Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Priorities?
In response to my interest in family medicine, my surgical fellow says, "Are your parents 1st generation immigrants? Then you have to do your best [implying primary care is not really the most prestigious way to go, which is actually true in at least today's medical community] and pay them back for the sacrifices they made for you." Good thing I didn't tell him I'm also interested in Peds.
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3 comments:
Oh my! = )
Damn. That bites.
Is HE a first- or second-generation immigrant? He makes a good point, but your parents sacrificed so you can have freedom to make good choices. If Peds or general practice is where you feel led, then to hell with what he thinks.
Reminds me of a newspaper article I read once that talked about how medical school professors and fellows would openly and actively discourage their students from going into family medicine or peds using terms like "selling yourself short." Its a tragedy, especially considering that some of the most acute shortages in the system are in family medicine and peds, and many with insurance can't access specialist care because there aren't any generalists who can take them in and refer them up.
Hey, and worst case, if you decide that the grind of family medicine isn't for you, you can always bail out, become a hospitalist, and live comfortably for the rest of your days.
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