Match

     I know this post is very late, and I didnt mean to leave y'all hanging, but a LOT has happened in the past month. Match day finally came, and as promised, it brought surprise, excitement, and tears.  

   My friends and I rode the shuttle to school so that we could have some cocktails before and after to ease the nerves without anyone having to be designated driver, which in retrospect, was an excellent idea.  I can't even describe the amount of tension and palpable anxiety we had in the room.  Everyone was so on edge.  And then the moment came.  We picked up our envelopes, and when the clock struck 9:00 AM, it was time.

   BF and I barely even started opening our envelopes when we heard commotion and screams all over the room.  But we weren't paying much attention to that.  Going into the match, I wasn't that nervous about not matching together, but about 20 minutes before we got our envelopes, the fear hit me all at once.  What if we ended up on opposite coasts?!  We finally got our envelopes open, looked at them, and breathed a sigh of relief that we ended up together in the same city.  Then we breathed another sigh of relief that we both ended up at programs we really liked.  But HOLY CRAP WE'RE MOVING ACROSS THE COUNTRY!  Then every single person in that crowded room proceeded to bombard us with questions.  It was absolutely overwhelming.

   It's only after the fact that I truly appreciate how absurd the entire tradition of match day is.  We put our lives on hold for months, having no idea where we will end up for the next chapter of our lives, so we're not able to plan ANYTHING (which is completely terrifying for a typical type-A med student).  Then in the span of 30 seconds, our entire life changes right before our eyes, and we don't have a single second to process what just happened before we have to celebrate with everyone.  

   The reality really didn't sink in until a few days later.  But once we had a few moments to really let it sink in, we became very excited. We're going to a whole new city that neither of us has ever lived in before, so it's gonna be an adventure.  And we're really excited to explore and try something new.  I've lived in California my whole life, and now I'm moving to the East Coast.  I'm gonna have to buy some real winter clothes!  Haha.  Most importantly, we ended up at hospitals in the same city (a few blocks from each other even).  And we are both at programs we loved.  So here's to new adventures! Yippeeeeeeee!!!!!

Match Monday

     It's official y'all - I have a job!!! Today MS4s across the country found out whether or not they matched.  I matched!!! And so did BF! Now we just have to wait till Friday to find out if we matched together, and to see where we're gonna end up.  Luckily only 2 out of about 96 people in our class had to SOAP (formerly known as the "scramble"), which is less than previous years, so people generally did OK.  Whoever those two people are, and for all those who had to SOAP, I wish them luck, and I hope it all works out.

 

In the grand scheme of things, 30 days is the blink of an eye

   Yep, shit is getting real now, y'all.  30 days until Match Day - the day that our fate is decided.

What I've been doing to keep my mind off of it:

• Co-hosted a bridal shower
• Performed "My Angry Vagina" in the Vagina Monologues
• Spending 9 - 5 in a dissection anatomy didactic
• Working on the class yearbook
• Planning and filming stuff for Mirth Control
• Scrambling to work on and finish my research project that is due next Friday (to get credit for 4th year).  Unfortunately, I only have preliminary data to turn in for the school project deadline, but I plan to submit a more complete project later for actual publication. 
• Zumba, running, Hip-hop, and dieting
• Crafting when time permits (not often lately)

   I'm getting more excited, and trying not to be worried, because there is absolutely nothing I can do at this point to change the outcome of the match.  I just wanna get it over with, rip the bandaid off, and find out where we're going to spend the next 5-7 years of our lives!  

50 Days

   Get your tiny violin out, folks, because my lovely 10 weeks of vacation is almost over.  It has been absolutely amazing.  And surprisingly, I actually haven't gotten bored because I've been keeping busy with all of my various projects.

"What has been occupying her time?" you might wonder:

• Bridal shower planning: This was a few days ago, and it turned out lovely, but I'm glad it's over so I don't have to think about it anymore.  And speaking of being a good bridesmaid, I've been trying to lose weight to fit into my bridesmaid dress. 
• Research: Still slow-going.  The hardest part is waiting.
• Class yearbook: We chose a fantastic company, and everything is underway and going well so far.  I'm really excited about this!
• MIRTH Control: This is probably stressing me out the most.  Time to come up with videos/skits is dwindling, getting people to commit to participate is like pulling teeth, and I have so many other things I'm working on too.
• Vagina Monologues: This is the first time I've ever really acted.  I need to practice more, because the other people performing are really good.  Gotta step my game up.
• Planning our New Zealand vacation: Luckily this isn't until April, so there's still time, but I don't wanna procrastinate too much.
• MATCH Rank Order List: DONE, thank goodness.  Certified and everything.  We've got about 23 ranks together, and the rest of our 144-long list are us matching in different cities.  The good news is that there is absolutely nothing else we need to do before match day.  The bad news is that it makes me soooo anxious thinking about us not matching together.  

