lifestyle in Paediatrics

[Pirate]

I've always wanted to go into paediatrics but I don't know what the lifestyle would be like. I never really thought about it before I went to medical school - at worst I thought vaguely that it might be difficult for a few years. Then when I was at my GP's, he mentioned that he'd switched from paediatrics because of all the night work! That got me alarmed. Having done night-shift-work for a few months (at a care home), I know I'm not good at having messed-up sleep patterns; I tend to lose all my energy for a few days after each night shift and feel a bit sick, and find it impossible to sleep beforehand.

I'm still pretty uninformed about the realities of being a doc. Do the consultants work shifts? I have the feeling they don't at the moment..?

And if consultants are on call, does that mean they often get disturbed? -cos I heard from older doctors that when they used to work 1 in 2 or 1 in 3 it basically meant working the whole day, then the whole night, then the whole day - does the amount of night work change as you go up the ranks? something like being third on call rather than first?

I was thinking I could always work part time but at the moment it takes about 10 years to become a consultant, so working part time would mean it took twice that, wouldn't it? And under MMC perhaps only a few people in a specialty will get to become consultants, and the rest will be doing shiftwork forever or something? :S grr I hate MMC

I'm a girl, btw, and would like to have kids some day...

[auden]

I'm not sure if anyone answered you on this, but it sounds like you need to talk to a paediatrician or two and find out if it's really for you!

I reckon from my experiences that paediatric consultants generally do more actual 'on call' in the hospital than most medical consultants - in the hospital I'm placed at currently, the medical consultants are on call from home and often don't need to come in, whereas it was a regular thing in my paeds attachment for the consultant to be called in at night for very sick children. In a way you're right that you (probably) won't be doing shifts as a consultant (though you will right up until then, including as a SpR) but you're not going to escape nights!

Also bear in mind that many people find it easier to do a series of nights (and be able to adjust) than odd nights here and there. You may find you get used to it, given time.

[James]

You have asked a few questions..

Paediatric trainees (ST/SHO/SpR) will in the most do full shift rotas. This means that they will work regular nights, long days and weekends. There is no getting out of this.

If you are part time then you will work 50% hours, but will still have to do nights, long days and weekends (just 50% as many). Yourr training will also be twice as long.

Over consultant on-calls things are changing rapidly at the moment. It is very likely that in the next ten years consultants in paediatrics and obstetrics will have to be on-site when on-call. They are likely to increase the numbers of consultants so you will do on-calls less often, and you will get days off in compensation. But the reality is that as a 50 year old consultant you will be in the hospital overnight reviewing children at 3am.

Also bear in mind that there are sub-specialties within paediatrics. Neonatologists generally have the worst rotas, general paediatricians are a bit better and some some community paediatricians do no on-calls at all.

[Baby doctor]

Neonatologists generally have the worst rotas, general paediatricians are a bit better and some some community paediatricians do no on-calls at all.

That's a shame because I'm currently doing my AS levels in order to go to med school and then train to become a neonatologist.

How are the rotas bad? Is the fact that there are long hours or just awkward times?

[BB89]

Although it's great that you have an idea about which speciality you'd like to pursue, it would be worth bearing in mind when applying to med school that admissions staff generally like to see a student who is more open minded, as your training as a doctor and before you choose to specialise, will be long. During this time you may change your mind several times, which seems perfectly acceptable to me, I haven't met a doctor yet who knew what they wanted to do from the outset!
Good luck with your AS Levels and your future application

B x

[Kim leanne]

neonatologists have terrible hours and the consultants work harder than any consultants i've ever seen! But they all seem to love their job and are happy consultants doing very long hours.

[Kim leanne]

oh yeah and they also don't tend to get paid as well as other consultants because there isn't the option of private work on top of NHS work.

[Clarkey]

I still really want to do paediatrics but it is definitely useful to wait until you get to medical school and try and get some experience in the area. I don't think i've had anywhere near enough experience to know whether its right for me yet.

[rjm]

Although it's great that you have an idea about which speciality you'd like to pursue, it would be worth bearing in mind when applying to med school that admissions staff generally like to see a student who is more open minded, as your training as a doctor and before you choose to specialise, will be long. During this time you may change your mind several times, which seems perfectly acceptable to me, I haven't met a doctor yet who knew what they wanted to do from the outset!
Good luck with your AS Levels and your future application

B x

I went into med school wanting to do paeds, continued to want to do paeds through med school, dabbled a bit with the idea of critical care in F1, went back to wanting to do paeds in F2 and am now a paeds trainee. I love my job and would not consider doing anything different. In many respects my desire to do paeds throughout med school has helped as all my electives/special study units were paeds directed which gave me some experience and "dedication to a specialty" when it came to paeds training.