I've been pretty convinced that I'm going to become an Ob/Gyn lately. Then I attended pediatric grand rounds last Friday, where who was presenting but none other than Dr. Gary Marshall, of pediatric infectious diseases, who is by far one of the best lecturers I have ever heard. Last year he gave the closing lecture in our microbiology course, about vaccines and vaccine-preventable illnesses, and I my love for infectious disease (as a field, not an ailment) was reinforced. Of course, that was before I found out that I was a cutter (not myself -- other people!). Since August, I've been busy thinking about how Ob/Gyn is the perfect fit for me. Surgery, babies, a little primary care, and a little infectious disease.
Then I heard Dr. Marshall talk again last week and I was back to square one. "Didn't I get my MPH to work in infectious disease epidemiology?" "Don't I have a bizarre love of vaccines and vaccine-preventable illnesses?" Argh. But, there's still hope.
Dr. Marshall talked about thimerosal and vaccines, and it was a wonderful lecture. He gave some background on thimerosal and mercury, reviewed the research that shows no link between vaccines and autism, and reviewed and debunked the research that supporters of the link try to claim as evidence. It was all in all a great talk, especially because Dr. Marshall is such a great speaker. *Note: I am not here to start a debate with anyone on the vaccine-autism bullshit. Vaccines do not cause autism. Period. End of story. I think not vaccinating your children is a form of parental neglect.
One of the questions that came up was why, if all the evidence points to the contrary, does this misinformation keep spreading? One answer is that parent groups are very proactive in bringing in people who keep spreading the misinformation, and physicians are notoriously poor at organizing and fighting back in a people-friendly way (true). It's very easy to stand there in your white coat and say, "Your child needs this vaccine because it's the best thing for him," but very difficult to go in front of a group of educated-but-misinformed parents and try to fight the crazy head on. So we were challenged to do just that.
And then it hit me. That's why I can still do good things (vaccine-related, that is) with Ob/Gyn: Because maternal attitudes are formed during pregnancy, not afterward. It is well known among pediatricians that obstetricians need to push breastfeeding, because once the baby meets the pediatrician for the first time, even if it's at a mere 2 days of age, it's too late to change maternal attitudes, and that baby is going to be bottlefed. Things might not be that dire when it comes to vaccines, but I really think obstetricians can play a large role in directing attitudes toward vaccination. And I really love a good dose of crazy, so I've decided my job is to infiltrate, infect (with wisdom!), and fix this craziness. Beliefs cannot continue to trump facts! So watch for me at your next PTA meeting. In five years.
And on that note, check out why New Jersey is awesome (Seriously, people! I keep telling you it's not all the Turnpike and jughandles!): N.J. first in nation to mandate flu vaccine for preschoolers.
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2 comments:
Christ help the world when you do become an Ob/Gyn. I guess they let anyone try their shot at being a doctor nowadays. I'm afraid that a state that ranks in the low 30's/high 40's in education just shouldn't allow its doctors to leave the state boundaries. :)
Guess what: I'm not from Kentucky. Sorry to disappoint. I learned my reading, writing, and 'rithmetic in other states, so find something else to insult, please. :)
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