Question: i would like to be a paedetrician which sciences am I supposed 2 take? What advantages and disadvantages are associated with this career?

Ann Kinyua answered on 31 May 2019:

Biology and Chemistry are critical in helping you understand how the body functions and how medications work. Physics is usually a good add on. It helps one understand laws that govern the chemical components of our bodies and drugs.
Social sciences are important too, to help you understand and predict human behaviour. In paediatrics you will deal with adolesiand these require a lot of social and psychological support.

Advantages and disadvantages…..wow, that’s quite subjective. Depends on what you decide to see as an advantage. For example, children cannot articulate well their symptoms. Neonates and toddlers will just cry! Or not feed. Or just be dull. Imagine having to get a diagnosis when the only symptom is dullness. While this is frustrating and can seem as a disadvantage, over years, to aid in diagnosis, protocols have been worked on that make diagnosis in paediatrics a bit more straightforward and uniform. The range of products used on children is also smaller than for adults.

If a child’s condition is caught early, the response is fast.recovery from fractures is faster in children. However, a slight delay in intervention for a child can also cause quick deterioration for example, dehydration will kill a child faster than an adult.

There’s something amazing about being hugged by a child who was unwell and has recovered, it is also quite heartwrenching to see a child succumb. Great joy versus great sorrow in the same field.

As with any medical field, it requires passion and a lot of time investment. When your heart is in something, you can handle whatever disadvantages. So go for it!