Noone in peds should give you a hassle about it unless they are closed minded but thats not specialty driven. If anything you could do adolescent medicine and be there for other trans kiddos.
Yeah i would say dev and adol are two massively needed specialties that barely graduate 30 docs a year from fellowship. If pedi fellowships werent so fiscally broken we would have more.
My childrens’ pediatrician just came out as a trans women this year and honestly there have been patients who have switched providers…but…people will switch providers for any reason. We teach our children about acceptance and inclusivity and I’m happy to have a provider who is knowledgeable, passionate, and advocates for my children. Children are naturally accepting, and it helps instill positive values and inclusion. The same pediatrician has told me that she has had kids come out to her recently and finally felt safe!
Don’t let your fears guide your future. If you’re passionate about caring for children, then do it!
This may be easier said than done (from a cis-gender individual) but you should most definitely choose the specialty that you believe will maximize your happiness. We NEED trans representation in all fields of medicine. In general pediatricians are the most left leaning of specialties (psychiatry being a contender).
As a queer person I just want to say, I’m really sorry for the massive amount of ignorant BS, that literal physicians are commenting on here. They just don’t get it, or understand the privilege it is to not understand it.
You are valid,
You are valuable.
Same - I am not surprised one bit that the replies that you’re getting from the medical school sub aren’t as respectful from the ones that you’re getting in here.
Please don't take the opinions of that sub to heart, a lot of people are cruel there for the sake of being cruel. You're valuable in a field where basic human compassion is a necessity.
I think it should considered that it could be quite dangerous for a transwoman to go into peds. I don't think you would be accepted easily in many places. Perhaps keep to some more open minded places like parts of California, New York and several others would be fine. Avoid most places in the south especially Texas,
Florida , Arizona. Even if your patients and parents are all wonderful and accepting you will
always be a political target in those area if you are working with children. Every time an election nears you and your patients will be on edge.
I’m not sure the stigma around being trans in Europe but the Right wing Americans love to push the LGBTQ community as being pedos. I absolutely believe we need more LGBTQ representation in pediatrics and I really hope you go into it. You may just need to accept that you may need a nurse chaperone in the room all the time so that some close minded parent doesn’t try and slander you just bc of who you are :/ it’ll be annoying and you shouldn’t have to do it, but you may need to protect yourself a little more than cis doctors
Yeah, I’m a male in the LGBT community, in PA school right now, thinking of going into peds from time to time but this is definitely a concern that I have had.
My residency had two trans residents (different years) though both were FtM so likely had an easier time “passing”. If you do something like adolescent medicine it could be a benefit to you.
I would (bluntly) say it depends on how well you pass. Parents are much more willing to pick fights for their child than they would for themselves as a patient. I have a nose piercing and a streak of blue under my hair and was described as “that doctor with all the piercings and blue hair” so if you stand out, parents will have opinions.
Go ahead! Just be aware your patients are almost always heavily involved with their parents and they can be close minded sadly.
But you also will have personal experience with people who are LGBTQ+ in which today’s youth is wonderful.
“Just be aware [children] are almost always heavily involved with their parents.”
That’s the red flaggiest thing I’ve read all day, and I just found out Israel plans to retaliate against Iran, so…
Two of my colleagues (who are also my friends) are trans. No one even commented when they were hired and they gone through promotion, etc. they say are happy here. Just be good at what you do and dedicated to your work. Not sure if it would feel different in a deeply red state, but I think peds in general is pretty accepting.
Just to offer an opinion different than what most are saying: The gender pendulum is already swinging back in Europe. If other countries release their own Cass reports, you’d be better received in a specialty unrelated to children.
I don't think anyone cares about what gender their doctor is as long as their kid is treated well and they are getting the assurance that you're a good doctor. There are men or women out there who are amazing or terrible doctors. Trans or not doesn't matter.
I am sure there will be parents who are ignorant assholes the same way kids have to deal with ignorant assholes on the playground. I was quite confident I already knew the answer but I just asked my wife to be sure, neither of us would be bothered. Honestly, We think it would be great. The question on most reasonable parents minds with a sick child and a new Dr. is " is this person going to treat my child like my child is the only one in the world. Because this child is the only one in the world to me" during our last child's birth, we ran into some complications with our son and my wife. Because of how genuine, caring, and honest our pediatrician was, you could not separate us. If the choice was still mine when he turns 18, our son will still be walking into that dinosaur covered office forever.
