Career Counseling for a Fourth Grader

I asked one of my fourth grade students, Katie, what she wanted to be when she grew up.

“I want to be an orthopedic surgeon.”

“That sounds very impressive.”

“I just have one problem. I am afraid of touching raw hamburger meat.”

“Do you think that means you’d be afraid of touching one of your patient’s flesh?

She grimaced and said, “Yes. Ick! I can’t even touch raw hamburger meat.”

“Well then it sounds like you have a problem. Maybe becoming an orthopedic surgeon isn’t for you.”

“But there’s one thing that’s good.”

“What’s that?”

“I’m not afraid of blood. Like when I get a cut, I even like to suck the blood out of the cut.”

“Well then there is a chance you have a future in medicine.”

“Yeah!”