   Well, it seems like even more to me after I listed it all out. It's been fun!  Next week I start a rotation where we observe and perform surgical procedures on human cadavers.  Should be pretty interesting, but I'm not looking forward to actually having to be somewhere every day.  I know, I know... This is why I told you to get out your tiny violin earlier.

Hello 2014, I've Been Expecting You

   Ever since I started med school almost 4 whole years ago, I have been looking forward to the year 2014 - the year I finally reach my life-long goal of becoming a doctor.  This year, even more so than last year, will be full of milestones, changes, progress and challenges.  This year is going to be a wild ride.



   Here are last year's resolutions revisited:

1. "Re-find my happy place": I think I made great progress on this goal.  Third year got the best of me mentally, and I am thankful that 2013/fourth year were so much better.  Yeah, there were times during fourth year where I've had a lot more free time, so that definitely contributed, but I've also been a lot better about using my free time to recharge.  I've also been so much better about just doing whatever I want in the moment - whether that's crafting, blogging, binge-watching tv, painting my nails, etc - and not feeling guilty that I should be doing something more productive.  I'd say I was pretty successful in re-visiting old hobbies and exploring new ones.  I also made a lot more effort than usual this year to spend time with family, med school friends, and non-med school friends, which I think has enriched my life as well.  Overall, mission accomplished, but it shouldn't end there.
2. "Become an OB/Gyn rockstar": I nailed this one, I think.  I accomplished all but one of the goals I set out for myself, though they seemed daunting at the time.  Though my research isn't at the stage where I'd thought it would be at this time, I'm still really proud of myself for what I've been able to achieve so far.  I worked my butt off during my sub-internships, studied hard for Step 2 CK, and put WAY more hours into my personal statement than I ever anticipated.  Interview season started off a little slower than I would have hoped for, however, it picked up towards the middle, and now I can say I am comfortable with the number and quality of programs that I've interviewed at.  
3. "Train Melvie": This was definitely just as hard as I anticipated it would be, and there were times when BF and I were both incredibly frustrated, but we did it!  Don't get me wrong, Melvie still has moments of bad behavior (like when he decides to destroy something while we're gone), but he is such a good dog now, extremely well-behaved 90% of the time.  I'm soooo glad we got him.  I mean, I love this stupid dog to death.  My favorite part about him is how every morning he wakes us up by jumping into bed, laying between us, and "cuddling" us awake.  
4. "Keep a cleaner house": Well, this last year I was cleaner than the year before, but this is very much a work in progress... Not much else to say about that haha.
5. "Be more of a morning person": Yeahhhh.... not so much.  Fail.

   New resolutions for 2014:

1. (Couples) Match into OB/Gyn residency:  I'm well on my way to this one.  Two more interviews to go, then the rank list is due in February.  After we finish all of our interviews, BF and I will sit down and pow-wow about all our favorites.  Then, on the ever-so-fateful March 21, 2014, we will get that powerful little envelope which reveals where we'll spend the next 5-7 years (thanks to BF and his pediatric surgery aspirations lol).  I am so excited!
2. Graduate from medical school with my M.D.
3. Find a new place to live the next chapter of our lives.
4. Finish my research project: I'm hoping to have written my manuscript at least by the time I start intern year.  We'll see if that actually happens...
5. Be a good bridesmaid: I'll be helping throw a bridal shower in a few weeks, so I hope that turns out well.  I hope I fulfill all of my bridesmaid duties well.  Also, another goal is to fit into my bridesmaid dress that I bought on the small side as motivation to lose weight.  I tried it on yesterday and it didn't zip all the way up... so I have work to do haha.
6. Make the yearbook for my class.
7. Revamp my blog:  I've had this stupid, irrelevant layout for almost all of med school.  Unfortunately, I know nothing about design or HTML-ing, so this will be a challenge.  But I'd really like to start residency with a prettier blog.
8. 365 days of gratitude: I saw this video of a woman who took a picture each day for a year, reflecting on the positive things in her life she was thankful for.  I've been wanting to do something like this for a while, as reflection and gratitude are huge parts of living a happy, fulfilling life, however I haven't found a format I can stick to yet.  In the past, I tried a paper journal, but I just always ended up not doing it.  This year, I'm gonna try this type of "photo a day" format electronically via Tumblr, so that I can hopefully even do it during residency.  I've decided to keep it completely anonymous, so I can be 100% honest and not hold anything back.  
9. Live it up before intern year starts: Veg out.  Travel.  Drink a lot.  Spend time with friends and family.  Keep doing arts & crafts.  DO IT ALL NOW WHILE I STILL HAVE SOME SORT OF A LIFE!
10. Survive the first half of intern year: Hopefully I'll do more than survive.  I really hope I thrive.

