THE MATCH

They say that time flies when you're having fun. And I suppose it does. But time has a way of flying nevertheless. It's the theme of this blog and the main objective. Documentation purposes. No matter how good or how bad things are, they move. It's the way of the universe and sometimes the only thing you can depend on in this crazy path of life.

[To classic to not post]

Lately time has been hustlin'. Except for this past week when I could almost swear to you that each day actually had about 48 hours each. That's because this last week was Match Week. It is pretty famous in it's own world of medical school. It's the end all be all. It's the only (and worst) reoccurring nightmare I've ever had in the past 4 or 5 years of my life.

[Source]

The Match is a process where you interview and rank and get ranked to "match" with a program to get a residency. Residency is the next step of medical school. The step where you are a graduate and a doctor but can't do crap unless you get a residency. It's 3 more years of training and specializing in a specific area of medicine so you can practice as a physician afterwards. They pay you just a tiny bit of money and work you about 80 hours a week and you get to pay back student loans. Yeah. It's loads of fun.

[Source]

You spend months interviewing and stressing before you turn in your "list." You rank all the programs you applied to/ interviewed at and a computer algorithm compares it to how each program ranked applicants and you get matched up. It's of course more convoluted and involved but that's all you really need to know.

Monday you get an e-mail notifying you if you matched. It was scheduled to come at 8:00 AM local time. And came even maybe a minute early. Well, HE DID! He matched.

[Source]

[Source]

I said, "HE MATCHED"

[Source]

[Source]

Have you captured the feeling that I am incredibly relieved and excited?!

It was strange. Even with all the things that went wrong with the application process and how stressful it was, and how the odds weren't really in his favor (IMG over here)- I had this calm feeling that he was going to match and that everything was totally okay. Easy for me to say. It was so cool to be there when he opened the e-mail and see relief just wash over his body entirely. I could tell it was kind of taking all day to truly set in.

[Source]

The week lumbered on while speculation and anxiety increased- for me at least. By the time Friday morning rolled around I couldn't sit still. I was more anxious than Monday morning by far. It was the mix of excitement and the fact that I had been waiting for this day for 4 years. THIS will be the place we will live for the next 3 years which is still longer than any other place we have been on this med school path. The minutes slogged by and I worked my hardest to stay focused at work.

[Source]

I asked Ross if he had any regrets about his rank order list. He said he had a feeling we would end up in Vegas. I had this feeling about Phoenix, but at Ross's mention of Vegas I started thinking of my next three years in any of the places on his list. Tulsa maybe? I still had this feeling that he would match at his #1 spot. So when the text FINALLY came, I wanted to scream for joy (and relief).

[Source]

[Source]

SCOTTSDALE, AZ! Texted with plenty of cacti emojis.

[Source]

There you have it folks! Come June the Petersens shall move again.

From Somewhere Beyond to the Sea, to Somewhere in the Golden State, to Somewhere Among the Cacti! Time to change the blog name cos there's nothing these two crazy kids can't do.

Residency Applications

As the years of medical school have wore on, I have found myself less and less interested in the whole process. But mostly the process. The first year I was all about when the exams were and what courses he was taking. The second year I spent obsessing about test scores and researching options for clinical placement. Now Ross is in 4th year at what is pretty much the most important step in medical school.

RESIDENCY APPLICATIONS

Ya know, where he will be working for the next three years... as a DOCTOR.

Last year I was making this insane spreadsheet with all this information about residency. I was texting all my friends and asking a million questions. But now that day has come and gone, I'm not too worried about it. It is all in Ross's hands and I have a calm feeling that life works out. It is going to be okay.

This disturbs me so much.

As an International Medical Graduate you don't always have a lot of things going your way. You are recommend to apply to about 5 times as many places to ensure you match into a residency. As a result, Ross picked a lot of random hospitals that were considered a little more "safe." Just in case he doesn't get call-backs from his tops. I was laying on the couch being lazy while Ross researched at the table in the kitchen.



R "Between Connecticut, New Jersey, and New York, which do you prefer."
K "Hmm, I guess Connecticut although it's probably more expensive."
R "What about Albany? How far is that from Ali?
K "Sure."
R "How do you feel about Virginia"
K "Good."
R "What about Pennsylvania?"
K "I don't know. It's nice."
R "Philadelphia?"
K "Scary."
R "Baltimore"
K "Only a little less scary."
R "Florida?"
K "Ehhh."

That's about how the conversation went as we rolled through practically every state in the union. I only care about matching. If we end up in West Virginia I will buy a banjo and shotgun and remember that it's okay. Life works out just the way it is supposed to.



Failure comes from the life we create in our head. And it pretty much never works out to be the way you expect it. Maybe you end up spending two years of your life in a developing country while your husband goes to school. Maybe you do dumb job after dumb job that you hate because you just really need to make rent. And it is frustrating. And it is hard. But that's okay.

At least you already figured out the PTAL right?



And you don't yet have to think about how you could possibly start paying off loans on a residency "salary" next year.



Right now you can still dream about loans being paid off before you die. That sounds good.



