Hello, dear mothers in medicine! There's nothing special about today, other than blogging for the first time. (Yay, I'm posting!)
I am so happy to be a contributor to this group of incredible doctor moms. I've been a reader of this blog since the beginning, which was about the time I became a mother and was a fellow. Now I am a faculty member at a prestigious medical center in the South. I spend most of my time doing research to improve the care we provide and reducing errors. The balance of my time is spent teaching on the general medicine wards while we care for patients--maybe reducing the suffering they have just a bit.
The others in my family? Well, I'm married to an happy-go-lucky, always positive attorney who spends his days solving problems. He's my partner in the adventures of life. We have 2 kids who keep us busy--not sure how I'll refer to them here--maybe daughter and son is good enough! One is in elementary school, the other in preschool. We don't have family nearby, but our parents can travel here to help us out sometimes with childcare. No pets at the moment...
For all of us mothers in medicine, we definitely did not pick the easy route in life, but I feel lucky to be where I am. I certainly didn't imagine I'd be where I am 15 years ago when I started med school as an 'older student'. Seems like I may be one of the older bloggers here...I'm definitely ok with that. I feel like I'm a better mother and doctor as I learn more about the world.
How do other mothers in medicine out there feel about getting older?
I also started "late" in life and have a good deal of white hair. People OFTEN mistake me for an attending, and it depresses me slightly when I reveal I am still a resident. Still, I'm really glad this is what I've chosen to do with my life, and I think surrounding myself with younger colleagues keeps me feeling younger too. This past year was the first I was really really not happy about turning a year older, probably because most of my age cohort have been attendings for several years already. Ah well.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad I stumbled across your post! I'm still an undergrad after having spent a long time in a program I didn't enjoy but did well in. I've decided to switch into the medical science program offered at my university and I have plans to take the MCAT and apply to med school. I just turned 24 but I feel worried because by the time I graduate with with my BMSc and then finish med school, I'll be a bit older than most MD grads. I would love to hear your experience with being older and pursuing a medical career as well as being a mom. Looking forward to your future post!
ReplyDelete-Holly
Holly Marie - part of feeling okay with being a little (or a lot, as in my and OMDG's case) older than your classmates has to do with picking the right school. I looked at some really great med schools but their "non-traditional" population was only 2 or 3 years older than the 22 year olds who came straight through. I ended up at a school that puts a higher value on life experience and draws a more diverse student population. I'm not the only older med student and I revel in the fact that I'm not the oldest or even 2nd oldest in my class. Not because my age matters so much to me, but because it is easier for me to find compatriots - other students dealing with mid-life issues like home ownership and child rearing. I think I would have gotten a good education at those other schools, but I would have felt more isolated and lonely during what is already a very difficult process, I'm taking Step 1 on Sunday - wish me luck!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much! That was great advice and something I'll take into consideration when I start applying! All the best with Step 1 :)
DeleteI think I look younger than stated age so I've appreciated getting older, doctor-wise, since I feel that I have less to prove. I did just get asked by a patient's family member whether I was the intern --must admit that was sweet. Yay for blogging for the first time! Milestone day. :)
ReplyDelete