Med School/Dr Mamas?

[Shiloh]

Okay I had shelved my dreams of being a GP.
My grades were pitiful when I first went to university.
I went back 2 years ago to university to finish my bachelors, which turned into a specialized honours.
I am kicking it and taking no prisioners.
I got straight A's last year, even in physics!
I went to a gradschool fair at my university.
And started talking to some medical schools.

It ignited that again.
I don't think I could do medical school until the baby is in school.
He's one now, so it would be about 4 years away.
My degree will be done this year and I was thinking of doing a masters part time starting when he's two. I think I still need, or would want to get my mathematics and biology up to snuff again.
I took bio and anatomy at uni 15 years ago!

So my question is what is the work load like really?
What is the process? I mean I hear phrases like residencies,
course work but how does it actually work?
I am not worried about finances through the degree, more how I could make it work if the kids were in school during the day....

[Krisis]

I really wanted to be a doctor... so I'm totally keeping tabs on this thread

[Drummer's Wife]

Not a med student, but wanted to tell you to check out http://forums.studentdoctor.net if you haven't already. There is a pre-med section, and I'm sure plenty of non-traditional students like yourself.

Also, I think med schools will want your sciences to be a lot more current than that, so that may be something to focus on in the near future.

What I've heard is that the four years of med school aren't that bad. With certain years being more difficult than others... but that residency is where you should plan to work almost 80 hrs a week (maybe less, but still) and be pretty distant from your family - so a fabulous support system is a must! Residency depends on your specialty, GP I think is 3 years (?)

When you take a few years off, or go to grad school, I would also either get a part-time job, or volunteer heavily in the medical field so that you have plenty of patient contact hours before applying. Med schools like to see that, definitely.

Best of luck!

[pinksprklybarefoot]

I second the SDN forums. They have been very helpful to me.

I hang out in the Pharm D forum, though. Most of my life, I thought that I would be a physician, but it isn't realistic for me - my bio/chem/orgo/physics classes are too old. My understanding is that for med school, they have to be within 5 years. I would have to retake years of science just to apply. And I'm not sure if I could handle the 4 residency years child-wise.

I am applying to pharmacy school, because pharmacists' role in healthcare is becoming increasingly clinical. Also, the U of Hawaii is starting a program that offers a dual Pharm D/nurse practitioner degree, which looks extremely appealing.

[annekevdbroek]

I"m not a doctor, but I am married to one. The first two years of medical school were mostly course work - so tons of studying, but fairly flexible. The third and fourth years were clinical years - so that was more all day 5 days per week. But generally no call or weekends. So, it wasn't too bad.

Then came the 3 years of residency. This was in the days before the recent requirements to keep hours below 80 per week and manage post-call works days more humanely. The hours were nuts - even 80 is A LOT. Call is brutal. The intensity depends on your speciality, but they are all busy. And that 80 hours does not include the academic work you might be assigned (reading, research, etc.). The first year was harder than the second, and the second harder than the third.

After residency came the fellowship for sub-specialty training. Another 3 years - about as busy as the third year of residency, but with a heavier academic load.

Now, finally - staff position. Not much call. Work schedule is pretty good. However, the call schedule and work intensity depend on what speciality you choose. OB hours can be all over. Surgery is brutal all around - training and work. Family practice is not too bad (except for FPs who do OB work).

Hope that helps.

[Betleowe]

Old thread, I know but I want to add.

I *used* to be a doctor. And I say used to becuase even though I graduated from Med School and did some part of my residence I've been out of the business for three years. The last surgery I performed was three years ago, so I feel pretty much out of date. And it's been three years!!!

Anyway, I had DD while I was in my second year of residency, for General Surgery which are 5 years and after that two more years of vascular surgery which is the one I wanted. I though I could do it with the baby, but the long working hours where unfair to her. She was being raised by the grandparents and I hated the idea, I quit when I finished my third year. It was not realistic, I couldn't be a mom and a dr at the same time. Not with DD being so young. I planned to return, but I got pregnant again so it's unlikely that I go back to do the dirty job.

