<p>And I will say that going through match last year was AWFUL for our (now I can say it!!!) son-in-law when he did not get his first choice, primarily because he and our daughter would be separated. This year, though, has been completely different and we are all so happy for them! He will be moving back here and able to actually live with his new wife beginning some time in late June before starting his transitional year for his new program on July 1. </p>
<p>Quick update on our son-in-law: He finishes his current program in about a week and a halfâŠand everyone there has, surprisingly (to him) been quite supportive and fine with his leaving, even though they do NOT want him to go. This first year his is doing will not actually âcountâ so, technically he could have left a couple of months ago, but he did not want to do that to the program, which is already stretched pretty thin. I really admire him for that, though these last couple of months have gone slowly! His director was very complimentary of his performance even though he was feeling like he was not doing wellâŠ</p>
<p>He has his schedule for his new program (going from surgery to anesthesia) here and it seems so much less intense than what he has been doing this year. PLUS he actually gets to live with his new wife. We are beyond excited. </p>
<p>So, moral of this story: even if your match experience turns out not-so-great, a do-over that turns out well IS possible. :)</p>
<p>I heard of others do-overs, but donât they spend more time in residency then? In other case, the person âwastedâ 1 or even 2 years (do not remember exactly), she decided to change her âspecialtyâ.</p>
<p>Well, in this case he is changing from surgery to anesthesia. So he will end up spending the same amount of time, with the extra year, to complete the anesthesia program as it would have taken to finish surgery. Did that make any sense at all? </p>
<p>^ Do you mean to say that, for example, if a surgery residency takes 6 years, and an anesthesia residency takes 5 years, the time for your SIL to complete the anesthesia residency will be the same as the time for him to complete his surgery residency if he stayed in the surgery resudency?</p>
<p>CMC -I know that there were geographic considerations for your SIL but beyond that, better to realize early on that regardless a positive med school experience in a particular area a change in specialty is necessary/desirable. I am very glad that it has all worked out. Though my D has been and continues to be quite certain what she wants to do in medicine I have been quietly concerned about her choice of ob/gyn since day one and donât even want to think about the ramifications of her deciding that it just. isnât. working. down the road. That being said, when it comes to her life choices she is almost always right and I find myself having worried over nothing - so there you go. ;-)</p>
<p>Yes, location is #1 consideration, but my D. is also certain about what she wants to do. She will applying to this pecialty based primarily on location. The funny part is that she was told the same by her superiors - to apply by location. Apparently, many residency programs consider the âlocationâ of the applicant.</p>
<p>My DD had a hard time choosing between several options she enjoyed, but it did hearten her, sort of, to hear stories of people who actually changed residency programs once or even twice. Not that she wants to do that, but last year when she was deciding, it was nice to know if does not have to be forever.</p>
<p>DD is feeling very good about the one she chose right now and hopefully she continues to feel good about it over the next few years! But, hey, itâs the rest of your life, whatâs one extra year of surgical internship versus a whole career of surgery you donât want to do. Yes, SDN posters will tell you that is a $200k mistake, same with a gap year, same with anything that takes more time, but whatever, itâs your real life, if youâre going to be a doctor, you should be the kind you want to be, even if it takes a bit longer to get there. Itâs not a race to the finish, itâs a journey. OPâs son will likely be a better anesthesiologist for having done a year of surgery!!</p>
<p>Not only SDN, I will also tell anybody to be very serious about $200k mistake (or for some, it is $400k mistake if not more). there are some people who already taken gap year after college, then they are planning to take a gap year after Med. School, then changing specialty will be on top of all these years. Most Med. School graduates have large loans, not sure about all these type of $200k / year mistakes in conneciton to having family and some $150k+ loans.<br>
This would be a huge burden on some. Others might just shrug it off, though. They need to consider how they will feel about the financial side for many many years (also while having a spouse, kids, is this going to affect the quality of family life?) Some people, say strogly, Yes, but others, will say as strongly, NO. Only specific person can assess how he/she will feel about it.</p>
<p>Well, this is my son-in-lawâs last day before moving back here to begin his new residency next week. We all fully realize that he is blessed in that he has no school loan debt and so the financial hit they are taking from this move and this change in direction of his training is not devastating. It certainly was not a decision he made on a whimâŠ.each individual must consider all aspects. In his case, though, I know he feels confident he made the right choice and we are all rejoicing that he and his wife can live together and he does not have to continue in his present training environment. </p>
<p>Best of luck to him! DD begins her residency orientation today having spent the last couple of weeks traveling and setting up her new apartment. She is very pumped and a bit nervous. And so begins the next step on a long road.</p>
<p>Best wishes to all who is starting. Please, continue sharing if you feel appropriate.<br>
Next week is Dâs last week of 3rd year. She is really looking forward to all electives and AI. But then, the next March 15 will be approachingâŠ</p>
<p>Well, gloriousky and hallelujah, they are all moved in! My son in law finished up his surgical internship year on Thursday. He found out it does âcountââhe was not sure about that since he has to leave this last week of June to start his orientation for his new residency, so that is good. At least for his resumeâ As he said, it was bitter-sweet leavingâŠgood people there and he did learn a lot. But he and our daughter are so thrilled to be starting their lives together at last! My D was very, very happy to unpack her suitcase since she will not be having to travel back and forth between homes any more. Son-in-law has his first welcome dinner tomorrow evening and begins orientation on Monday. And our daughter can at last truly focus on her own work for her PhD. </p>
<p>We are having a big old family celebration dinner tonight. </p>
<p>Brief update on Son-in-law: He is almost through his first full week of the new residency and this experience has been so much better for many reasons. This program is much more well-run, first of all. He knows his schedule, including vacation, for the next year already (which was NOT the case before!), for example! Also, he feels more confidentâway less stressed, even though they have him on what is considered to be the most intense rotation of this particular program to start out. Plus, he gets to come home to his wife every night, which makes everything brighter. </p>
<p>On the other hand, one of his best friends failed to match into orthopedic surgery two years running. He is in the Air Force, and had SOAPED into a preliminary spot last year.After failing to match again this year, he is going to be a Flight Surgeon on a local base. Way better pay and hours, of course, than being a resident, but not his ultimate goal. But at least he has options. </p>
<p>Churchmusicmomâs SILâs new program gave him credit for his surgical intern year. This allows him to begin his anesthesiology residency without having to re-do a year of internship.</p>
<p>YeahâŠ.no. Unfortunately. That is NOT what is happening simply because all the spots for people to actually start their anesthesiology residency are already filled with people who matched LAST year (in 2013). So our SIL is, in fact, doing another intern year, this time in a âtransitionalâ spot where he rotates among several different Internal Medicine situations. He is starting out in a large âinner cityâ hospitalâs ICU, for example. In addition to several required rotations, he will be able to also choose among some elective rotations this year. </p>
<p>I said this was âunfortunateâ above, but I donât really think our SIL thinks this. He is grateful for the additional experience and finds himself feeling much more confident and effective in his current program than in his program as a surgical intern last year. </p>
<p>As for finding out that year âcountsââŠ.I donât really think it functionally makes much difference, except on a resume in the future. I thought he might be considered a PGY2 for salary purposes at least, but apparently that is not the case either. :)</p>
We are beyond excited. </p>