Doctor with CF

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bananagirl

New member
Hi guys,
I am trying to figure out what I want to do with my life (career wise). I have been thinking about going into something in the medical field and most recently have though about becoming a doctor. I am wondering if there is anyone out there who is a doctor and has CF. Is this even possible?
 
beautifulsoul

beautifulsoul

Super Moderator
Anything is possible. What kind of doctor do you want to be & think about all the risks. Will it be worth it to YOU? It's your life. Your decisions. I know there are nurses out there with CF. There are people with CF that have medical related jobs. I don't personally know anyone with CF who is a doctor.
 
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moxie1

Guest
I know of a surgeon with cystic fibrosis....someone I came across in my google surfing. <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">
 
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saveferris2009

New member
just know that PA can negatively impacted many types of patients.

many skin infections are caused by PA (so I would never let a surgeon with CF touch me), Oncology and HIV patients are susceptible to PA infections, etc.

if you colonize MRSA, you might have trouble gaining employment because you could infect others.

it's a tough reality, but you have to think about others. hugs
 
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imported_Momto2

New member
I had a friend who became a doc. Her residency pretty much did her in and she passed away only a few years later. As Bill says, choose your field VERY carefully, and who you work for, what will be expected, etc. For my friend, the lack of sleep, nutrition, and lack of time to take care of herself were what caused the problems.

I was premed until I saw what it did to my friend, then I realized, that for me, sacrificing some years of my life for my career was not worth it. This was at the same time I had another friend get diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and pass away, all within 5 months. I left academia entirely at that point, moved on with my life, and started raising a family. This was the right choice for me, but for others, becoming a doc would be the right choice! Think about all angles, worst case scenarios, what you are willing to give and put up with. Best of luck!
 
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welshwitch

Guest
I say go for it. Here's a blog of a CFer who was a doctor (pathologist to be specific) for many years until retiring to do wellness coaching. It may be worth contacting her to get her advice! And read her bio for her story.

http://www.sickandhappy.com/
 
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rubyroselee

New member
ANYTHING is possible! But remember, we have a lot more needs than the normal person, so the high demands of school, residency, etc might not work well with our situation. Also, being in a hospital environment isn't ideal either. But it doesn't mean it can't be done.
 
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markinohio

New member
Dr. John Thomas Schaeufele (1954-2011) | Visit Guest Book

(News Article) Dr. John Thomas Schaeufele, 57, president and chief executive of Mercy Children's Hospital, whose own childhood illness spurred him to become a pediatrician, died Wednesday in his Old West End home.

He had cystic fibrosis, a degenerative lung condition diagnosed in his late teens, although he'd been sickly for years before. His condition worsened in the early 2000s, and in 2004, he had a double lung transplant.

(Copied from The Toledo Blade, October 21, 2011.)

Mark
 
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stevehof

New member
What you choose to do for a living depends a lot on an honest and accurate assessment of your health and physical abilities. I think <a href="http://www.vitals.com/doctors/Dr_Eric_Goodrich" target="_blank">Dr. Eric Goodrich</a> has CF. this doctor's educational timeline is right but I lost track of Eric years ago. It may not be the same guy. If you could contact him, he might be able to give you valuable advice. Myself, I was offered the opportunity to go on private disability in 1984 and I instinctively knew that doing so would prolong my life. While I have missed out on certain perks that come with staying in the working world, there's no doubt that I would not have lasted nearly as long as I have if I had continued with an 8 to 5 work week. Having a loving wife who was willing to shoulder the bigger share of financial responsibility made my very early retirement possible...;^)
 
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SIcklyhatED

New member
you also have to consider the exposure you'd get to all sorts of bugs, what with working in a hospital and generally spending a lot of time there. Nearly all healthcare workers test positive for MRSA, so that's something to think about.

Have you thought about medical vocational school? There's tons of other healthcare professions that do not take half a lifetime to get into, and can be more choosy as far as where you get to work. I'm a student PTA, so I'm definitely in the medical field, but don't have to work in a hospital (and NO night shifts! yes!)
 
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welshwitch

Guest
Here's another doc w. CF who just turned 60.

http://medalum.mc.duke.edu/modules/medalum_profile/index.php?id=28
 
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stephen

Guest
Anna,
Julie Desch is a physician with CF. She writes a column for CF Roundtable, a quarterly newsletter of the US Adult Cystic Fibrosis Association.

I am quite sure she would be happy to answer some of your questions. Her contact information is listed as jdesch@usacfa.org

I have found CF Roundtable is a worthwhile newsletter to get. It contains articles of interest to adults with CF that are usually written by adults with CF. It was originally recommended by a previous adult CF Center I was attending.

Wishing you all the best in you future career choice.

Stephen
70 years old with CF
 
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