Lots of studying in Med School, I actually had a very hard time there. But I guess that depends on the person or the school you go to. I don't think I would have even finished with a toddler or a child to take care of.
Residency is the worst of all, I must say that you have to plan everything if that's what you want to do. You have to update your bio and anatomy studies if you want to apply. Be ready to spend hours and hours in the hospital.

[pixiepunk]

don't have any direct advice about the med school, but since my hubby had recently looked into a Physician's Assistant program i thought i'd throw that out there. they are in very high demand, in rural areas some states will actually pay for your schooling if you are willing to work in a rural health setting for a few years when you graduate. if you google P.A. and loan forgivess you'll find lots of state-specific info. and if you are considering GP, then you could essentially do the same work with way less school and get into the work force a lot sooner, and have more time for your kids (i know a PA who works in a practice with a GP, she works daytime weekday hours, mostly when her kids are in school, has fridays off, works out at the gym regularly, enjoys her job immensely and makes a fantastic living $$ wise).

[dollysods]

You might want to check out

http://www.mothering.com/discussions...1#post13818341

For what it is worth, I am finally in my last year of residency with no regrets. There are days that I wonder whether it is worth it, as I am only hoping to work part time when I am done and my family has had to sacrifice a lot for that, but my daughter has a close relationship with her stay at home father and is thriving, I will be able to work a job I find fulfilling and make good money doing so and the future will bring a bit more balance to our lives.

I have a friend who had 2 kids in med school and got through and then wanted to quite almost daily during intern year-- it is absolutely brutal. I also have childless freinds who wanted to quit almost daily during intern year. You do have some control, especially if you choose family medicine as a career to find a program for residency that is as family friendly as possible. There are some programs out west that have double beds and cribs in the call roooms... and there are some community programs where you are only working about 60 hours a week.

Good luck.

[dentmom]

I'm not a physician, but a dentist, and there were a few people who had kids in dental school. It can be done. Also a few of my SILs had kids during residency and they did just fine. If you really want to do it and don't, you may regret it.

[Betleowe]

Originally Posted by dollysods

You might want to check out
For what it is worth, I am finally in my last year of residency with no regrets.
.

Ugh, envy is eating me inside

[tarahsolazy]

I'm a doctor, a neonatologist. I work in a large university hospital, teach, do research, and care for patients. My work weeks can be 100 hours plus when I am "on service", ie taking care of patients. My non service weeks are typically 40-60, depending on call. Because I do ICU work, when I'm on call I frequently have to go in to the hospital, or stay there all night. Its not a phone call thing from home.

I trained in the old days when there were no limits on work hours for residents. I went to med school before I was married, got married, my DH and I did residency, and then I did a fellowship, so 6 years total after med school, or 10 years from college graduation. I had my first kid as a fellow, my second as a faculty physician. I really enjoy my job, and I liked med school and residency/fellowship too. Its hard work, but I find it much more meaningful than spending 80+ hours a week earning money for a law or finance firm, KWIM?

Its not perfect, as far as family time goes. I do miss things, and I sometimes have to put my patients first above my family. Flame if you wish, but if it were your 500 g child I was spending hours with to save, you'd be glad I chose to do that rather than play Lego with my son. I think to be a good doc, you have to make that sacrifice at times, or at least be willing to. Some specialties, you may never need to.

I don't know if you're in the US, but here you'd be looking at 4 years of med school, the first two are classwork, which is more rigorous than most bachelor's level stuff. Its more material stuffed into less time, and no fluff classes, all science. The second two years are work in the hospital, and can be longer hours, some weekend work, etc, but IMO that's the best part of the whole training. You have huge exposure to really cool cases, and NO real responsibilty, very fun. Its less fun when you are legally and morally responsible for the outcome of the cool, very sick patient.

Residency for family medicine in the US is 3 years, and the schedule is 80 hours a week, perhaps a little less at times. Another great time for learning, with gradually increasing responsibility.