   Happy new year!  I'm excited for the next chapter, but a little sad that this one is ending.  

Wait, So November Already Happened?

   I can't believe today is December 1st.  That means that I somehow got through my crazy month of juggling EM shifts with back-to-back-to-back interviews.  That also means that I only have two more blocks of 4th year left.  TWO MORE BLOCKS.  Right now, I'm on a long-awaited 2 blocks of "vacation", after which I only have 1 month of anatomy didactics, and then I finish my year off with 1 month of Family Planning.  Actually, I originally planned these two months of "vacation" to accommodate interviews, however, I somehow ended up doing most of my interviews in November during my EM rotation.  I don't know how I managed to do it, because for the entire month, I was either working, traveling or interviewing.  I think I survived last month with the help of some of my dear friends: hypomania, melatonin and caffeine.  I only have 3 interviews left, which are very spread out over the next two months, but I'm holding out hope for more last minute interview invitations.  I mean, it's not like I'm doing anything anyway.

   Well, that's not true.  I actually am working on my research during this time, but I still have a lot of free time.  And damn, it sure feels good.  I've been catching up on my previously ever-lengthening To-Do List, binge-watching tv, re-reading the Harry Potter series... You know, all the awesome things that regular people do.

   Interview season has been crazy.  People said that it actually ends up being kinda fun, and they were right!  Once I stopped worrying so much about getting enough interview invitations to have enough places to rank in order to match (try saying that all in one breath!), I really started to enjoy the process.  It's been fun and exciting traveling to new places, meeting new people, exploring other programs and what they're all about.  And the interviews are much different than medical school interviews.  This time around, I often get the feeling that they are recruiting me.  Also, for those of you who were ever in a sorority, the whole residency interview/match process is so similar to sorority recruitment/rush that it's quite scary.  I never would have thought all the things I learned during sorority recruitment would come in handy later, but they really have.

   I'm sure I'll start blogging more now that I have more free time.  I'd also really like to re-vamp my blog layout and design before starting residency, but I am somewhat computer illiterate, so if anyone knows any good websites or tools to use, please share! :)

View from one of my Philly hotels

Chicago O'Hare

BF and I managed to get a couple of interviews together.  Here we are at Dunkin Donuts.  Don't judge.

This is how I relax before an interview  hahaha

This is also how I relax before/after an interview

I've gotten very accustomed to changing into/out-of my suit in bathrooms

Keeping "Busy"

   Wow, I really haven't been blogging very much lately.  I think it's because I know it will end up being about how anxious and panicked I am about getting more interview invites, so I subconsciously try to spare you all lol.  I had my first interview, and (I think) it went pretty well.  I also had a little more action at the end of October.  Got a couple more interviews, got a couple more rejections, got a couple of "wait list" invites.  So needless to say, it's been an absolute roller coaster of excitement and sheer panic, and the worst part is there isn't much I can do to control anything.  From what I've heard, most OB/Gyn programs have given out most, if not all, of their interview invites.  All we can do as applicants at this point is be patient, try our best on our interviews, and hope for more last-minute interview invites later on.  One of my OB/Gyn intern friends told me that she got interview invitations as late as December last year!

   I was starting to panic that BF and I didn't have enough interviews in overlapping geographical areas, but we met with one of our deans, and he assured us that we should be OK.  *Should be* Not exactly a phrase that makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside, haha, but hey, I'll take what I can get.

   Anyway, see what I did there?  I did exactly what I knew I would - blogged about being anxious.  In the meantime, I finished my Radiology rotation, which was pretty good.  The schedule was laid-back and I enjoyed the practice reading ultrasounds and CTs.  Now I'm on Emergency Medicine, which is pretty good.  My favorite shift so far was when I got to see a couple of gyn-related patients (surprise surprise).  Not all of the patients in the ED interest me, so it was reassuring that I enjoyed taking care of those patients.  It's nice to know you picked the right field for yourself.  Tonight, I start a string of night shifts, which I don't mind at all.  I hope I get to suture a bunch of lacerations or something.

   I've been trying to use my free time to spend time with family and friends.  See below!

