A Chance of Survival

Mariann | future neonatal physician

When I go to college, my goal is to become a neonatal physician. Although it isn't the most popular of careers, I have some sort of connection with it. My parents have told me that their doctor told them that their future daughter, Mariann, was going to be born a few months earlier than expected. There wasn't a high chance of their beloved daughter surviving. I believe every baby should have a chance to survive. With more neonatal physicians, we can increase the rate of survival for pre-mature babies and babies born with illnesses. I, Mariann, am ready to accept that challenge. I would have to earn an undergraduate degree and then undergo four years of medical school. After medical school, I also have to get through three years in a residency program, in general pediatrics, and three years of specialty neonatal and newborn intensive care training. Furthermore, there are two certifications I must earn, the general certification from the American Board of Pediatrics and a sub-specialty certification from the ABP in Neonatal- Perinatal Medicine. Earning a certification from ABP involves fulfilling education requirements and passing a certification exam. The opportunities for this job are very high, considering more babies are being born prematurely. Technology in this field has advanced greatly over the years, so all we need are more people interested in Neonatology. To learn about this topic, I spoke to my parents and did a lot of research.