Med students - cougarguard.com — unofficial BYU Cougars / LDS sports, football, basketball forum and message board

RedHeadGal · 08-24-2009, 03:22 PM

Another pet topic around here. A few pieces of info and anecdote overheard lately.

My nephew is starting as a first year med student at a DC-area med school. Reportedly, the class size is something like 170, and only 40-some of those students are male. I haven't independently verified that, but that's what he told me.

I have been in the same ward now for 11 years, and we have another med school in the ward boundaries. Each year, we get a new crop of students who move in to our ward to start med school. Those are arriving now, and typically I would say 5-8 new families move in each year. Over my 11 years, there has been 1 student of the approx 50-80 students in our ward who was female. I wonder what happened to her.

MikeWaters · 08-24-2009, 11:36 PM

I thought we already covered this. I've never met a LDS female physician.

One thing I will say--medical training and career involves a lot more investment, for a woman who plans on having a family early on, than law. 4 years of med school, then at least 3 years, more likely 4-5 years post-grad training, before you can really catch your breath. Not to mention the heavy debt that most get into.

I think you can "dabble" in law. It's harder to dabble in medicine. All those things are barriers to our LDS female dabbler-wannabes. Of course, the LDS culture in general discourages women from going into medicine.

RedHeadGal · 08-26-2009, 03:40 PM

I never said it was a new topic--which is why, in fact, I called it a "pet topic."

What interested me more was the idea that women constitute such a large majority in a new medical school class. Although such women, if not LDS, may be less likely to pair off and start having babies in their early 20s, presumably many of those women will just the same make family choices along the way, which will (most of the time) mean having children. In other words, women who become doctors still manage to have families.

It probably is easier to dip in and out of the law than being a doctor, but doing so as a lawyer has its professional penalties.

Maybe more LDS women should be trying to become dentists. Now that seems like a really flexible professional job. Of course, it also means having to work on people's teeth all the time.

Incidentally, when I was visiting UT, I attended a ward there where a new couple were the speakers. They were both new doctors who had met in med school. If I'd had the chance, I would have been interested to talk to the wife.

Archaea · 08-26-2009, 04:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RedHeadGal

I never said it was a new topic--which is why, in fact, I called it a "pet topic."

What interested me more was the idea that women constitute such a large majority in a new medical school class. Although such women, if not LDS, may be less likely to pair off and start having babies in their early 20s, presumably many of those women will just the same make family choices along the way, which will (most of the time) mean having children. In other words, women who become doctors still manage to have families.

It probably is easier to dip in and out of the law than being a doctor, but doing so as a lawyer has its professional penalties.

Maybe more LDS women should be trying to become dentists. Now that seems like a really flexible professional job. Of course, it also means having to work on people's teeth all the time.

Incidentally, when I was visiting UT, I attended a ward there where a new couple were the speakers. They were both new doctors who had met in med school. If I'd had the chance, I would have been interested to talk to the wife.

Women being doctors and dentists make sense, as it is easy to provide parttime assistance in those fields.

I wonder if we will progress to the point where we focus upon families of all varieties without the emphasis on child-bearing so that LDS women will be encouraged, if they so choose, to become professionals.

MikeWaters · 08-26-2009, 04:48 PM

Sure women in medicine have children. But likely fewer than their non-medical compadres.

Women in medicine pay a price--probably why they are less likely to rise to leadership. Balancing family like with work is not really the path to professional success. However, if me, I would prefer family to professional leadership.

RedHeadGal · 09-01-2009, 04:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

Sure women in medicine have children. But likely fewer than their non-medical compadres.

Women in medicine pay a price--probably why they are less likely to rise to leadership. Balancing family like with work is not really the path to professional success. However, if me, I would prefer family to professional leadership.

I wish we had some statistics about that. I'm trying to think of a doctor I know, male or female, who doesn't have children.

Anyway, if more women are entering med school now, maybe there's more hope for the work/family balance in the future. Of couse, even if that's true, it will take time.

