Tell them what you want to be when you grow up!

[PeepshowJohnny]

Okay, I like Peds, but what is with the parents who just love to tell me that their kid is going to be a pediatrician (Always pediatrician, no one says Colorectal Surgeon or Anesthesiologist or Radiologist) when they grow up?

This is not an isolated incident. In the "tween" range, I swear, a third of the parents tell me (or have their kid tell me) about how they're going to be a pediatrician.

I've always found it interesting the attrition between "premeds" in college vs. who gets into med school, but I never realized there was this huge group of 11 year olds who wanted to be doctors who don't reach their dream.

I guess it's just odd to me because I never thought about being a doctor (none the less a specialty) before high school. Of course, I still had hope I was going to manifest mutant superpowers at that age or learn to use the Force, so maybe I'm a bad example.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[oldbearprofessor]

Okay, I like Peds, but what is with the parents who just love to tell me that their kid is going to be a pediatrician (Always pediatrician, no one says Colorectal Surgeon or Anesthesiologist or Radiologist) when they grow up?

This is not an isolated incident. In the "tween" range, I swear, a third of the parents tell me (or have their kid tell me) about how they're going to be a pediatrician.

I guess it's just odd to me because I never thought about being a doctor (none the less a specialty) before high school. Of course, I still had hope I was going to manifest mutant superpowers at that age or learn to use the Force, so maybe I'm a bad example.

um, maybe it's the only type of doc the kids have ever seen so it's what they talk about? . Don't worry though, most of the kids at that age really want to be a sports star or supermodel despite what their parents think.

I was going to be an air traffic controller when I was a preteen, then an engineer as a teen. Pediatrician never crossed my mind until I started med school and saw that all the really cool kids became pediatricians.

 

[SocialistMD]

Of course, I still had hope I was going to manifest mutant superpowers at that age or learn to use the Force, so maybe I'm a bad example.

Why did you let go of your dreams?

 

[Begaster]

Are you doing your rotation in a hospital that deals with a lot of very sick children, or a family-type practice? If it's the former, you've got a very biased group - kids who have seen and been helped by medicine firsthand. Of course that would colour their opinions.

If it's the latter, I blame House, Scrubs, and Grey's Anatomy.

 

[MSHell]

There were 2 girls in my 1st grade class who wanted to be doctors. One wanted to be a gastroenterologist (one or both her parents were) and the other wanted to be a pediatrician (her mother was).

I was more fascinated by the fact that my 6yr old classmate could pronounce gastroenterologist, go on to explain what that specialty does and then claim to want to do the same!

 

[PeeWee137]

i wanted to be a pediatrician when i was around 7 or 8. it is entirely possible for little kids to know what they want to be when they grow up. the bias towards pediatricians is probably because of the cool toys in the waiting room and a good pediatrician is worth more than gold to a parent, so its natural for them to want their kids to emulate their doctor. what is not natural is the parent demanding their child become a pediatrician when they are 6 and make them brag about it to everyone.

dont make fun of these nerdy kids! but please continue to make fun of these pushy parents.