<p>Don’t watch this if you’re offended by profanity. It’s pretty vulgar, but…it may be a good distraction for folks waiting.</p>
<p>[Hitler</a> on Match Day for Doctors - YouTube](<a href=“Hitler on Match Day for Doctors - YouTube”>Hitler on Match Day for Doctors - YouTube)</p>
<p>I remember watching the House Hunters episode in AZ where they couldn’t know if they could sign the papers until after Match Day. So stressful, but I actually think it’s a great process. I have 2 cousins that are 3 and 2 years away, respectively, and a good friend who is 2 years away</p>
<p>No–she is a high school senior–I was thinking Med school admissions-not residency—we have 8 years .</p>
<p>lol…well, you may have 8 years til match day, but I think the med school app process is even more stressful because at least with residency matching, nearly all are matched. Unlike med school, when only about half get admitted to an MD school. </p>
<p>If your D is still premed less than 3 years from now, you’ll be embarking on the most stressful 18 months of the MD app process. (so glad it’s nearly over!!)</p>
<p>The “My Mom would have throttled me and I would throttle my daughter if she did this” story: </p>
<p>I had my List all set, wanted to go to the East Coast, had Big Time Programs on my list… then started dating a guy and changed my entire list one week before the list was due, changed my first choice program to the one he was already matched to (Radiology, outside the Match). All for a guy I’d been dating for SIX WEEKS. I hurriedly went to interview at the program (was probably the last person they saw before the door hit me on the behind) and switched my list. </p>
<p>If my daughter ever did the same thing I’d think she was crazy. </p>
<p>Luckily the new program was excellent and that guy is still around, now my husband, 21 years later. But still. Jiminy. </p>
<p>Now you can all relax knowing your kids, no matter their situations, are smarter than I was. :)</p>
<p>p.s. Match Day: totally fun. And also later, when I was Chief Resident, and we waited breathlessly to see which students we’d get for our program. Also totally fun. We’d interviewed and studied each one’s application so we knew them well. It was like NFL Draft Day.</p>
<p>Ha, Jaylyn I loved reading your story!</p>
<p>My D started dating her BF back in August and knew then that this was coming. They have been very “serious” almost from day one and we are very thrilled for them both. She said from the start, though, that she was glad his first choice was to stay here because she did not want him to change his preferences for her. As things progressed, though, he definitely sought her input about all his choices, took her with him for a second-look weekend, and I think they pretty much made the list together. </p>
<p>I do think it’d be great fun to be present for match day goings-on. It’s just that I am not “officially” a part of this…it might be different if they were already engaged. I am so proud of him, though, for all he has accomplished. I just hope and pray he is pleased when he opens that envelope. </p>
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<p>This made me lol. Thanks!</p>
<p>Having an early dinner with D and the BF/soon-to-be-doc. We will see how they are doing! :)</p>
<p>Sending good wishes for your D’s BF, churchmusicmom. And more good wishes for your D, UMDAD. I hope and pray that the email on Monday morning says, 'CONGRATULATIONS, YOU HAVE MATCHED!"</p>
<p>March 16, 2012 seems like it was SO long ago. I’ll share D’s journey with y’all as you pass the time… D and her BF had to decide, first of all, if they were going to do the couples match. They decided not to do so, and broke up. (H and I knew he wasn’t ‘the one’ and were relieved that they made this decision.) The time waiting for interview offers was filled with anxiety. Then came the interview trail - and it was long and expensive. D ended up going to fourteen interviews. When she certified her rank order list, she ranked all fourteen. She had a definite top two, and the rest were grouped as four very good, four she would be happy to match at, three she could live with, and one that she really didn’t like, but it would be better than not matching at all. Then she just waited - and tried to stay busy. Then came that Monday, and she got the email that said she had matched. We were so happy for her. 
Finally Match Day arrived. Her class and guests all met for a lovely Match Day breakfast and program. We sat at a table with two of her dear friends and their families. When the time came for the envelopes to be opened, the soon-to-be-residents scrambled to the tables to pick up their envelopes. Soon D was coming back to our table. She looked like she was stunned - and I couldn’t tell, until she got closer, if it was good or bad. Well, it was GREAT! She matched at her first choice. We hugged, cried, hugged some more, told H to stop taking photos, and hugged some more. She texted her little brother, away at college. She called her grandmother (who doesn’t text), and texted best friends. Then, she and her friends just ran around checking on where everyone had matched. They were hugging, smiling, and taking lots of photos. It was so much fun to watch. We all went out for drinks (and lunch) to celebrate. Then the parents were ‘excused’ and the class went on for more celebrating. Later that evening, I met D and her roommates, at their house, to drive them to the city for another celebration. Fast forward one year… D is an exhausted intern, but she is happy - and she knows how very blessed she is.</p>
<p>D has one of her dearest friends (and former roommate) matching this year. He did research between years three and four. We are excited and nervous for him. I hope and pray that Friday is a perfect day for him. </p>
<p>Oh, and what about old BF? He matched at his first choice, too… 2,000 miles away. :)</p>
<p>More memories. Rankings were due just after New Years. I had planned to discuss with friends at the party New Years Eve- but a blizzard snowed everyone in and cancelled plans. I recall not ranking one option after visiting it and basically tossing a coin between my two top choices- of 4? You can’t get official word of acceptance in advance but a program could send you a letter about the anesthesiology years following the off service year… Wonder what would have happened if I had chosen B instead of A… Looking back I can see pros and cons to the choices I made. One thing about medicine- everyone gets a job/residency- from the top of the class to the bottom all earn that M.D.!</p>
<p>We actually just had dinner with our entire family, including D and her STBDBF (soon to be doc boyfriend ). It was delightful and relaxed. He was in contact with some of his good friends from school making celebratory plans for Friday after the Big Day, and telling D all about the plans. </p>
<p>I just hope to goodness she calls or texts me right away when they know anything.</p>
<p>Thanks for the stories and insights. It is great to have someone to talk to about this stuff!</p>
<p>S’s best man was what is called a Double 'Dore, meaning he attended Vandy for both undergrad and a graduate/professional program (S is also one, but via the law school). Anyway, I paid attention to Match Day that year as the friend and his fiancee, as well as a young man from our hometown, were all matching. They stream the whole Match ceremony. Students are called up individually and everyone puts money in the fish bowl and the last match gets all the catch for having waited so long to find out their result. It looked like a wonderful day and made me happy to see all of the hope and excitement so evident in these gifted young professionals.
