Elaine H. Zackai Clinical Geneticist The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Philadelphia, Pennsylvania What do you do? My clinical responsibilities entail seeing children with birth defects and trying to determine the genetic origin of the problem in an effort to help parents decide the safety of having more children. Through this process I look at many factors to find out what happened: was it exposure to a medication the mother took, an infection, a chromosomal abnormality? What is your educational background? I received my medical degree from New York University School of Medicine. Following two pediatric residencies, one at Albert Einstein School of Medicine and the other at St. Louis Children's Hospital, I held fellowships in medical genetics, again at St. Louis and at Yale University. Do you have any specialty certifications? I am a Diplomate of the American Board of Pediatrics and am certified by the American Board of Medical Genetics. What was your career path? Since completing my medical training, I have served on the faculty and in clinical positions at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. How many hours do you work per week? I'm in the hospital from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and am on call all the time. What do you enjoy most about your job? It's extremely satisfying to alleviate the guilt of parents who think their child's condition was somehow their fault and caused by something they did or didn't do. What do you enjoy least about your job? It's very hard to be the bearer of bad news. Do you have any advice for people interested in this field? The road may be long, but it's worth putting in the time to get to the end. What you are learning in a pediatric residency might not seem relevant at the time, but all of it is relevant later on as far as management of patients with complex diseases and issues that are emotionally complex as well. Back to Interviewee List