March 10, 2004
A: FROM MENTOR LESLIE WAITE IN CA
This is for Maggie in Illinois in response to her questions. Hanmin
is a neonatologist who is a member of the fetal surgery unit here at
UCSF. UCSF was the first University in the nation (maybe even the
world?) to do fetal surgeries to correct life-threatening birth
defects on babies still in the womb. It is very exciting work!
**********
>Hi Leslie,
>
>Can you forward this to your student?
>
>A lot of math and science is used in neonatology on a daily basis.
>Ventilator use(breathing machines), intravenous support (fluids in the veins
>to keep babies from getting dehydrated) are just a couple examples of the
>daily need for both math and science.
>
>Neonatologists usually work in fairly big hospitals in special areas called
>nurseries where babies go after they are born. Sometimes babies stay just
>one or two days after birth, but some that have medical illnesses or that
>are born prematurely will need to stay longer.
>
>Neonatologists go to four years of college, four years of medical school,
>three or four years of residency then three years of fellowship before they
>are a fully board certified neonatologist. It is kind of a long time to do
>training, but most people who do it really love what they do and feel like
>they are really helping people.
>
>Good luck,
>
>Hanmin Lee, M.D.
********************

February 11, 2004
New Q: From Maggie in IL
Thanks for responding.  I am interested in how much science and math are used
on a daily basis in neonatology, and just general things like how many
patients they have on a daily basis and what kind of area they work in. Also, could
you tell me about just the daily rountine the neonatologists go through each day?
********************
A: FROM MENTOR SUZAN SONG IN IL
Hi Maggie!
Great to hear from you. It's excellent that you're interested in Neonatology -
what about that field is attractive to you?

I'm not going into that field, so I can't tell definite specifics. I'm doing
Medicine/Psychiatry. But from what I've seen, Neonatology can be quite
stressful -- but also extremely rewarding.

Science and math are always used regardless of what field you go into. In
medicine/health care, the more experience you get, the less of that stuff you
use. So that by the time you're actually a doctor, you're using all kinds of
knowledge and experience - including that with your patients - more than
using "textbook" knowledge - but that's really important in the beginning. In
order to get into medical school to eventually do Neonatology, you have to be
good in the sciences.

I think most neonatologists work in hospitals - in academic/University
hospitals, they normally have a neonatology ward - attached to the
Labor/Delivery ward (where the OB/Gyne's work). The one in my hospital (Univ of
Chicago) has maybe 40 incubator/beds for the newborns. They're always under
close supervision and have these different lights that go off if there's any
kind of emergency (which there *always* is -- making it a little stressful).

The daily routine of any doctor varies SO much. Some only work in hospitals.
Some only in private practice. Some mainly do research. Others do work in
policy or government, or community health groups. For neonatology though,
you'll probably spend most of your time in the hospital. But in any field of
medicine, you can cater your lifestyle to what you want - which is why it's so
stimulating. If you want to do research as well - you can fit that into your
schedule.

I'm not sure if Neonatologists are "on call" - this means they sleep over at
the hospital and deal with any problems/emergencies. Definitely during your
training in medical school and residency - you have to "take call" in any
field.

Pre-Rounds (when you have to check up on each patient in the morning) can start
around 4 or 5am, depending on how many patients you're carrying (maybe 10 or
so). Then you have Rounds (where you present to the attending doctor) around
6am. And then the rest of the day is taking care of the babies and getting the
new babies that are born that day. You can leave as early as 6PM or later.

Hopefully this answers some of your questions. Unfortunately, I'm not going
into neonatology, but this was what I got the feeling of when I was working in
the unit. Keep me updated on your progress :) take care, Suzan.

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.