Question:
This isn't really a comment
about the Portland job, more of a question. If the job is in fact real,
can anyone really imagine Doug taking such a job? It seems as though it's
more administrative than a "hands-on" pediatric position. Sure, it's great
for his career, and he wants to help set up more Pedes ER's around the
country so kids can get better care, but Doug always struck me as the type
who would always want to work with the kids himself, instead of just doing
paperwork over and over again to set up a Pedes ER. I'd like to hear some
other comments about this. *I do hope he takes this job, it's better than
him getting fired or breaking protocol (again), but it just seems like
they'd be changing his character's personality a little
Answer:
I know what you're getting at here, but I think I can see how this job would be
very attractive to him.
First off, his personality *has* changed - a lot - in the past couple of years.
He's settled into a permanent relationship, he's not drinking heavily as he did
in the past, and last year he came up with the idea of taking on a more
administrative role with the Pedes Attending job.
Also, he's pushing 40 - I believe - and I can say, being at that stage in my
own life, that this is a time when many people long to do something of larger
significance in their career rather than simply affecting people one at a time.
He's been an ER pediatrician for a long time and he could go back to being one
again later. The suggestion that he could take a concept he pioneered (the
pedes ER) to many other settings around the country would be very exciting to
him, IMO.
And I think that traveling around, showing doctors and nurses the protocols for
treating children in emergency situations, would be the very hands-on,
people-centered work that he enjoys. It wouldn't necessarily be heavy on the
paperwork.
