpatient setting. This is an experience that will be a large part of your residency (general ambulatory peds), and may be enlightening and/or excruciating for you.

After that, I think you should look into other aspects of medicine (i.e. radiology, surgery, emergency, etc) to see if anything else interests you. That way you have a broader set of experiences to base you decisions on.

Unfortunately, all the shadowing in the world will never actually prepare you for clinical medicine. You could probably spend the next year at the beach or hiking the wilderness and end up in the same place. It may be better to spend your free time enriching yourself (i.e. learn a second language, work for a charity, exercise frequently, travel the world, etc), since you won't have as much when you begin having clinical responsibilities.

 

[pianola]

I would shadow a general pediatrician in an outpatient setting. This is an experience that will be a large part of your residency (general ambulatory peds), and may be enlightening and/or excruciating for you.

After that, I think you should look into other aspects of medicine (i.e. radiology, surgery, emergency, etc) to see if anything else interests you. That way you have a broader set of experiences to base you decisions on.

Unfortunately, all the shadowing in the world will never actually prepare you for clinical medicine. You could probably spend the next year at the beach or hiking the wilderness and end up in the same place. It may be better to spend your free time enriching yourself (i.e. learn a second language, work for a charity, exercise frequently, travel the world, etc), since you won't have as much when you begin having clinical responsibilities.

Thanks for the suggestion. I should do that, actually. I know exactly which general pediatrician I'd shadow, too.

 

[CrazyPeds527]

Monkeyralph gives good advice: don't worry too much about figuring out what you want to do before you get there.

Doing other stuff might make you feel a lot better when you are tired of being a med student and being enveloped by all things medical. Sit on the beach! Live in another country. Do the things you have always wanted to do!

Yeah, you should probably do something medical or productive so you have something to talk about when they ask you during interviews "What have you been doing with your time off?". But have some fun 🙂

 

[pianola]

Monkeyralph gives good advice: don't worry too much about figuring out what you want to do before you get there.

Doing other stuff might make you feel a lot better when you are tired of being a med student and being enveloped by all things medical. Sit on the beach! Live in another country. Do the things you have always wanted to do!

Yeah, you should probably do something medical or productive so you have something to talk about when they ask you during interviews "What have you been doing with your time off?". But have some fun 🙂

Will do! Thanks. I wouldn't naturally worry too much myself, but a lot of applications seem intent on looking deep into my soul and figuring out just what kind of physician I might turn out to be. I've had friends who've been given very negative feedback at interviews for not having a clear specialty choice in mind. But yes, I'm definitely enjoying my summer before school starts up again. 🙂

 

[oldbearprofessor]

Will do! Thanks. I wouldn't naturally worry too much myself, but a lot of applications seem intent on looking deep into my soul and figuring out just what kind of physician I might turn out to be. I've had friends who've been given very negative feedback at interviews for not having a clear specialty choice in mind. But yes, I'm definitely enjoying my summer before school starts up again. 🙂

In the interview, when asked something of the form "Where do you see your career in 10 years?" interviewers want to know that you've THOUGHT about it and have a vision of what interests you. It can be best sometimes to be semi-specific, along the lines of "I'm most interested in pediatric neurology because of my interest in the brain and the research I've done, but I'm open to any field, etc, etc." An "I like kids and pediatrics but have no idea what I'll be doing in 10 years" may be honest, but can sound like you haven't thought enough about what a medical career is.

In response to your basic question, however, I'd go with study Spanish in Antigua (Guatemala) for the win!😛

 

[pianola]

In response to your basic question, however, I'd go with study Spanish in Antigua (Guatemala) for the win!😛

Now if I could just ask my master's program to kindly graduate me a little faster...😉 Spanish sounds like a good choice, actually.

I majored in French -- just 😍 loved it.



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Gracias por su ayuda y sus consejos! 😀

 

[oldbearprofessor]

I majored in French -- just 😍 loved it.

This will be great for your elective in Lyon while you enjoy fine cuisine and great wine. Otherwise, I'm afraid that I've only ever had one family speak to me in French...😉

Gracias por su ayuda y sus consejos! 😀

de nada, amiga...

Costa Rica is a good alternative I hear to Antigua, but I've been to Antigua so I can vouch for it.😀

 

[pianola]

This will be great for your elective in Lyon while you enjoy fine cuisine and great wine.

WOW! I'm definitely looking into that option 👍.

 

[PalmOlive]

In the interview, when asked something of the form "Where do you see your career in 10 years?" interviewers want to know that you've THOUGHT about it and have a vision of what interests you. It can be best sometimes to be semi-specific, along the lines of "I'm most interested in pediatric neurology because of my interest in the brain and the research I've done, but I'm open to any field, etc, etc." An "I like kids and pediatrics but have no idea what I'll be doing in 10 years" may be honest, but can sound like you haven't thought enough about what a medical career is.

In response to your basic question, however, I'd go with study Spanish in Antigua (Guatemala) for the win!😛

Wow, sometimes you just run across a post that really jumps out at you. I studied spanish in Antigua (actually more like brushing up as I lived with a family there), . . . did a lot of volunteer work there though (would love to go back!), and have been interested in Pediatric Neurology for a while. Bizzarre!

I really love Antigua, nice little town, though there was a Burger King when I was there! In what capacity did you go to Antigua OBP? If you go to the Obras Sociales and go on the tour and look up you will see large cardboard butterflies made by yours truly (if they are still there!). Seeing the developmentally disabled children there really made me think about child neurology.

 

[oldbearprofessor]

I really love Antigua, nice little town, though there was a Burger King when I was there! In what capacity did you go to Antigua OBP? If you go to the Obras Sociales and go on the tour and look up you will see large cardboard butterflies made by yours truly (if they are still there!). Seeing the developmentally disabled children there really made me think about child neurology.

I've been to Antigua 3 times. It's the jade factory that keeps bringing me back. It is a beautiful town and in fact I have spent time at the Obras Sociales as well as a private institution for the severely developmentally disabled that is there. It was an amazing place actually, but that's off-topic.

Antigua has a lot of language schools as it's a nice and safe environment to learn language while shopping and seeing a beautiful country. As far as what was I doing there? eh, I hang out a bit at different places around the world pretending to work while actually shopping for nice jewelry.