I don't think its very reasonable to undertake this kind of training while being the main responsible party for child management. For instance, you need a partner to take almost all responsibility for drop-offs and pick-ups, if required, arranging after school care, picking them up sick from school, making and attending doc appts for them, taking them to activities, etc. Same with household management. Not that you can't help with all of that, but I don't think you can arrange all of that during med school or residency.

Good luck, its certainly an exciting proposition.

[rrible]

Another mama-doc here... Writing from the little closet with a bed that they call a sleep room. Like the poster above, I'm a faculty member at a tertiary care facility and do teaching, research, and patient care but in ob/gyn. I was pregnant with my son during my last year of residency and had him at the beginning of fellowship.

While it's definitely doable to be a parent in medical school - I think some of my classmates who were older and had families were some of the most balanced, effective students. they were there because they really wanted to be there and had enough life experience and perspective to feel certain in their career goals - you'll need a lot of help and support in the clinical years and during the years of residency and practice to follow. As a doctor, your time is often not your own. It would take a true emergency to pull me away unexpectedly from work - I'm lucky my husband's a teacher with regular hours and a good system for personal/sick days. As a result, I've had to get used to the idea that I won't make it to all the events in my child's life and that my husband and son get to do lots of fun things without me and that unless he wants to nurse, my son will almost always go to DH for everything. I try to make the time that we are together count as much as possible.

No matter what field you choose, residency is the most difficult time. For some fields and career paths, life gets significantly better; in others, not so much. Happy to answer other questions.


Good luck!

[ccohenou]

I'm starting med school in August. Looking forward to the challenge, but slightly nervous as to how it will all work out logistically. It's been a process just taking the prerequisites, exams, applying. Now I am just relaxing, taking a few classes to keep things fresh, and spending some extra time with the kids.

It looks like the med school class schedule is roughly 9-5, plus studying of course. We will be needing after-school care for the kids in school, and the same excellent daycare for my youngest (now 2.5, was 1ish when I started back to school full-time).

I found it helpful to talk to/observe some physician-mothers here in person. One that I met had 8 kids, from 14 born during med school to 1. I figure if she can do it, I can do it with four kids . Having the full on-board support of family/partner is something that everyone noted as particularly important.

[abharrington]

hi mamas!! i can't tell you how glad i am to find this thread! i will graduate med school in may. i had dd during my second year and ds in my 3rd. it has been hard...but my classmates would say the same. i wouldn't have it any other way. i love my kids, my life and of course, my dh. grin.

for the mamas thinking about going to med school, your time commitment will depend on (1) how efficient you are at studying (and how much of the science material you REALLY learned in undergrad) and (2) what program/school you are at. my school is WONDERFUL for family. the 1st 2 years are PBL so much more flexible time, i would say most weeks no more than 30 hours of actual class time...although this translates into lots of self-directed learning and you have to be super disciplined to put those hours in when you have lo's at home. third year is rough schedule-wise but 4th is a breeze. i am dreading intern year a bit...although bc i am going into psych the schedule is by far the easiest.

for us, me and dh and our family, its a great profession, a great part time job for me (eventually) where i make good money, enjoy my work and am really helping people.

would i do it all over again...probably not. i'm sure that is why the Lord choose to give me my kiddos after i was already in school. many days it is so hard to go...i love being home.

i also have several friends who have had babies during med school. again, i think that is pretty program-specific. my sister went to a very different type of program, no one had families ...much less babies. dd came to class with me everyday for the 1st 4 months of her life. my classmates and professors were just awesome. i was also able to take a year off to be home with her (between 2nd and 3rd years) which i am SO SO SO glad i did.

sorry to ramble on...feel free to pm me if you have any questions. i have not met many ap mamas that are MDs or in med school...although i do know we are out there.

[countrygirl28]

Originally Posted by abharrington

i have not met many ap mamas that are MDs or in med school...although i do know we are out there.

I don't have much to add to this thread, since I am very newly pregnant, so I don't have any experience with actually being a mom in med school. However, I am in my 3rd year of med school, and I think I can see the finishline that is graduation! Just wanted to post to say that I am a pretty cruchy/ap mama-to-be. We are out there, even if we are few-and-far between!