Surgeon Moms?

[Bullseye_18]

Yet another motherhood post....

Hi friends! I am newly exploring this realm, taking pre-req's and looking into shadowing/clinical volunteering when I am able to move back to the US. But I have some questions that are probably more personalized than are typically answered in your Mom,MD threads...

Hopefully (Lord willing!) I am able to find a hubbs in the next few years; and in that time, I plan on matriculating into medical school when I am 31 (when my military service commitment is complete). Thus... I tend to feel like I have a VERY SMALL window for making some babies

I figured that if I wanted to go the Family Practice route, going through an accelerated BSN-MSN (or DNP) would be more "family friendly." But if I wanted to go into surgery, MD is obviously the way to go. With my unique skills-set at... dexterity, I definitely have a strong interest in surgery (of course, interests are subject to change over the years).

Has anyone experienced being able to raise newborns and toddlers during their surgical residencies? I currently work an average of 80hrs/wk, thus it is no doubt doable and normal for a single person. But what about the momma's out there? Were you able to read to your child every night? Could you take them to their soccer games on Saturday?

Do mothers generally never regret becoming an NP over the MD route? I know single-folk who tend to look back, after "all of that schooling" and wish they had simply gone the MD way instead of NP.

I'm simply looking for surgical-mom wisdom! Or even the satisfaction of the NP route for moms... Medical school debt is no problem, as I have that covered from my current-job....*I hear them kiddos change yer world* Thanks in advance!

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[Crayola227]

only thing I can add is that I've heard a fair number of disturbing stories of surgery residents having abortions/feeling like they needed to/being pressured by program to have one

obviously if you have kids going in, child murder is likely off the table

being a single mom in school & training... good luck

I knew a divorced dad in med school, that was wicked hard despite having an extremely supportive ex and parents

you need a support system

the people that I knew that managed it the best had very supportive spouses, not emotionally supportive, I mean like they had jobs that were conducive, or they could afford to have one stay at home

some people's parents moved cross country, ffs

your questions about having time to read to them at night and take them to soccer games, as a surgical resident? I almost wonder if you're trolling us

 

[Crayola227]

I think with your "plan" surgery is off the table, FM is reasonable, and I don't think you have to go NP over MD route necessarily

 

[OrthoTraumaMD]

Surgery residency with a newborn is near impossible unless you’re in your final year at the very end when you have the kid.

 

[IMGASMD]

Not a woman. Met a very successful neurosurgeon who have kids, but husband (who has a PhD) became a stay home dad.
Also another neurosurgeon had her kid during her final year of her residency, took 4 weeks of her vacation as maternity leave and graduated on time.
Plenty of ob/gyn have babies during their residency training. So yes it is possible to have kids as surgeon. But it makes lives much harder and someone will have to be welling not to follow societal norm. (Right or not, not the topic of this thread)

If it’s just surgery aspect of medicine that intrigues you, why not RNFA or a PA?

 

[Bullseye_18]

Perfect. Thanks for the feedback guys!

I do like the input, certainly, on not necessarily defaulting to NP if considering the FM route. Anyways, I suppose this would be the benefit of shadowing to see where my niche lies-- shadowing doctors of many specialties, NP's, and PA's. And perhaps, if my heart was dead-set on surgery, PA miiiiiigghhtt be the way to go.

And sorry if that "reading to your kids" thing seemed like a troll... folks seem to be so adamant about how busy surgeons are, but 80 hours a week really isn't that bad. So with my perspective on a work-week, it seemed like a good question to ask for the lifestyle I am looking for, regardless of his/her perspective on being overworked...

Anyways, there are certainly more things to consider! Thanks again for all of the input and advice. I am ITCHING to get back to the US and start shadowing and stop wondering... ya know? Thanks guys!!