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It's a warm, sunny day today.  Spring is finally here, from the looks of things.  That means it's time for a new beginning. On my way home from work last night, I stopped for a drink with an old friend of mine.  When I say old... I've known this friend since we were kids.   I can't remember a time when I didn't know him.  We were joined by two of his other friends, who I was meeting for the first time.  When I first meet people, and they ask what I do, my answer evokes either a blank look, a look of pity, or a lot of questions. Thankfully, this time I got questions. The two most common questions I'm asked are how I ended up doing what I do, and what is the most rewarding part of my job.  I'd like to share my answers here, as a part of my new beginning. How did I end up as a pediatric oncologist?  I wasn't one of those kids who knew at age 5 he wanted to be a doctor.  In fact, I went to college hoping to be a research scientist.  It was only after my sophomore year that my father suggested to me that if I wanted to do medical research, a medical degree might be helpful.  So I started medical school in the Medical Scientist Training Program, on a track to get both an MD and a PhD.  Thankfully, just seven years later, I graduated with both degrees, ready to take the next steps. Why oncology?  I was attracted to the science.  Understanding how cells work fascinated me, and when I realized that cancer is a...
Source: Doctor David's Blog - Category: Oncologists Tags: Being a Pediatric Oncologist Patient Stories Source Type: blogs