pediatrics

In summary, I loved the pediatric specialties but felt rather uninspired during inpatient pediatrics.  I enjoy interacting with children and do not mind having to use tricks to perform the physical exam.  I like that pediatricians are almost uniformly nice and adorable people who get to wear bright colors, fun ties, and carry toys. 

I never got an overly sick patient for the entirety of my rotation, which I am perfectly okay with.  I think that could be really sad, but I never dealt with it.

The highlights so far were endocrinology, allergy, rheumatology, and hematology/oncology.  I loved how quantitative endocrinology was, the immediate application of science in heme-onc, and the detective aspect of allergy and asthma.

Most impressive were the siblings I saw with a rare disease for which a new treatment had been found just 7-8 years ago.  The older boy had been in and out of the hospital; the younger girl was for the most part well because of the treatment for what turned out to be a newly defined genetic disease.

Science.  At moments like this, I just have to love it.