reactions.... when I mention that I want to do Peds?????

[stomper627]

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I am a third year student. I am considering Pediatrics & was wondering what kind of reaction others get when they mention they want to go into this specialty. I have gotten some positive responses, but most roll their eyes and say "why would you ever want to do that?" I personally see it as a very fullfilling field - sure the parents are irritating & yeah you may have a whole day of well-baby checks or colds, but who is to say that is so bad? Maybe it is b/c pay is lower than most specialties. I will still be practicing medicine. I will still save lives. I will be financially secure -eventually. I predict that I will end up getting involved in the prevention aspect of pediatric/adolescent medicine. I also plan on continuing osteopathic practices when possible. For me, it seems like a good fit. Maybe most people do not have the patience for the kids? I don't know where these opinions all stem from and if they will follow me as I go on to residency. Bottom line is that they are all just opinions. But I am new to all of this and would like to know if others have had any similar experiences?

 

[notstudying]

I've gotten this a little bit also and have learned to ignore it.

I think to some extent it is because our society doesn't value children-think of the enormous amount of status afforded to teachers (**said with dripping sarcasm**). People think that just because kids are usually healthy and tend to get the same illnesses, that peds isn't challenging. I personally disagree with this, and I find kids much more interesting and diverse. You have to know not only a gazillion different illnesses, infectious diseases, congenital disorders, etc, but also how they present differently and are treated differently at different times of life. You can be anything from a super subspecialist to a general peds (and even there you can be self-sufficient or refer every rash and FLK). You can do research, advocacy, or just clinical work. The pediatricians I've met have been really nice, fun, down to earth people; I can't imagine spending my life working with surgeons (not that there's anything wrong with that...)! I don't even mind the parents (usually).

I've also found that guys get questions about doing peds more than women do.

 

[dlbruch]

Some of the comments I've gotten-

So, you don't want to make any money, huh?

Kids are just little adults.

In ten years nurses will be doing everything pediatricians can do.


I've learned that actually responding to these comments/ questions is pointless- people think what they want to think. For me it comes down to this- I just like working with kids more than adults, the medicine is broad and interesting, the money is fine (really, who can't live on the salary that any physician will make?), the people are balanced and pleasant, and career satisfaction seems to be very high. I can't think of a more noble and needed profession than attending to the health and welfare of children!

 

[jdog]

Who cares.

Pediatricians sit around and make fun of other specialties too. Everyone does it. I think you will find that other residents do to because they see the kind of patients we take care of on the inpatient basis and they have no clue what to do. They see kids in the NICU and PICU and Hem / Onc, s/p heart surgery etc., etc., etc. A bunch of bush medical students will be calling you for a consult next year, I promise.

By the way,

How do you hide a dollar bill from a radiologist?
---put it on a patient's forehead

How do you hide a dollar bill from a surgeon?
---put it in a journal

How do you hide a dollar bill from an internist?
---put it under a dressing.

How do you hide a dollar bill from a Cardiologist?
--You can't

 

[edmadison]

Originally posted by jdog
By the way,

How do you hide a dollar bill from a radiologist?
---put it on a patient's forehead

How do you hide a dollar bill from a surgeon?
---put it in a journal

How do you hide a dollar bill from an internist?
---put it under a dressing.

How do you hide a dollar bill from a Cardiologist?
--You can't

How do you hide a dollar bill from an orthopod?
-- put it in a textbook

Ed