Halloween

BF and I were ninjas for Halloween

J came to Sacramento too! :)

And We're Off!

   Tomorrow is my very first interview for residency.  I was planning on driving straight there in the morning (2 hours WITHOUT traffic), but then I came to my senses, and decided to split a hotel room with J right down the street.  It's much less stressful this way.  

   Waiting for interview invitations has been an emotional roller-coaster.  One minute I'm staying positive, being patient.  Other times I'm on board the panic train, full steam ahead.  Let's just say that interview invitations have been trickling in - but excruciatingly slowly.  I met with my advisor, and even she was surprised about the places I haven't heard from yet.  I think this year is just really competitive, and it doesn't help that 9 people from my school are applying for OB/Gyn, so I'm automatically ranked against them.  Anyway, I think it will all work out in the end.  I keep hearing that invites will continue coming even through December, many of them last minute, so I still have hope.  

   I'm very excited (and really nervous) for my first interview tomorrow.  I hope they like me, and I hope I am able to give a good impression of myself.  As I was driving to the hotel tonight with my favorite girls - Lana Del Rey, Beyonce, Carrie Underwood - I couldn't help but smile.  This whole process is such an adventure, and there's nothing else like it!  I'm really trying to enjoy the whole journey.  I'm sure I'll look back on this one day and laugh.  It's something that we all have to go through to get to the next step in medicine!  Wish me luck!

J looking up jokes in case they ask for one on the interview lol

Soooo that just happened...

   Today I officially submitted my residency application.  I applied to a grand total of 32 programs which are on the West Coast, East Coast, and a few random ones in between.  I am couples-matching with BF, who is going into general surgery, so we wanted to apply broadly, just to be safe.  

It was obscenely expensive

   Somehow, all of my stuff got uploaded and is ready to go.  I think one of the most helpful things my oh-so-amazing advisor told me, was to have my application completely ready to go by Sept 1st, even though it isn't due until Sept 15th.  Because of this, I had plenty of time to have it looked over (by her, of course), and as the days counted down to September 15th, I was ready, so was more excited than stressed.  I checked back later today (yep, let the neuroticism begin) and three programs have already accessed my information!  Hopefully, fingers crossed, BF and I will be offered interviews in the next couple of weeks.  I'm both excited/giddy and anxious/worried.  I'm really looking forward to traveling and exploring.  I'm worried about people liking me (wow, that's a first for me... not).  

   So now I just wait. Check my phone and email obsessively, and wait.  And take out my anxiety in the form of arts & crafts, which by the way is going amazingly.  If you read my post a couple of weeks ago, I was aching for the right side of my brain to wake up.  I have been quite successful, and I've really been enjoying relaxing and making art.  I'll post some of my amateur work later!

Residency Rush

   How is it almost September?! Time is just flying by.  So far, 4th year rocks!  It was super intense in the beginning, but things have calmed down now, and my residency application is really starting to come together.  I have my personal statement done, my letters of recommendation uploaded into ERAS, and I've taken Step 2 CK and Step 2 CS.  Really, I just need to enter things from my CV into ERAS, and I'm finished!  I'm applying to a grand total of 32 programs. Normally, you don't have to apply to this many programs for OB/Gyn, but I'm couples-matching* which complicates things, and I just like to be extra cautious.  BF is applying for General Surgery, and we're applying all over the East Coast, all over the West Coast, and some random places in between.

   My amazing OB/Gyn advisor** has put together a series of workshops on applying to OB/Gyn residency for us MS4s, and today we talked about interviewing.  From what it sounds like, it is exactly like rushing for a sorority.  You go and interview, and they sit down with your picture, say what they thought about you, and rank you in order of how badly they want you to match there.  It is a "mutual selection process," where the programs rank the candidates, and the candidates rank the programs.  Then some crazy computer algorithm takes these rank lists and computes where you are supposed to match. And come that special day in March, you open up an envelope, and the piece of paper inside tells you exactly where you'll be spending the next 3-5 years of your life.  (This is the equivalent of a sorority bid).
There's no negotiating, no waitlists, no choosing between different acceptances.  The decision-making is done for you, and fate nudges you in the right direction.


* For you non-medical folk: couples-matching is basically where you apply to residency programs as a package deal with your significant other, that way you HAVE to end up in the same geographical region

** Who, by the way, I totally wanna be her when I grow up. She is amazing.

   Speaking of sorority rush, I recently went to a super fun wine and cheese event for the local Gamma Phi alumnae chapter.  It was a lot of fun, and I hope I have time to go to more events this year.

 Alpha Iota Alumnae!