Residency isn't a real job. For his specialty, he might make around $50,000. My friends "oo" and "ahh" at this.



Knowing about loans and interest rates, that makes me want to pass out. Not in a good way. Besides the fact that he went to school for 8 YEARS- and half of that income will go to pay off student loans, a quarter of that will go to taxes, AND he will have just spent upwards of $10,000 just to apply to residency, then yeah, we are pretty much the Trumps. True Love:



But yeah! He finished third year of school. AND he has applied for residency. So yay!

First Day of the Last

I remember being in college, every loved to post about their last first day of school. It's probably not true with the amount of grad school happening, but it is still fun to say. That's why I write this post title with a grain of salt. Ross has begun his final year of medical school.

But then you also have residency.

and fellowship.



But at least it is his last first day of his final year of paying tuition. So I will take that.

It is amazing how much difference a year makes. Here he is 3rd year. And also his first day of medical school and white coat ceremony!

Now he's starting his 4th and final year of school before his earns his MD. You can tell I can't care less cos this picture is all awful and blurry looking.



Just kidding of course. He's so close. I will take this time commemorate how far we have come:



How hard he has worked, forged in the flames of Hell adversity.

And everything he has to look forward to: 

And how good he makes scrubs look: 

Before we know it he will be applying for residency.

When the Tan Lines Fade

Today I decided to figure out how to make those cool little tabs at the top of the text box and below the header. So I did. And it provided me with a nice little walk down Grenada Memory Lane.



I am always surprised by how powerful those emotions can come back. Seeing pictures of our first home there makes me feel excited and anxious. Many of the pictures bring back memories saturated in sun but cooled by the bright hues of turquoise waters. Other memories remind me of darker days of hopelessness and despair.

The last semester there was such a blur of working two jobs and counting days til I left. I didn't blog nearly as much as I should have- considering all the adventures and emotions I experienced. But it is fun too, because at this point those memories rest safely in my head. There for only me.

When my friend blogged about her memories of Grenada, having left a few months ago, she was so eloquent. It filled my mind with all the good memories of Grenada and I knew for sure it was time for a post. I started looking back at pictures and my heart yearned for the lazy days. The days of walking to the beach to watch the sunset over the bay. Laying in the warm sun and swimming in the sea. I think of how lucky I was. I am humbled and awed by my experiences.

Then I slap myself and remember how hard it was too.



It's like celebrating your Nobel Peace Prize and forgetting the pain and frustration that went in to achieving it. And I'm conflicted. Should I feel joy and awe? Or bitterness and sadness?

But I remember that I can do both! Life isn't 365 Days of adventures at a time. Life is hard. But it can be good. And I wasn't lucky, I am lucky. I could want so much more. But right now I don't.

Facebook reminded me that this was 3 years ago today. No better way to celebrate than by paying $491 for a partial PTAL for residency applications!

Pre-Game: Step 2 CS

Since I don't drink, I've granted myself the liberty to change the meaning of "pre-game" to mean something entirely different.

Pre-game in this context means going out to eat before med school "game time." Aka before Step 2 CS. Remember that monster exam that Ross took last summer after studying non-stop? This exam is the first part of the second set of licensing board exams and focuses on Clinical Skills. The exam is series of mock appointments with patients presenting with different symptoms. Ross has about 10-15 minutes to talk to the patient, take notes, and do a physical exam. Then he has to type it up, determine what tests he would order, and write a diagnosis. It all goes really fast. Ross has been studying really hard and I've been able to help him. I had maybe a little too much fun pretending to be patients with different symptoms.

But soon I developed a very real and life-threatening symptom- my chronic disease of hanger. We decided it was time for lunch. We both had the day off, so I figured it was the perfect time to try this German food place in San Bernardino. I've had my eye on it for months, but it has horrible hours and is never open when we are around. I kind of explained it, but Ross is so used to me dragging him to random (awesome) places that he just went with it.



And I'm glad we did! We have kinda been hooked on German food ever since Schnitzel Haus. So we were excited to give this place a try. I love their line, "Best of the Wurst." Get it?! 

We were the only ones around and it didn't take us long to order. Part hanger, part being able to navigate a German food menu. Turns out all that humiliation at awful pronunciation at Schnitzel Haus paid off. 

I've realized that I kinda really hate taking pictures with or of my food. Like I'm some social media celebrity. But then again, I can't seem to stop myself. 

Maybe because a smile doesn't get more forced than the minutes between when your food arrives and when you scarf it down. I got the wienerschnitzel and Ross got a sausage sampler plate. The warm potato salad was to die for and even the red cabbage wasn't too bad. They also had warm rye bread and butter while we waited. 

We pre-game pretty serious so we saved room for dessert, which was black forest cake. I guess the baked goods actually come from a German bakery elsewhere. But when it tastes that amazing, I don't really care where it comes from! 

Later that evening Ross was to head out to a motel room he booked in LA for the evening. I was bored and doing nothing so I tagged along. Again we learned the valuable lesson "location, location, location." The Travelodge room was the tiniest thing ever. It was kinda dingy but is right next to LAX (and the testing center) so it cost about $120/ night. Wowzers! 

