We're gettin' there folks!

I am stumped at what to write about. I am chosing to hold off on my post about Match Day and my rankings until the day comes. I guess though I can start talking about it a little - gotta get ya a little thirsty for more later! Then I guess I will just figure something out as I go along.

So... it has come down to this nearly four years in the making of this blog - Match Day 2010. The day when I will find out where I will be obtaining my residency training in internal medicine for the next three years. Like I said before, I applied to 15 places and got 8 interviews:

St. Mary Mercy, Livonia MI
University of Toledo, Toldeo OH
Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit MI
St. John Hospital, Detroit MI
St. Joseph Mercy, Ann Arbor MI
Detroit Medical Center, Detroit MI
St. Vincent Mercy, Toledo OH
Synergy Medical Education Alliance, Saginaw MI

Of these I chose 6, leaving out Synergy and University of Toledo. As you all know I did most of my third year at Synergy and loved it. In the end though, this just proved to be to far away that I was willing to commute. I was getting enough invites from local places, I chose to decline. As for the latter, again I had the other 7 offers and felt that I would be in good contention for a residency spot with those I had interviewed at, particularly in Michigan - so I chose to decline. No real downsides to the programs, just a personal choice. This left 6 hospitals to rank in my ranking list.

First off, you must register with the NRMP (National Residency Match Program) which of course comes with a fee (come on, by now you know better than to think that we were gonna get out of ANYTHING without a fee). When the time comes and your ERAS application is submitted, it will be time for the rank list to open, approximately in late January of your match year. You get around a month to mull it over and in late February, your decision is final. It is this day that you are committed to joining the residency program you match. Not only does your list have to be final but the hospitals must submit their final list the same day as well. DUN DUN DUN - that's it. Then the near one month wait for the magical computers to do their work, lol. So I will tell you all how I ranked two weeks from today, March 18th 2010. And yes, it IS the day after St. Paddy's Day. Though what student would really take any time off, away from their patients to celebrate during this week. Really now, quite selfish! Psh, I wouldddd! I have one week left of anesthesia then an entire week off. Surely enough, as usual I will be going stir crazy with nothing to do but perhaps i can catch up on some research lol. I am real excited for a week off before my last month of school. Wow, last month. So insane to REALLY look back. Makes the last four weeks seem like a joke compared to all the rest.

Sigh, so what now? What else can I talk about today. I'm about to consolidate my loans lol. Did I tell you that? I got my grand bill in the mail and I am going to write it all out with the zeros for effect, haha: $220,000.00... Maybe I should have enlarged the font! I am taking donations! :P Ah well, knew this was coming so not much of a topic starter.

I guess I could talk about my anesthesia rotation, even though this is my first of two weeks. Umm, really like it alot! Besides the fact that I am in the OR (vomit) I am loving learning about the medications, being taught by tying in ICU vent monitoring and getting my hand at intubations. Ever since my surgery rotation, I have always been curious as to what exactly was being done behind those sheets. I am getting a boat load of knowledge in this and am getting pretty comfortable in monitoring the patient's sedation, paralytics, respirations and much more! Kinda nice to sit and chat with the resident and while being taught still, being able to take a break when we both notice something that needs to be adjusted in the medications. It is great experience though think two weeks will suffice for the time being...

Well, sorry that I don't have more to talk about. I will try and brainstorm for more ideas. Any burning questions out there, lol? Anyhoo, I'll be around! You stay classy ;)...