February 9, 2004
A: FROM MENTOR SUZAN SONG IN IL
I'll have my doctor degree in a few months and think Neonatology is
amazing :) They do a lot of important work -- with both cute babies, and those
that are really sick and on the brink of not making it. A lot of people think
Neonatology is dealing with cute babies all the time - but it can be very
stressful in the hospital since a lot of neonatology is working with very sick
babies that are just born. It's very rewarding though - to be able to save a
life from so young.

If you're interested in babies/kids, you could also do general Pediatrics. Both
of these fields require training in medical school (so you do 4 years of
undergraduate college, then 4 years of medical school, then a 3 residency
program in Pediatrics, and then a fellowship in Neonatology - maybe 1 or 2
years). It takes a lot of training to be a doctor, but I think it's completely
worthwhile. We need more women in the field and I think you should definitely
think about it!!

If all of that schooling doesn't sound appealing to you, you could also become
a nurse (I think that's 2 or 3 years training total) and then try to work on
the Neonatology/Pediatric floor.

Please feel free to email me with more questions/just to say hi :) Take
care. --Suzan.