What risks will my child be exposed to if she goes into medicine?

Many: Besides the risks of infectious diseases, she will be exposed to very long hours, very hard work, more responsibility than most people can ever experience, lack of appreciation, and, quite probably, a lot less money than laymen think doctors make. There's only one good reason to go into medicine: you love it.

Losing her 20's.: Only partially kidding. Because of the stresses, time commitment, and emotional investment involved, physicians (and medical students) are at higher risk for depression and substance abuse. Not to mention the occupation exposures from accidental needle-sticks and contact with people carrying communicable diseases. She has to love it and not mind the sacrifices.

Tough time for docs: Medicine has always been a hard business for women. Pregnancy makes it harder. Unions were successful in limiting the work week to 80 hrs, but trainees are still sleep-deprived. If you do the math, HOs get paid less than minimum wage & have no life. Add dealing w/ many dysfunctional personalities, networking challenges & exposure to infectious diseases. Strongly advise direct/accelerated programs.

Several: Medicine has risks, but so do other careers! There is more exposure to infectious disease, but a lot of that also depends on her specialty. Some specialties, like radiology or pathology have minimal exposure, whereas others, like ER, and primary care have much more. Psychologically, medicine can be stressful, so that is also a risk. If she loves medicine, then I wouldn't discourage her!