I, like many men and women in today’s world, had put off becoming a parent year after year so as not to compromise the years of education and training that I was lucky enough to be able to pursue. And now as I enter my final weeks of pregnancy, I wonder how will this affect my career?
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Though I know my priorities will change and I will soon have to balance the forces competing for the waking hours in my life, my hope is that this experience will only help me become a better pediatric radiologist. As a fetal imager, I now feel a sort of connection with the expecting mothers who come to our department and I am better able to appreciate some of what they must be feeling. I feel myself becoming more comfortable in my interactions with these women and find my work has new meaning. When I do become a mother, my hope is that experiencing parenthood for myself will make me a better neuroradiologist as well. I will be able to ask myself, “What would I want for my child?” and let that be a guiding force when faced with difficult situations and diagnostic dilemmas.
Most of the people I work with are parents themselves and I see the enthusiasm and passion that they are able bring to the workplace every day despite what must be a very busy home life. I too will aspire to let my son inspire me to provide the best care possible for the patients and their families that visit us here at Cincinnati Children’s.
Contributed by Dr. Usha Niagara and edited by Tim OConnor.
