They’re frum mothers, dealing with children, Shabbos guests, and community obligations. They’re doctors, dealing with life-and-death decisions, and grueling hours. How do they balance both?
“I think most MDs are Type-A people who want to do everything well” says Jessica Triest a fifth-year attending physician in emergency medicine at Beaumont Hospital in Detroit. “You want to be a good wife mother cook — but you’re working 80 hours a week! Something has to give”
A n old joke tells of a distraught Jewish mother who runs to a lifeguard. “Help!” she cries. “My son the doctor is drowning!”
Everyone laughs at this stereotypical mother but historically Jews have proudly counted medical experts among our midst and the prestige has only increased as medicine has grown in complexity and effectiveness.
These days however “My daughter the doctor” is increasingly common in frum circles — not that it’s an easy path. Frum female doctors-to-be embark on this challenging training process at the same time that they’re negotiating shidduchim marriage pregnancy and raising young children. How do they keep it all together and come out on top?
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