Match Day

Match Day

These two simple words are enough to strike fear in the hearts of any 4th year medical student. The day that determines the rest of your life. (Well, the next 4 years of it, at least.)

It's a complicated process. There are applications, and interviews, and preliminary year applications, and rank order lists, and one GIANT COMPUTER system that "matches" students with their sought after specialty programs.

In Mike's case, that happens to be Anesthesiology. It has been a long road. a Very Very Very long road. But that light at the end of the tunnel???

Well, it has FINALLY arrived.

I have been looking forward to this day for four years, and very anxiously and impatiently waiting for it to arrive for the last one.

But the results are in, folks. And we have some good news!

Mike Matched into an Anesthesia Program!!!

The exact words were: "Congratulations! You have matched to an advanced position."

I can not even begin to tell you what a relief it is to have this whole process OVER!

So, where are we going??? Well....

....

....

....

We don't know! (well, not EXACTLY)

You see, the inventors of "the Match", are some real clever little buggers. They drag the process out over the course of an entire year. THEN, on Match Day Monday, they send out these clever little e-mails telling you whether you did, or did NOT "match". And the kicker???? They don't tell you until the next Thursday exactly what program you matched into.

I know...very tricky. That being said, we have a pretty good idea of where we are headed. I'll spare you all the details of HOW we know this. I really doubt you want to hear all about the complexity of rank order lists, and preliminary year secondary lists, and...blah blah blah. It's like learning a new language.

But, it suffices me to say we are Nearly Certain on our destination for the next four years.

Anyone up for a visit to the Great Lakes? Because it looks like we'll be in

MICHIGAN!

I am excited at the new opportunities that may be there for us way up north. And I am really looking forward to living in a place, and experiencing a lifestyle I would not have experienced otherwise. I am a little nervous, and excited, and happy to be moving on, and sad to be moving away from dear friends...And all of this, all at the same time. What a complete mix of emotions.

And tonight, as I am sitting outside in my capris and sandals in the early evening, enjoying the cool breeze and the 75 degree weather, and smelling my delicious orange blossoms, I know I will cry a little tear at the thought of trading that in for the snow and cold again.

And for anyone clearing out all their unwanted warm and wintery items....Send them my way! Apparently living in the desert four years has really caused my winter wardrobe to suffer.