# "Sho Yano, Uiversity of Chicago Student, To Become Youngest M.D. in History"



## Steam Engine (Jun 4, 2012)

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/03/sho-yano-university-of-chicago-md_n_1566618.html?icid=maing-grid7|main5|dl1|sec3_lnk2%26pLid%3D166584

What are your thoughts on this? I have to admit that upon first read, I was adamantly opposed to the University of Chicago's decision. After further reflection, I'm still wary, but a bit less so.

 We have Paramedics and R.N.s at his age, and in some cases even younger, who are excellent providers. I was somewhat autonomously caring for patients in the back of an ambulance at 21. Obviously, the scope, training, education, and knowledge base, and even the expected roles in society at large, of an M.D. and a pre-hospital provider or R.N. are vastly different...but, if he can do the job, should age matter? _Can_ he even do the job at his age? Perhaps age has nothing to do with being a competent provider...with that said, being 2 years his senior, I can tell you I won't be in any hurry to be making an appointment with Dr. Yano anytime soon.


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## firecoins (Jun 4, 2012)

Steam Engine said:


> http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/03/sho-yano-university-of-chicago-md_n_1566618.html?icid=maing-grid7|main5|dl1|sec3_lnk2%26pLid%3D166584
> 
> What are your thoughts on this? I have to admit that upon first read, I was adamantly opposed to the University of Chicago's decision. After further reflection, I'm still wary, but a bit less so.
> 
> We have Paramedics and R.N.s at his age, and in some cases even younger, who are excellent providers. I was somewhat autonomously caring for patients in the back of an ambulance at 21. Obviously, the scope, training, education, and knowledge base, and even the expected roles in society at large, of an M.D. and a pre-hospital provider or R.N. are vastly different...but, if he can do the job, should age matter? _Can_ he even do the job at his age? Perhaps age has nothing to do with being a competent provider...with that said, being 2 years his senior, I can tell you I won't be in any hurry to be making an appointment with Dr. Yano anytime soon.


Unless your under 18 with a neurological problem, you need not worry about making an appointment with him. 

You really wouldn't want a genius treating you?


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## NYMedic828 (Jun 4, 2012)

Age is just a number.

Mentally, he is nowhere near the age of 21. That's why he is a genius...

He went for the same amount of schooling as anyone and has equal experience. 

In his 21 years he has done ad achieved more than most will in a lifetime.

It really would be tragic if I had my child treated by a doctor who is capable of thought processes most of us cannot even fathom.


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## EpiEMS (Jun 4, 2012)

Regardless of intelligence, I doubt I'd take my close family member to a physician that young.

Still, it sounds like underutilization of a brilliant mind, in some sense.


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## Aidey (Jun 4, 2012)

Why? He went through med school the same as everyone else. Why does his age matter?


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## Tigger (Jun 5, 2012)

Until we can find an accurate and quick gauge of maturity, age will remain a deciding factor in our trust for people. I'd have no issue in seeing him if he had the same judgement shown by his older colleagues, which I imagine he does. However I don't think some people are willing to even give him a chance.


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## Aidey (Jun 5, 2012)

I think being able to pass all of his classes and graduate is a pretty good indicator of maturity. This is someone who has been very closely supervised by professionals for a long time. It he wasn't mature enough to handle it, he would have never made it this far. 

I think some of the problem comes from the bias that Americans have towards "overachievers" and people that are exceptionally smart. It is pretty much taboo to identify as having above average intelligence because you will be attacked for being and elitist and thinking you are better than everyone else.


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## Tigger (Jun 5, 2012)

Aidey said:


> I think being able to pass all of his classes and graduate is a pretty good indicator of maturity. This is someone who has been very closely supervised by professionals for a long time. It he wasn't mature enough to handle it, he would have never made it this far.
> 
> I think some of the problem comes from the bias that Americans have towards "overachievers" and people that are exceptionally smart. It is pretty much taboo to identify as having above average intelligence because you will be attacked for being and elitist and thinking you are better than everyone else.



Agreed, I'm just thinking of all the times I've been asked "are you sure you're old enough to be back in the ambulance with me?" which I take as a synonym for "you do not look appear mature enough to do this job because you are clearly young." Those people are misguided of course, but I still struggle to make them "trust" me. I suppose working in pediatrics his patients and the patient's families will be younger, which is likely to his favor.


