Paediatricians: Are They Just Small Adults?
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Paediatricians: Are They Just Small Adults?
IRAS ID
184480
Contact name
Graham Johnson
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Derby Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 1 months, 1 days
Research summary
One of the most consistently reiterated mantras of modern medicine is that children are not small adults. Their physiology is different, they cannot give a coherent history and their response to standard therapies can often vary. These differences demand a different approach from the treating physician. Paediatricians must not only utilise medical expertise, but they must also have the ability to entertain, distract and reassure their small patients. We know that some people are born to be paediatricians. But are some who enter medical school pre-destined by their own genetics and physiology to become paediatricians? Does a diminutive stature make it more likely for doctors to enter paediatrics? Are paediatricians just small adults? One could hypothesise that a shorter doctor is less threatening for the child and may even be viewed as a peer; as such a nervous toddler may find them more reassuring. We aimed to address this important research question in this international, multi-centre study.
REC name
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REC reference
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