The Real Life of a Pediatrician

 

The first time you have to deliver bad news to a parent. The tenth screaming baby you've seen today. The thousandth time you've stayed just a bit later than your shift, helping one more sick child. Every one of these kids has a story, and so does each doctor who treats them.

 

Unusual diagnoses. Heartbreaking losses. Triumphant healing. From med student to intern to practicing specialist, The Real Life of a Pediatrician traces the careers of these family practitioners. When children are the patients, so much can be at stake, and emotions often run high. How do you tell a mother that her child has a terminal illness? What do you do when your patient is too young to tell you what's wrong with him?

 

This anthology features first-person narratives from the students and doctors who have devoted their careers to this path, and offers an unblinking look at daily life in the field.