Interesting Though

So on rounds yesterday an interesting thought came up. My attending challenged us not to rely on subspecialists b/c in some areas of the country (like the west) there aren't enough pediatricians so most kids are seen by Family Med Docs. So pediatricians are specialists that get referred to. So kids with medical issues get sent to pediatricians b/c family docs don't have enough training in peds to feel comfortable managing these things. Things like asthma, seizures, ADHD, diabetes. These things are bread and butter peds so I never really thought about knowing how to manage these things as specialized knowledge. Interesting concept I guess in case I ever find myself anywhere that is underserved with poor access to subspecialty care. Which in reality is highly likely for me since I'll be dealing with America's most underserved population teenagers. So I think this is going to be my goal for next academic year.