Give me a break!
Saw a report on the news last night. The story is something like this:
Mom, only needing to take exam to gain her M.D./Ph.D. double degree and start residency at Massachusetts General Hospital in the fall, has a seven-week-old that she's nursing. The major exam only allows for snack and bathroom breaks and, according to ADA regs, she's not suffering from a disability that's covered. She's arguing she needs an extra 20 minutes every few hours to express her milk. The board won't let her.
Okay, based on that, it seems a little ridiculous that one of the big medical groups, you know, the ones that hound pregnant moms about how much better it is to nurse your kids until they are in kindergarten, is giving her crap. Even the feds are backing nursing as the way to go. And for any mom who has ever given birth, you know about the breast-feeding Nazis that descend on you the minute they've cut the cord, trying to guilt you into agreeing that little Timmy or Teresa will be breastfed until they can drive themselves to the store for a carton of cow's milk.
The rest of the story:
http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2007/06/23/board_wont_relent_for_breast_feeding_mother/?p1=MEWell_Pos2
Of course, the report I saw didn’t mention that she’s already flunked the test once, and that’s she’s getting extra time, an extra day actually, due to her “serious dyslexia and attention problems -- she was featured in a Globe column last year about adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder”. Let’s get this straight: she’s already flunked once, and she’s now getting twice the usual time to complete the test (read two nine-hour days instead of one).
Are you kidding me? She can always chose to put the test off for a year. Most folks aren't so lucky to even have the chances this chick has. After all, you know many sales associates at your favorite clothing store that are allowed extra time to express milk during their eight-hour workday? How many secretaries? How many moms who have to travel for work, or are in board meetings all day? Get over yourself, honey. It's not like this kid just popped up without warning. If you hadn't flunked the first go-round, you won't be in this situation. Time to make a real-life decision without whining.
One last note: I’m not too sure I’d want this chick as my kids’ doctor. With her dyslexia and ADHD, what do you think her malpractice rates will be?
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