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## Aidey (Jun 5, 2012)

Tigger said:


> Agreed, I'm just thinking of all the times I've been asked "are you sure you're old enough to be back in the ambulance with me?" which I take as a synonym for "you do not look appear mature enough to do this job because you are clearly young." Those people are misguided of course, but I still struggle to make them "trust" me. I suppose working in pediatrics his patients and the patient's families will be younger, which is likely to his favor.



The problem with that is that many people do not look their age. My last partner was 8 years older than me, and everyone thought he was about 6 years younger.


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## Veneficus (Jun 5, 2012)

Aidey said:


> I think some of the problem comes from the bias that Americans have towards "overachievers" and people that are exceptionally smart. It is pretty much taboo to identify as having above average intelligence because you will be attacked for being and elitist and thinking you are better than everyone else.



Yes, it is rather a problem...

But I don't see the problem. This is a person who can only get better and by the time he is 40, will have seen more patients and have more knowledge and experience than any of his peers. 

You cannot see your second patient untill you have seen your first, and he is probably better than many doctors just coming out of medical school.

Unless of course we are to accept that standardized testing is a major failure and anyone can do it...


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## EpiEMS (Jun 5, 2012)

Age is a our best proxy for maturity, far as I can tell.

Classes are one thing – the real world (and real patients) are another. (Not to say he hasn't done a ton of rotations.)


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## DrParasite (Jun 6, 2012)

he has spent 9 years in medical school, and will be graduating with an MD and PhD.  and I would imagine that included patient contacts.

Stop discriminating against him because of his age; he completed the same course work as older people.   

He's 21 years old.  regular med school graduates are 25 or 26 when they are on the regular track (18 for HS, 22 for Bachelors, then 3 or 4 years for medical school).  So he isn't that much younger.

your personal biases against young people are your own problems, just like any biases against a particular gender, race, or demographic.

I would have no problems going to him with me or my family.  I'm going to judge him just like I would judge any doctor, but that's because he's a new doctor, it has nothing to do with his age.


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## Tigger (Jun 6, 2012)

DrParasite said:


> he has spent 9 years in medical school, and will be graduating with an MD and PhD.  and I would imagine that included patient contacts.
> 
> Stop discriminating against him because of his age; he completed the same course work as older people.
> 
> ...



No one here is discriminating him based on age. Some have, and I think rightfully so, mentioned that our society has some age bias with it, and this has only been further exacerbated by the baby boomer generation aging. It seems reasonable that if someone thinks a 35 year old doctor is "too young" than they might also think that of a 21 year old, no?


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## JPINFV (Jun 6, 2012)

Not only is he 21, but he still has his intern year before he is fully licensed as a physician. Even still, he's got another 2 years (I think pediatrics is a 3 year residency, including intern year), and after that he still has his fellowship, and I'm not sure how long peds neuro is.


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## EpiEMS (Jun 6, 2012)

JPINFV said:


> Not only is he 21, but he still has his intern year before he is fully licensed as a physician. Even still, he's got another 2 years (I think pediatrics is a 3 year residency, including intern year), and after that he still has his fellowship, and I'm not sure how long peds neuro is.



Valid point. 

So, he's something like 24 by the time he's on his own – and even then, he's in a fellowship (I'd wager a fairly lengthy one, no)?


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## Steveb (Jun 13, 2012)

Aidey said:


> Why? He went through med school the same as everyone else. Why does his age matter?


Very true he passed med school age is just a number.


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## AnthonyM83 (Jun 13, 2012)

He finished college at 12 and it just finishing medical school at 21?
Even with getting a PhD, what was he doing the rest of the time?




NYMedic828 said:


> Age is just a number.
> 
> Mentally, he is nowhere near the age of 21. That's why he is a genius...
> 
> ...


Wait, why would that be tragic? Wouldn't that be a good thing? To have a really smart doctor?


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## exodus (Jun 13, 2012)

AnthonyM83 said:


> He finished college at 12 and it just finishing medical school at 21?
> Even with getting a PhD, what was he doing the rest of the time?
> 
> 
> ...



He was being sarcastic


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## Tolstoy (Jun 20, 2012)

I agree with age being a determining factor of maturity. While it definitely varies, I'm sure we've all known some younger people who are more mature than some older folks (that can be applied to any situation, not just age = maturity), but in general, age determines maturity. Not letting him treat you based on his age isn't age discrimination, rather, it's more of a trust issue in my opinion.


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## Aidey (Jun 20, 2012)

It is 100% age discrimination. He graduated from medical school. He is a doctor. If the only reason you won't let him treat you is because of his age, it is age discrimination. If the only reason you don't trust him is because of his age, it is age discrimination.


