See, the thing is that Ben chose to only apply at 6 schools for residency. He only got 4 interviews, and we THINK he'll match to his #1 pick as I described earlier, but how much can you really count on what you feel in all this craziness that is the interview/match process. I quietly put my 2 cents in that I thought he should apply and interview at more schools because of course, the thought of scrambling is a nightmare. His school recommended more...way more, but he is confident that for him, it isn't necessary. To him, I smile, and pretend to be completely faithful in him, while inside I'm uh, I'm freaking out in a major way, people!! What if we don't match at one of those 4 programs!? Because he was over-confident, I have to pack up all my stuff and move to ghetto, Michigan with my 2 young kids? Jackson will start school wherever we move, and we planned on having another baby that first year of residency! Where we go is kind of important for us, too! PLUS, apparently the school Ben wants to rank #1 is the most sought after program in Texas!
On the other hand, a friend from school interviewed there recently, and came back saying several of the residents and program directors he met with asked him if he knew Ben and told him how much they really liked him. (He rotated and interviewed there in September and made some friends in high places.) Ben's friend said he was glad he could say he knew Ben so well because he felt like that gave him an advantage!
So....I just keep going back and forth inside, but I don't dare tell Ben (like he needs that kind of wife drama from me right now.) I can't wait until Match Day! I NEED to know!
Wow you are an inspiration to me. I have been letting my DH (dear husband) know way too mucha bout my fears of him not matching. He has even had to tell me to have more faith in him. Wow, it's seriously pathetic of me.
ReplyDeleteI am freaking out about the match too because my husband is not American and applying to an traditionally competitive specialty, so we face a very real possibility of not matching.
Thanks for this post. It's what I needed.
I think Chad applied to somewhere in the neighborhood of 70 residency programs.
ReplyDeleteBut what good did matching do when he chucked it all after the first day and changed fields?
Looking from the back end of this deal, scrambling seems like the end of the world, but it's not. Everyone that I know who scrambled came out smelling like a rose.
Chad in essence scrambled into the spot he has and it is at a fantastic, highly competitive program.
Don't worry so much. It will all work out. : )
I think it's just a crapshoot, no matter what. Which isn't comforting, I know... But the extra "security" you feel by applying to 20 programs instead of 6 is probably mainly false, right? I honestly don't know.
ReplyDeleteBut I try to keep my Match worries from my husband too... Because I know he's already worried, and there's already nothing EITHER of us can do about it... So there's no point in me adding to the panic. (One of us has to be strong, right?) (Although I do freak out once in a while...)
All any of us can do is hang in there and have faith that it will all work out. And I have faith in you and your husband!
Rob was worried about Matching enough for the both of us, so I kept my fears to myself (and my girlfriends) for the most part when he went through it. I was strong and confident and said "it will all work out babe"
ReplyDeleteNow, he's in his second year and now we're talking Fellowship... I am *much* more vocal now than I was then and this post was a good reminder that I need to back down and let the path unfold- again.
Aww, good luck! But, as the others have said, it will all work out in the end. It's always a series of hurdles--which medical school, which residncy, which fellowship--but things always seem to settle exactly as they should. Kudos on being a strong support to your husband!
ReplyDeleteBy the way, I just found your blog and didn't realize that there were TWO contributors at first. I got so confused when I was reading through. Oops!
Hi there. I just came across your blog today. I have been through the MATCH ordeal almost 3 years ago. We had our #1 picked out and we both felt very good about getting matched there. Unfortunately, we didn't get our first choice and I remember leaving the auditorium after the ceremony crying my eyes out! Flash forward and my husband is in his last few months of residency and I have no regrets about where we ended up. Things truly work out the way they are suppose to. Plus, it's only a few years and then you will probably move to another city where you have more of a choice in the matter! Good luck to you, your husband and family!
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