Female Catholic doctors

[Brian_C]

Hah, my wife is going into practice in the fall (delayed a couple months b/c of the two kids we’ll have had while she’s been in residency. She’s going into peds as well. She got on with a large, busy practice and is going to be able to do quite well working three days a week. They will be three long days but heck, all our days are long right now and I write this as the two girls are asleep (just got them sleeping in the bed together!) and the wife is on call at the hospital. It’s certainly not easy but we’re so used to it, we wouldn’t know what easy was. We pay a sitter when we have to but usually just don’t do much since money is still tight until she gets out. Pediatricians are an understanding group and everyones’ always joking with her about being pregnant all the time.

It can be a tad hard on me sometimes b/c both employers I have had for the past ten years have questioned my long term loyalty, believing that I will hit the road as soon as the money starts flowing in. I have no plans to, though, as I really enjoy my career as an archaeologist. It does limit my promotional ability, though, as one govt service grade promotion averages maybe $10k and the wife just laughs at me when I ask to move to some far off National Forest for $10k when she’ll be tripling my salary for starters in the practice she’s signed with.

 

[Footprints04]

Hi!
I’m going to be a PharmD (doctorate in pharmacy) after 3 more years of school, and my boyfriend also has two more years left in medical school. I am also a little nervous about what the future holds, but definitely not enough to make me seriously question marrying this man. I know I will probably end up taking a part time job after kids come along.

But I wish I knew more of what to expect and what we can talk about to prepare for the times ahead. Like what can we expect during residency and thereafter? What specialties would be more difficult for family life and which wouldn’t? Also he says he’d rather not use daycare, though he isn’t against us using babysitters sometimes…

Is there anyone who can give some thoughts/advice? I’d appreciate it! I feel lthat this is the man I’m called to marry, but I wish I knew how to better prepare for what lies ahead…

 

[Brian_C]

Sorry, I missed your post. Pediatrics, family practice, dermo…those are about the easiest…well, radiology as well, maybe…when it comes to family time. Almost anything surgical will take around 5 yrs or so to complete residency.

As for daycare, I hope you’re either going to be a stay at home pharmacist or bring a playpen to work b/c unless you have local family or a nanny you will not be able to avoid it. Our kids had to go into daycare from six weeks to eight weeks on.

I don’t know how hot he is on family practice, but most decent-sized communities have family practice residencies through their hospitals.

When he gets out into private practice, the bigger the group he can get in with, the better because that means there are more partners to split call with should he go into a specialty that requires it. My wife’s call nights consist of her pager going off nonstop from 6 to at least 10 so far.

You CAN raise a family while he’s in residency, trust me. We had our first during my wife’s 3rd year of med school, our second her intern year of residency, and our third during her last few months. It hasn’t been easy but it has truly been a blessing!

 

[jman507]

Ask an MD a question, and he will give you a solution.

Ask a PHD a question, and he will give you 10 solutions.

Unfortunatly patients tend not to be very patient with 10 solutions. Although I think you could say, ask an MD a question and he’ll give you 10 different tests.

 

[Brian_C]

Although I think you could say, ask an MD a question and he’ll give you 10 different tests.

But only if they know insurance will pay for them!

 

[KCT]

My 5yo DD’s pediatrician just had her 8th child! Her husband stays at home with the kids. All of their children are in Catholic schools.

Our OB/Gyn has 7 kids and her husband homeschools! In their practice, there are 2 female docs, 2 males and one midwife. Both of the female docs have homeschooling husbands. Amazing.
—KCT

 

[Brian_C]

With what OB/GYN’s make, I can see it!

 

[ElizaE]

A little off subject, but the website for the Medical Association of Catholic Students (MACS) at the University of North Texas Health Sciences Center is beautiful! Especially the church it shows on the homepage.

hsc.unt.edu/MACS/macs.html

My husband and I started that organization (well the chapter at our school). Thank you for liking our website (my sis-in-law designed it).

My husband and I are 4th years and will be graduating soon. We too are concerned how we will manage family and career.

Thank you again. It was such a suprise to see someone link out site. We do have to update it.

BTW, if you can, start your own chapter of CMSA at your school. It is such a blessing.

 

[aht0629]

Dear Natlie,
I am in the medical profession (MRI technologist) and have had 30 wonderful years in the Medical Imaging Field. The three things I learned was this
1 Before the kids come devote time to God, Husband, yourself, profession.
2. When the kids come devote time to God, Family, yourself, Profession.
3. After the kids are grown devote time to God, Family, yourself, profession.

Before the kids came I was able to devote more time to my profession. After they came I had to devote less time which also meant not excelling at quickly as I could or making as much money as I could have.

Now that I am an empty nester (which happened 5 years ago at the age of 45) I was able to devote more time to my profession again.

I have worked Full time (before kids), part time or PRN (while kids were growing up) and Full time again now that they are out on their own.

As long as you remember the appropriate priorities you’ll do fine. If your professional ego (though I don’t think it is a problem) gets in the way then you’ll be fighting an up hill battle all your life.

I remember for a long period of time I worked part time…and my brother kept bugging me about getting a full time job, with benefits, 401K etc etc and my simple reply was…“I have a life time to work, I only have a few years with which to raise my children. If I have to scrub toilets till I’m 70 that’s okay because at least I know that I can look back on my life and know that when I should of been there for my children I was.”

You’ll do fine.

God Bless.
Anne