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how did you balance your personal life while going to school for all these years, and what are some tips or advice you would give to someone who's pursuing this career ?

My name is Lony , and I am a current high school student.For my Literacy class, I am completing a project that involves interviewing a professional in the medical field I'm interested in to learn more about their career journey and experiences.

I am very interested in the field of neonatology

doctor neonatal neonatology
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Yoav’s Answer

Hi Lony ! I am truly impressed that you've already set your sights on such a meaningful and specialized field like neonatology. Balancing a personal life while navigating the long years of medical training isn't always easy, but the secret is learning to treat your downtime with the same respect you treat your study time. You've got to be intentional about scheduling moments for your friends, family, and hobbies because those are the things that'll keep you energized when the coursework gets tough. My biggest piece of advice for someone starting this journey is to stay connected to your why by volunteering or shadowing in a hospital setting early on; seeing the impact you can have on a tiny baby and their family makes the long nights of studying biology and chemistry feel much more purposeful. Don't be afraid to ask for help when you're feeling overwhelmed, as medicine is a team sport and building a support system now will serve you well for the rest of your career. You're clearly a dedicated and thoughtful student and the medical world is going to be lucky to have someone with your heart and focus. You are going to make an incredible difference in the lives of so many families, and I wish you the very best of luck.
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James’s Answer

Work-life balance is a big deal for everyone, so you are good to think ahead about this. Fortunately, Healthcare has generally figured out that physicians, nurses, and other care providers need to be adequately rested and emotionally ready to take on the challenges of the profession. Start now in assuring you prioritize enough sleep, healthy food, exercise, avoidance of drugs (far too many use stimulants, for example), and set aside time for time with loved ones.
There are apps, if you need them, that help you organize and structure your days, but the basics are to get something necessary and difficult out of the way early in the day. This gives you a sense of accomplishment, and has you working on the hard stuff when you are reasonably well rested. Get up and stretch, take moments to reflect, pause to envision what great things you can accomplish if you maintain discipline.
I recently retired from nearly 40 years as a pediatric intensive care physician, and what got me through that was putting my family first, developing a colleague team that looked out for one another when any of us needed support, and honest discussions with my family about when I needed to pass on some things to get the sleep I needed (but listening to their needs as well).
Compromise, but don't break key rules you set regarding having the time you need to fulfill yourself.
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Alexandra’s Answer

Hi Lony,

I think it’s really important to pursue hobbies and passions outside of work to maintain balance and avoid burnout, especially in demanding fields like the medical field. Balancing personal life while going through years of school can be challenging, but finding time for things that bring you joy and relaxation makes a big difference. I think this applies to any career. You have to set time for things that help you "disconnect" - meaning that while you do those activities you do not think about school or work. For some people, sports or hiking or dancing helps. But it does not have to be a physical activity, even though exercise is very important. For others, what really helps is creating art (anything from painting to ceramics to knitting), or playing board games. I personally have found that taking care of pets and plants helps me unwind and relax. Playing chess also helps me but it does require focus so may not be ideal from a "rest" point of view. Getting enough sleep, no matter how busy you are at work, is also critical. Another important point is to spend time with people outside work, whether family or friends, or people you meet through volunteer work etc.

Hope you find something that helps you with finding balance. Good luck!
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Keith’s Answer

I found it very difficult in the beginning and the attitudes towards students and residents 50 years ago was much less concerned with our rest or balance and much more concerned that we would learn to give good care and push through fatigue when crises demanded that. I think, while my family suffered some during those years, that the training was needed to make me able to sustain the effort to remain a good critical care physician. There were fewer of us and many nights of call than is typical now, so I will let younger folks answer the more contemporary aspect of that question.
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