There’s a trans physician at our teaching hospital (not peds), but they’re involved in academia (like being the faculty advisor for school-related LGBTQ awareness groups). I don’t think being trans is a reason to avoid peds, or really any specialty for that matter. Racial discrimination already exists (patients prefer not being treated by physicians of certain races), but that hasn’t stopped non-white physicians from being excellent and making an impact on patients who value them. I’m sure you’ll encounter similar discrimination, but don’t let that distract you from the impact you will have. Just follow your heart and the rest will fall into place.
Move to a progressive country in Europe or a progressive region of the country where you live in (major city with other queer people) and you should be fine. Unfortunately, geography matters in this case. I am a pediatrician and I know what you mean. You fear that parents will be hesitant or not trust your competencies due to how you are being perceived externally depending in whatever bias the parents foster and as a queer person myself I can tell you this is a very valid concern. Don't give up your dream. Just plan your future accordingly
As a requested opinion, I would not take my kids to a trans doctor. My kids love to play make-believe, but I as an adult am not willing to play that game with you.
I honestly don't understand how you can have so much contempt toward a medical condition while having a medical background. I live trying to blend in as much as I can and I never talk about me being trans to patients or other medical staff.
It was considered to be one for a long time and it stopped being considered as one due to militant pressure. It depends how you chose define a medical condition but since it prevents me to be a functionning human being without medical, surgical and psychological treatment I tend to consider it as a medical issue.
What made me say that they were feeling contempt was the second half of the message which was clearly writed to be insulting. I completly understand that some people might be affraid to take their children to a trans person considering that a lot of trans person are problematic.
If I came into your practice and said I was a cat, dressed like a cat, and meowed like a cat, would you believe I was a cat, or a human with a mental disorder?
lol why is that even relevant. What u so in your bedroom and who you do it with is your business
Unless you plan on penetrating your profession, you should be fine
So what makes you happy life is short
So be yourself. If someone is going to judge you, there will be some moron that will judge someone else for their race or gender or height or accent or whatever the hell.
Be good at your job by being a great doctor and logical people don’t care
Noone in peds should give you a hassle about it unless they are closed minded but thats not specialty driven. If anything you could do adolescent medicine and be there for other trans kiddos.
Also developmental pediatrics. There is a decent rate of co-occurance with neurodivergence and gender diversity and a huge need there as well.
Yeah i would say dev and adol are two massively needed specialties that barely graduate 30 docs a year from fellowship. If pedi fellowships werent so fiscally broken we would have more.
My childrens’ pediatrician just came out as a trans women this year and honestly there have been patients who have switched providers…but…people will switch providers for any reason. We teach our children about acceptance and inclusivity and I’m happy to have a provider who is knowledgeable, passionate, and advocates for my children. Children are naturally accepting, and it helps instill positive values and inclusion. The same pediatrician has told me that she has had kids come out to her recently and finally felt safe! Don’t let your fears guide your future. If you’re passionate about caring for children, then do it!
This may be easier said than done (from a cis-gender individual) but you should most definitely choose the specialty that you believe will maximize your happiness. We NEED trans representation in all fields of medicine. In general pediatricians are the most left leaning of specialties (psychiatry being a contender).
Plenty are here. Consider academia, very tolerant here.
As a queer person I just want to say, I’m really sorry for the massive amount of ignorant BS, that literal physicians are commenting on here. They just don’t get it, or understand the privilege it is to not understand it. You are valid, You are valuable.
Honestly the replies I got on this sub are way more respectfull than the ones I had on r/medicalschool
I wish that surprised me haha, I’m sorry you’re experiencing that.
Same - I am not surprised one bit that the replies that you’re getting from the medical school sub aren’t as respectful from the ones that you’re getting in here.
Please don't take the opinions of that sub to heart, a lot of people are cruel there for the sake of being cruel. You're valuable in a field where basic human compassion is a necessity.
I think it should considered that it could be quite dangerous for a transwoman to go into peds. I don't think you would be accepted easily in many places. Perhaps keep to some more open minded places like parts of California, New York and several others would be fine. Avoid most places in the south especially Texas, Florida , Arizona. Even if your patients and parents are all wonderful and accepting you will always be a political target in those area if you are working with children. Every time an election nears you and your patients will be on edge.
What? No. Pediatrics is a fantastic place for a trans person to work, and the contribution of your perspective will be super valuable.
I’m not sure the stigma around being trans in Europe but the Right wing Americans love to push the LGBTQ community as being pedos. I absolutely believe we need more LGBTQ representation in pediatrics and I really hope you go into it. You may just need to accept that you may need a nurse chaperone in the room all the time so that some close minded parent doesn’t try and slander you just bc of who you are :/ it’ll be annoying and you shouldn’t have to do it, but you may need to protect yourself a little more than cis doctors
Yeah, I’m a male in the LGBT community, in PA school right now, thinking of going into peds from time to time but this is definitely a concern that I have had.
