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New docs inspired by parents
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SPENDING his early years exploring all the nooks and crannies of the hospital where his mother worked, Zhou Chen had already developed a passion for helping sick people when he was still in kindergarten.
Zhou followed his mother, a gynecologic nurse, everywhere when she was working, spending nights in her duty room and using a stethoscope whenever an opportunity arose.
In 2011, Zhou decided to pursue a career in pediatrics and was admitted to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, where he will complete his graduate pediatric studies when he returns in September.
Zhou’s early experiences are typical of the so-called yierdai, a special term meaning children of medical staff.
In spite of — or perhaps because of — their familiarity with their parent’s work, many yierdai tend not to choose the same vocation, mainly because they are put off by the heavy workload, poor pay and the sometimes tense relationship medical staff have with patients.
Their parents also tend to be less than keen on their children following them down the same difficult path.
Surveys conducted by the Chinese Medical Doctor Association found nearly 80 percent of doctors didn’t want their children to go into medicine because of the hardships, pressures and general stress they will face.
However, some yierdai throw caution to the wind and go into medicine anyway, their desire to help people outweighing the difficulties they know they will face. This often leads to heated arguments with their concerned parents.
At the Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, six doctors took part in a panel discussion to share their experiences on the weekend before their graduation.
They talked about what influenced their decision to become doctors and what they intended to do in future.
Zhou Chen said he got into big rows with his mother when he decided to study pediatrics. At first, his mother expressed strong objections to his decision, insisting that he should pursue a career in finance and business management.
“She said I would not earn a lot of money, even though I would sacrifice so many things for my patients,” he said. “However, she was later swayed by my determination to be a doctor and became a role model for me.”
Discussing their bittersweet moments as doctors, all panelists agreed that their respect for the medical profession was rooted in their deep respect for their parents.
But what makes it all worthwhile in the end?
“Seeing patients smile after they have recovered,” Zhou Chen said.
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