churchmusicmom, good luck to your STBDBF and your D!</p>
<p>I asked my H about his Match Day sometime in 1970’s. He hardly remembers it, not as memorable as the day he received the first of several medical school admission letters. His parents weren’t even aware of Match Day. The infrastructure for parents who wanted to helicopter (not to say this is) wasn’t available.</p>
<p>True-- my Match Day was late 80s and married students had their spouses and families there, but you just kinda called your folks (on the not cellular phone!) and told them where you were going, lol. It was still lots of fun and a lot of beer was consumed that night.</p>
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<p>hehe-- yeah, as I said the STBDBF was talking last night to my D about their plans for celebrating on Friday. Let’s just say I heard him mention several bars. 
My D actually offered to have all his friends over and make them calzones (she IS my kid!!), but they have been planning this particular celebration for a while now, so she will accompany him instead on their planned celebratory sojourn. </p>
<p>He also said that not only his parents, but his younger brother (who is a college senior this year) as well as his older sister (she will take the day off from work) will be there. I love that his family is so supportive of him. </p>
<p>It’s so great that Vandy streams the Match day goings-on! I wish that would happen here but, alas, I do not think it does. </p>
<p>Have a great week, everyone.</p>
<p>I’m ready for a break. Last year this time was the stress of finding out where DS3 was getting into (and going to) college and this year is the stress of where DS2 will be for the next eight years as he will be doing an MD/Ph.D. program. I guess the upside is that we won’t need to worry about Match Day for a while. I have wondered what happens in marriages where the spouse of the med student has a career that isn’t easily transferable to another location. Good luck to your daughter’s boyfriend!</p>
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<p>I have wondered that as well! Fortunately, my D’s career, once she is finished with her PhD, that is, should be one that allows some flexibility. I have found fascinating (to me, any way) blogs of individuals who have spent the first years of their marriage living in different cities for this exact reason (something that may well happen to my D, as she is well aware). Some how, you make it work. I think expectations are key!</p>
<p>The STBDBF has a good friend in his same class who is married to an attorney. They just had their second child a few weeks ago (their oldest is right around 2 years old, I think). They own their own home. And are also waiting to see where they matched in orthopedic surgery (I think) which is VERY competitive. I cannot imagine the stress of not knowing where you will be living in just a few months, plus having to sell a home, move, find a new job as an attorney and find child care in a new city, knowing full well your spouse is about to embark on what is sure to be the busiest, most stressful time of his life (career-wise)…etc, etc. Oh my goodness!!!</p>
<p>PLUS most young doctors incur hundreds of thousands of dollars in student loan debt and do NOT make all that much money for the first 5-7 years out of med school. Next time you see a doctor and feel like grumbling about the cost of their services, think about this!</p>
<p>Oh, and Mimk6, I hope your DS2 gets great news soon about his MD/PhD program!!! Keep us posted!!</p>
<p>One other note: I think MS4s are supposed to get an e-mail today around noon telling them if they did, indeed, match or not. Then those who did not match are entered into the SOAP (which used to be SCRAMBLE, which was apparently awful) program where they (hopefully) find a program with an open spot and, by the end of the week, are set. </p>
<p>I asked my DD last night to please let me know when her STBDBF got his e-mail today, and she looked at me like I’d grown an extra ear or something. I think he is quite confident that he will match SOMEWHERE, but that just makes this momma (who knows just enough about the process to be dangerous) nervous. He did get nice personal phone calls from a few of his listed programs telling him that he was ranked highly there, so that eased his mind. Still, I will feel better when he has that e-mail. We will see if my D lets me know, though. I suppose no news will be good news in that case. :)</p>
<p>Waiting on same email from D. Today is step 1 - did they match? If they matched, Friday is step 2 - where? If they didn’t match - into the great unknown of SOAP.</p>
<p>I got the impression from my son-in-law that medical fellowships are a similar process, except they try to get you to the place that you express the most interest. He begins his fellowship this Summer…</p>
<p>Fellowships are much less “lottery-like”, at least they used to be. More like, if they liked you, they’d offer you a spot, more like a job. At least that’s how it was for my husband’s fellowship after his radiology residency. It certainly varied between specialties, though.</p>