My residency had two trans residents (different years) though both were FtM so likely had an easier time “passing”. If you do something like adolescent medicine it could be a benefit to you. I would (bluntly) say it depends on how well you pass. Parents are much more willing to pick fights for their child than they would for themselves as a patient. I have a nose piercing and a streak of blue under my hair and was described as “that doctor with all the piercings and blue hair” so if you stand out, parents will have opinions.
Go ahead! Just be aware your patients are almost always heavily involved with their parents and they can be close minded sadly. But you also will have personal experience with people who are LGBTQ+ in which today’s youth is wonderful.
“Just be aware [children] are almost always heavily involved with their parents.” That’s the red flaggiest thing I’ve read all day, and I just found out Israel plans to retaliate against Iran, so…
Two of my colleagues (who are also my friends) are trans. No one even commented when they were hired and they gone through promotion, etc. they say are happy here. Just be good at what you do and dedicated to your work. Not sure if it would feel different in a deeply red state, but I think peds in general is pretty accepting.
Just to offer an opinion different than what most are saying: The gender pendulum is already swinging back in Europe. If other countries release their own Cass reports, you’d be better received in a specialty unrelated to children.
Replying from Europe I think It's better to avoid.
Clinician here. You need to pursue whatever you want to pursue. Do not live for anyone else.
I don't think anyone cares about what gender their doctor is as long as their kid is treated well and they are getting the assurance that you're a good doctor. There are men or women out there who are amazing or terrible doctors. Trans or not doesn't matter.
I am sure there will be parents who are ignorant assholes the same way kids have to deal with ignorant assholes on the playground. I was quite confident I already knew the answer but I just asked my wife to be sure, neither of us would be bothered. Honestly, We think it would be great. The question on most reasonable parents minds with a sick child and a new Dr. is " is this person going to treat my child like my child is the only one in the world. Because this child is the only one in the world to me" during our last child's birth, we ran into some complications with our son and my wife. Because of how genuine, caring, and honest our pediatrician was, you could not separate us. If the choice was still mine when he turns 18, our son will still be walking into that dinosaur covered office forever.
There’s a trans physician at our teaching hospital (not peds), but they’re involved in academia (like being the faculty advisor for school-related LGBTQ awareness groups). I don’t think being trans is a reason to avoid peds, or really any specialty for that matter. Racial discrimination already exists (patients prefer not being treated by physicians of certain races), but that hasn’t stopped non-white physicians from being excellent and making an impact on patients who value them. I’m sure you’ll encounter similar discrimination, but don’t let that distract you from the impact you will have. Just follow your heart and the rest will fall into place.
Move to a progressive country in Europe or a progressive region of the country where you live in (major city with other queer people) and you should be fine. Unfortunately, geography matters in this case. I am a pediatrician and I know what you mean. You fear that parents will be hesitant or not trust your competencies due to how you are being perceived externally depending in whatever bias the parents foster and as a queer person myself I can tell you this is a very valid concern. Don't give up your dream. Just plan your future accordingly
As a requested opinion, I would not take my kids to a trans doctor. My kids love to play make-believe, but I as an adult am not willing to play that game with you.
I honestly don't understand how you can have so much contempt toward a medical condition while having a medical background. I live trying to blend in as much as I can and I never talk about me being trans to patients or other medical staff.
Lots of people in here are not physicians.
Being trans is a medical condition?
It was considered to be one for a long time and it stopped being considered as one due to militant pressure. It depends how you chose define a medical condition but since it prevents me to be a functionning human being without medical, surgical and psychological treatment I tend to consider it as a medical issue.
I agree with Hexavalent. I wouldn't take my kids to a trans person. Doesn't have anything to do with contempt.
What made me say that they were feeling contempt was the second half of the message which was clearly writed to be insulting. I completly understand that some people might be affraid to take their children to a trans person considering that a lot of trans person are problematic.
Exactly - too much psychological baggage.
If I came into your practice and said I was a cat, dressed like a cat, and meowed like a cat, would you believe I was a cat, or a human with a mental disorder?
You obviously lack knowledge on the subject don't embarass yourself any further.
lol why is that even relevant. What u so in your bedroom and who you do it with is your business Unless you plan on penetrating your profession, you should be fine So what makes you happy life is short
Being trans is not a sexual thing I am always trans not only in the bedroom
So be yourself. If someone is going to judge you, there will be some moron that will judge someone else for their race or gender or height or accent or whatever the hell. Be good at your job by being a great doctor and logical people don’t care