1 Department of Pediatrics, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
Each year, approximately 2,000 graduates of medical schools begin a pediatric residency,1 most heading toward a career in pediatrics. Many of these trainees, some during their residency and others later in their training or careers, eventually make a major transition from young adulthood to parenthood. This transition brings joy to the personal lives of many pediatricians and on some occasions sadness and anguish to others. To most, it brings new responsibilities and preoccupations. Unfortunately, the effect of this event on the kind of care pediatricians provide to children and their families is seldom discussed, and little is known about the importance of this event for the professional performance of these pediatricians.