PEDIATRICS Vol. 80 No. 5 November 1987, pp. 737-738
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Self-Inflicted Disease and the Pediatrician

ALAIN JOFFE MD, MPH1

1 Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore

Pediatric intern applicants often volunteer in personal statements why they entered pediatrics. Having served on our department's intern selection committee for 4 years (as its chairman for 3 years), and having read hundreds of personal statements, I believe a trend exists, which, if accurately perceived, should be of concern to pediatric residency programs. Increasingly, expressed in personal statements is the sentiment that one reason for choosing pediatrics involves "not having to take care of patients with chronic illnesses, particularly those that are self-inflicted."