The thing with this exam, is that it is held in very select locations. We are lucky enough to live close to LA, but people fly to the United States from around the globe to take this exam. Even friends from Northern California had to drive down to take it here. 

And I always tell Ross that when it comes to medical school stuff we "spare no expense." I'll eat ramen for the next month if it means he can save himself the headache of a two and a half hour drive in traffic at 5am before his big exam. Of course, the funny part is that after all that ramen, I'll probably need a doctor to help pump my stomach or cure cancer or revive me from sodium poisoning. Cheers!

Med Students (Still) Ruin Everything

I posted before about how wonderful it has been to have Ross around during this "easy" rotation. Well, just as all good things come to an end, so does this six-week rotation. And the closer it gets to the end of the rotation, the closer it gets to Shelf Exam time. And the Step 2 in general.

Ross and I decided to go to my parents this weekend, mostly because I had a dentist appointment, also just to hang out. Sometimes it is nice to just get away. But when you are a med student. you are never alone.

I open our suitcase to find this baby front and center.

Never leave home without it!

January.

Compared to the fun adventures of the holiday season, January has been uneventful and utterly lame.

Nevertheless, here's what I got.

One night I was feeling a little crazy, so I cut off a chunk of my hair. I have been going back and forth as to whether or not I want bangs. Obviously that was a natural response. Luckily a friend of a friend is a hairdresser and was able to fix them up for me. I think I like them. It's been awhile.

You know the phrase, "Go home you're drunk?" -pretty much every day of a med student's life. I went to grab a cup one night, and in Ross's sleepy but helpful stupor, he put the juice in the cupboard. 

I have had the opportunity to play around some more with my Christmas presents, which included an off-set spatula and a cake leveler. I created this beauty. 

Also, pretty proud of this perfect quiche I made too!



But don't worry, I don't just sit at home and cook and bake all day. Sometimes I go to Estate Sales. Well, just once (so far) for the experience. And it's a weird experience.



The feeling of walking around some dead person's house and staring at all their stuff with price tags. I don't know who turned "Dead person's stuff for sale" into "Estate Sale" but that is some good marketing.

And now for some random scenery pics.

Or not so scenic- my walk from the bus stop. 

But still, could be scenic at a different time of day. Like if I am done with work, not about to begin it. 

That's pretty much January.

Arrowhead Regional Medical Center

This is just a rough estimate... but about 3.5 million times these past few months people have asked me what the heck is going on.

Is Ross getting paid now?

What is Ross's specialty?

How does Ross like residency?

When are you going to move next? How long will you be in the area?

Are you going back to Grenada? When does he start? What is his first rotation?

And the list goes on. I thought I would give a quick run down of where we are currently.

Quick Break Down:

Medical school = 4 years (August 2012 - Spring 2016)
      - 2 years "book work" aka Basic Sciences....................................Finished! Grenada years.
      - 2 years in-hospital work aka Rotations/Clerkship/Clinicals.........Current. Redlands, CA years.
After that -and let's not get ahead of ourselves- comes residency and then a fellowship in a specialty.

No, he does not know what kind of doctor he wants to be.

But he has time too!

Ross is starting his 3rd year of medical school at Arrowhead Regional Medical Center in Colton, CA. The third year consists of "core" or mandated rotations. That means he spends anywhere from 6-12 weeks doing hands-on work and study in a specific study of medicine. The core rotations for the 3rd year are:

Internal Medicine

Family Medicine

OB/GYN

Pediatrics

Psychiatry

Surgery

There can be specific study within each rotation, but that is the general overview. 

Next Spring/ Summer Ross will take the USMLE Step 2 Clinical Knowledge exam. Remember the younger sister Step 1 which he took Summer 2014?

After that he will begin the 4th and final year of medical school. You can check back in at that time.

Going back to the present. Ross wanted to check out the hospital before his first day. We also needed to return our rental truck, so we headed west on the I-10.



You can tell I haven't been back in the U.S. very long because I was shocked to see that you had to get through a metal detector just to step foot in the doors. You have to have a reason to go in, with a specific department destination. You can imagine security's confusion when we explained that we just wanted to see the hospital.



The next Monday morning Ross was there, in much less casual clothes, ready to begin his adventures in a REAL meal deal hospital.

Monday August 18th, 2-14

I was really curious to see if it would be a short or long day. We both knew this isn't a "read over the syllabus and get on your way" type of 1st day of school. And indeed it wasn't. Ross texted me later in the day to let me know he was assigned to be on 24 hour call.
Me: Umm.... like you get to come home and if they "page" you, you have to go back?

Wrong. 24 hour call means you get to sit at the hospital and work for 24 hours. Maybe sleeping for an hour or two if they let you. You can definitely say he started his 3rd year off with a bang!



When he came home the next morning he was tired but definitely happy! So it begins!

And for your final and pressing questions... No he is not making money. Yes we are still giving them A LOT of money (at 9% interest thank you very much). No we are not moving anytime soon, at least not for a couple years.