# I need medical career advice. **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 6, 2005, 9:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-medical-career-advice/307105 "2005-06-06T09:33:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Silentgoldfish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@Silentgoldfish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silentgoldfish)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2005, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-medical-career-advice/307105/21 "2005-06-10T20:23:25Z")
I recently did a prac at a public hospital (I’m about 3 exams away from being halfway through a nursing degree) and most of the residents, like 60-70% were women. So there’s that! ---
**Author:** ![serious\_lark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/43a26b/32.png) [@serious\_lark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/serious_lark)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2005, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-medical-career-advice/307105/22 "2005-06-13T19:19:27Z")
> [@MerryMagdalen](#): > > Ding! There’s the dilemma. I really like the idea of being in charge (scary as that can be - and believe me, I’ve watched the faces of the interns as they make decisions). A few months ago I got to pretend to start a central line on a dummy at the UW Med School. I turned to the doctor helping me (head of the ER) and said, “That…was sooo cool.” I loved it (he also got quite a kick out of it, apparently). I think that the way my head works, I pretty much have to be an MD. But as a woman, it’s hard to understand that that means that a) I might not be able to have biological children; or b) I’ll have to have them during a time when I can’t pay as much attention to them as I’d like. Everyone is always busy, MDs, RNs, or whatever. Please don’t let that affect if and when you have kids. I chose to wait until all my training was done, but others have quite successfully managed during medical school or residency. There is more accomodation in the system for this than there used to be, so it will probably be less difficult that you fear. ---
**Author:** ![MerryMagdalen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c2a13f/32.png) [@MerryMagdalen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MerryMagdalen)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2005, 8:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-medical-career-advice/307105/23 "2005-06-14T08:51:18Z")
> [@seriouslark](#): > > Everyone is always busy, MDs, RNs, or whatever. Please don’t let that affect if and when you have kids. I chose to wait until all my training was done, but others have quite successfully managed during medical school or residency. There is more accomodation in the system for this than there used to be, so it will probably be less difficult that you fear. You’re right of course. And I’ll admit that many of the memoirs I’ve read about being an intern were based on experiences from at least ten years ago. And of course, right now kids are not really on the horizon for me; it makes more sense (to me) to concentrate on a career rather than on something that may or may not work out. And **irishgirl** thanks so much for expanding on your statement for me. Your clinical exams sound like something I could really enjoy. ---
**Author:** ![irishgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8edcca/32.png) [@irishgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/irishgirl)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2005, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-medical-career-advice/307105/24 "2005-06-14T15:49:54Z")
When it comes to exams, I’m less in the enjoyment, more in the mind-numbing fear and anxiety mindset myself, but whatever floats your boat! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-medical-career-advice/307105.md?page=1)