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## JPINFV (Jun 20, 2012)

Aidey said:


> It is 100% age discrimination. He graduated from medical school. He is a doctor. If the only reason you won't let him treat you is because of his age, it is age discrimination. If the only reason you don't trust him is because of his age, it is age discrimination.



Counterpoint: There's age discrimination enshrined in the US constitution.


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## Tolstoy (Jun 20, 2012)

Aidey said:


> It is 100% age discrimination. He graduated from medical school. He is a doctor. If the only reason you won't let him treat you is because of his age, it is age discrimination. If the only reason you don't trust him is because of his age, it is age discrimination.



Had a longer reply typed up and it did not go through. So. I agree, if the only reason you don't let him treat you is based on a number, then yes it's discrimination, however; if you don't let him treat you because you personally do not feel he is an experienced and competent physician and AGE just happens to be part of that reason, then that's your choice and one should not be said to be discriminating based on that. 

Personally, I would let him treat me if I felt he was competent, he could be 18 for all I care. I've known physicians right out of medical school that were extremely competent, as well as physicians who practiced for 30 years that I wouldn't trust to put a Bandaid on a cut. Only time will tell how he does and who he becomes.


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## Tolstoy (Jun 20, 2012)

JPINFV said:


> Counterpoint: There's age discrimination enshrined in the US constitution.



Haha, that is true.


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## Aidey (Jun 20, 2012)

Tolstoy said:


> if you don't let him treat you because you personally do not feel he is an experienced and competent physician and AGE just happens to be part of that reason, then that's your choice and one should not be said to be discriminating based on that.



If someone would let one of his classmates treat them, but not him then it is still discrimination, even if they say "I don't feel he is experienced and competent."


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## AnthonyM83 (Jun 20, 2012)

Aidey said:


> It is 100% age discrimination. He graduated from medical school. He is a doctor. If the only reason you won't let him treat you is because of his age, it is age discrimination. If the only reason you don't trust him is because of his age, it is age discrimination.



Fortunately for me, discriminating due to his specific age (his 20's) isn't illegal. Phew!


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## Handsome Robb (Jun 20, 2012)

AnthonyM83 said:


> Fortunately for me, discriminating due to his specific age (his 20's) isn't illegal. Phew!



What if my 22 year old self showed up as the medic on the truck when you called 911?

Gonna discriminate against me too?

I'm no doctor but it's the same concept.


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## jjesusfreak01 (Jul 4, 2012)

AnthonyM83 said:


> He finished college at 12 and it just finishing medical school at 21?
> Even with getting a PhD, what was he doing the rest of the time?



Sounded like they didn't want to let him start clinical medicine until he turned 18.


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## AnthonyM83 (Jul 4, 2012)

NVRob said:


> What if my 22 year old self showed up as the medic on the truck when you called 911?
> 
> Gonna discriminate against me too?
> 
> I'm no doctor but it's the same concept.


22 seems like an appropriate age for a medic. They're not going to be guiding you through long-term non-emergency non-algorithm type situations, advising you on all kinds of situations including emotional health etc etc.


Jesusfreak01, that makes sense...


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## Aidey (Jul 4, 2012)

AnthonyM83 said:


> 22 seems like an appropriate age for a medic. They're not going to be guiding you through long-term non-emergency non-algorithm type situations, advising you on all kinds of situations including emotional health etc etc.
> 
> 
> Jesusfreak01, that makes sense...



The only time I have looked at an algorithm in the last 5 years outside of ACLS refreshers is when they changed the destination protocols for CVAs and MIs. Frankly, your post is incredibly insulting.


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## slopez86 (Jul 5, 2012)

I think it's outstanding that his mind is clearly advanced, he can grasp all the concepts associated with medical school, and was allowed to succeed through the medical program. A trouble through-out his career may be empathizing with children (since he doesn't appear to have had a normal childhood)... sort of like an Asian doctor version of '****ie Roberts: Former Child Superstar'.


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## AnthonyM83 (Jul 8, 2012)

Aidey said:


> The only time I have looked at an algorithm in the last 5 years outside of ACLS refreshers is when they changed the destination protocols for CVAs and MIs. Frankly, your post is incredibly insulting.


The phrase "long-term non-emergency non-algorithm type situations" was meant to be read all as one. Definitely wasn't implying paramedics are algorithm dependent. Rather, that while life experience is preferred, it's not as crucial in day to day work, as it might be with say a family physician.


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