NorCal Cat · 09-15-2009, 10:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RedHeadGal

Anyway, if more women are entering med school now, maybe there's more hope for the work/family balance in the future. Of couse, even if that's true, it will take time.

Exactly what kind of "work/family balance" are you hoping for?

Zulu451 · 09-30-2009, 08:10 AM

There was a LDS girl in my medschool class. She was single and very nice. I think she ended up going into internal medicine. I don't know what happened with her since

I have thought about this same issue being a father of 3 daughters. Should I encourage them to pursue medicine? After some mental debate, I think the answer is yes, if that is what they want.

Archaea · 09-30-2009, 02:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zulu451

There was a LDS girl in my medschool class. She was single and very nice. I think she ended up going into internal medicine. I don't know what happened with her since

I have thought about this same issue being a father of 3 daughters. Should I encourage them to pursue medicine? After some mental debate, I think the answer is yes, if that is what they want.

If our women are on equal footing in terms of encouraging to pursue professional careers, maybe men will seek more balance and the family life will be better. Perhaps, having men believe that they can overwork with the wife being home is unbalanced and harmful.

08-24-2009, 03:22 PM	#1
RedHeadGal Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: DC Posts: 995	Med students Another pet topic around here. A few pieces of info and anecdote overheard lately. My nephew is starting as a first year med student at a DC-area med school. Reportedly, the class size is something like 170, and only 40-some of those students are male. I haven't independently verified that, but that's what he told me. I have been in the same ward now for 11 years, and we have another med school in the ward boundaries. Each year, we get a new crop of students who move in to our ward to start med school. Those are arriving now, and typically I would say 5-8 new families move in each year. Over my 11 years, there has been 1 student of the approx 50-80 students in our ward who was female. I wonder what happened to her.

09-30-2009, 08:10 AM	#8
Zulu451 house-elf 3rd class Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Boston, MA Posts: 386	There was a LDS girl in my medschool class. She was single and very nice. I think she ended up going into internal medicine. I don't know what happened with her since I have thought about this same issue being a father of 3 daughters. Should I encourage them to pursue medicine? After some mental debate, I think the answer is yes, if that is what they want. __________________ <---- Mikewaters drives the lane...

08-24-2009, 11:36 PM	#2
MikeWaters Demiurge Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 36,365	I thought we already covered this. I've never met a LDS female physician. One thing I will say--medical training and career involves a lot more investment, for a woman who plans on having a family early on, than law. 4 years of med school, then at least 3 years, more likely 4-5 years post-grad training, before you can really catch your breath. Not to mention the heavy debt that most get into. I think you can "dabble" in law. It's harder to dabble in medicine. All those things are barriers to our LDS female dabbler-wannabes. Of course, the LDS culture in general discourages women from going into medicine.

08-26-2009, 03:40 PM	#3
RedHeadGal Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: DC Posts: 995	I never said it was a new topic--which is why, in fact, I called it a "pet topic." What interested me more was the idea that women constitute such a large majority in a new medical school class. Although such women, if not LDS, may be less likely to pair off and start having babies in their early 20s, presumably many of those women will just the same make family choices along the way, which will (most of the time) mean having children. In other words, women who become doctors still manage to have families. It probably is easier to dip in and out of the law than being a doctor, but doing so as a lawyer has its professional penalties. Maybe more LDS women should be trying to become dentists. Now that seems like a really flexible professional job. Of course, it also means having to work on people's teeth all the time. Incidentally, when I was visiting UT, I attended a ward there where a new couple were the speakers. They were both new doctors who had met in med school. If I'd had the chance, I would have been interested to talk to the wife.

08-26-2009, 04:48 PM	#5
MikeWaters Demiurge Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 36,365	Sure women in medicine have children. But likely fewer than their non-medical compadres. Women in medicine pay a price--probably why they are less likely to rise to leadership. Balancing family like with work is not really the path to professional success. However, if me, I would prefer family to professional leadership.