[nancynurse2007]

absolutely amazinggggggg that a 15 yr old could perform C-section......I also am wondering if the patient knew, but knowing the culture there, I dont really think it would matter.

[kaynjherr]

This is an amazing story. Luckily everything turned out fine, but his father made a bad judgement call to allow such a invasive procedure to take place. This kid is certain to follow in his fathers foot steps!

[nancynurse2007]

Farmers let their kids drive tractors on the farm at age 15 here in KY. How's that for diversity? Maybe the kid was BORN interested in the human anatomy, and if so, that will be quite a conversation piece in a few years when he discovers cures for horrible diseases, and NOT for getting in the Guiness book of world records.!!!

[CRNI-ICU20]

I saw the story on this gifted child. He is young chronologically, but he has already graduated from college, and has mastered several disciplines., including degrees in medicine and biological sciences. I don't think age should be the ONLY criteria as to the competency of someone practicing medicine....that end point would then state, ONLY OLD DOCTORS ARE COMPETENT! And GOD knows, we have worked with plenty of old senile doctors who get lost going from one nursing station to another, who still prescribe powerful medications in all the wrong doses, and cannot remember their patient's names or allergies....so....
I can understand someone's hesitancy to allow 15 year old to perform surgical procedures.....but he isn't just any ordinary 15 year old....he was gifted with an incredible mind and thirst for knowledge about the human body....I think with great mentoring and MONITORING, he should be allowed to learn and continue.....what if someone would have said the same thing about Mozart, who at the age of 7 wrote his first symphony? We shouldn't stifle gifts like this, in any profession, because we only end up shooting ourselves in the foot when we do....
I keep hoping for another Ghandi, or another Einstein, or another Beethoven....and I believe there are many who are close to this, but they don't have fathers and mothers who are "awake" enough to envision this for their children, and so, do not encourage it....
I say, God bless him! He may find the cure for a disease you or your family members carry, one day....we should support his learning process....
crni

[suzanne4]

The person that was on the Oprah show actually attended school and had the appropriate and legal training for what he did. And he did not do it to break any records.

Definitely a different person.

[GilaRN]

Wow the support for this has given me some great thoughts about medicine in the USA. The EMT shortage will be a thing of the past. If we can train 15 year olds to be doctors, why not take a monkey and train him to put on a non rebreather mask and drive an ambulance? We will have no problem providing quality pre-hospital care. 1-2 year long paramedic programs will be a thing of the past. In addition, we will not have to pay them as much nor worry about benefits.

Now, do not worry all of you nurses. I think we can take care of that nasty old nursing shortage since we are.....changing the standards. I am thinking, we take a 7 year old and teach him to give shots and write down orders. I figure medical school is around 8 years long and we let a 15 year old get around that, why not cut the age in half since nursing school is around 4 years long. Sounds reasonable to me.

Monkey paramedics, kindergarden nurses, and teenage doctors. Quality health care for all at minimal cost.

[Pageantnurse]

Originally Posted by GilaRN

Wow the support for this has given me some great thoughts about medicine in the USA. The EMT shortage will be a thing of the past. If we can train 15 year olds to be doctors, why not take a monkey and train him to put on a non rebreather mask and drive an ambulance? We will have no problem providing quality pre-hospital care. 1-2 year long paramedic programs will be a thing of the past. In addition, we will not have to pay them as much nor worry about benefits.

Now, do not worry all of you nurses. I think we can take care of that nasty old nursing shortage since we are.....changing the standards. I am thinking, we take a 7 year old and teach him to give shots and write down orders. I figure medical school is around 8 years long and we let a 15 year old get around that, why not cut the age in half since nursing school is around 4 years long. Sounds reasonable to me.

Monkey paramedics, kindergarden nurses, and teenage doctors. Quality health care for all at minimal cost.

Well since you brought it up, the year AFTER I graduated from HS Broward County(FL) started its practical nursing program in High schools. Since I have two nieces in the program I don't feel as cheated but... Anyway there are my little fifteen year olds in the living room practicing intradermal and subq shots on one another. At first I was unsure but Ill be darned if those wheals(sp?) weren't perfect by the third try!! So in two years at the ripe old age of seventeen they will be high school graduates , LPNs, and bridging in to a special program that will make them 20 year old BSN's. But Im sure you would much prefer they be out chasing boys all day, getting drunk, knocked up, or emulating Paris Hilton or some real role model. I think that a bright mind can accomplish many things when it is properly groomed. And there is a reason that medical schools here in the perfect USA discriminate against you once you become a certain age. And I don't mean the story about 50 year old so and so who got in, I mean the norm age which is about 23 I believe? just my informed opinion.

[GilaRN]

I guess the days of letting kids be kids are over. You must agree that letting a 15 year old kid cut into the uterus of a living person is crazy to say the least. I know about people who are "mature for their age." However, at the end of the day we are talking about a kid. Anybody can teach a monkey to give an ID shot and make a real pretty wheal, cut into another person, intubate, and any other skill you wish consider. However, we are talking about a 15 year old taking on the role of a physician. Does anybody see a problem here?

[firstaiddave907]

Originally Posted by prmenrs

Think dad must have failed more than ethics class! IQ test comes to mind...

Thats a good point.

[Pageantnurse]

Originally Posted by GilaRN

I guess the days of letting kids be kids are over. You must agree that letting a 15 year old kid cut into the uterus of a living person is crazy to say the least. I know about people who are "mature for their age." However, at the end of the day we are talking about a kid. Anybody can teach a monkey to give an ID shot and make a real pretty wheal, cut into another person, intubate, and any other skill you wish consider. However, we are talking about a 15 year old taking on the role of a physician. Does anybody see a problem here?

I see a problem in comparing intelligent children to monkeys but thats just me. Perhaps you are speaking more from familial experience. Should a fifteen year old be doing surgery? Maybe not. I think that the argument is regarding the assumption that a fifteen year old lacks the brain power or knowledge to perform surgery when supervised by two licensed doctors. And I don't think its crazy. I think Americans assume that our way is the best and only way. If that were true our educational system would'nt be so far behind that of other countries. And don't bother sending me any unamerican flames because as a woman I can think of no better country to reside in I just know that it isn't perfect and flawless like some proport.