LIVE BLOG: Match Day #2

Up-to-the-minute Match Day information.

Monday, March 18, 2010

Match Day #2

Matched Program Information

13:07 - Oh my God! So many emotions right now, hard to pin just one down. I am very happy that I will be getting excellent training at my new home at Downstate. Looks like NYC and Brooklyn are going to have to deal with me for a few more years! WOO-HOO!
Again, as always, thank you to all for being my support, my cheerleaders. Love you all!

13:03 - *fist pump* Matched at SUNY HSC Brooklyn (a.k.a. Downstate)!

12:38 - Don't forget folks, YHO is running in the NYC Half-Marathon this Sunday, March 21, 2010. You're welcome to come cheer me on PRN at any time during the grueling 2-hour race. Or you can sign up to get my race splits via email by clicking HERE.

12:23 - So...how's everyone's day going?

12:12 - Didn't start with the early posts today because, well let's face it, how many times you can hear me say that the anxiety is building before you tune me out. Results technically due by 13:00.

LIVE BLOG: Match Day #1

Up-to-the-minute Match Day information.

Monday, March 15, 2010

Match Day #1

Matched/Unmatched Information

15:19 - Thank you all for the outpouring of congratulations and support. This is a huge relief to know that on July 1 I will be employed. Now the real waiting game begins, to see where I will be for the next 3+ years of my life. Sam blog format three days from today. See you then!

Cheers,

YHO

11:57 - MATCH!!!

11:47 - 13 Minutes. That is all.

11:41 - I want to take this time to wish my beautiful girlfriend a very happy birthday, and to let her know I haven't forgotten despite all the excitement. She's been incredibly supportive through everything.

11:26 - Ok, at this point, I'm just writing to alleviate anxiety. If I focus on where commas, semicolons; periods. And apostrophe's go, then the Match doesn't exist. 34 minutes.

11:19 - Set up shop here at The Brooklyn Hospital Center's medical library. 41 minutes and counting. I'll probably be posting every minute from here on out.

10:21 - Holding up, but the butterflies are beginning. Mind is starting to wander to contingency plans...so far I have non. Eep! Plan to get out of here in the next 40 minutes or so to go establish myself at a wifi location to get results.

08:00 - GOOD MORNING WORLD! It's a bright new day here in NYC...well, it's a new day at least. Nerves are there, but I'm hanging in. Off to my rotation for now. Periodic updates will come. Also check Twitter feed to the left for more information.

The Interview Chronicles - It's Kind Of Like Superman's Phone Booth

Well, all the preparation paid off. Here's roughly what the finished product looks like...



Another productive day over, another interview done. It's time to head back whence I came. I would like to take this opportunity to warmly thank each and every hotel proprietor for ALWAYS refusing to give me late check-outs so that I may return from my interview and change in a proper setting. No, no...instead, they all shoved me into some random toilet stall to make the transformation. So here goes...







Oila! Back to the airport and homeward bound. Hope all of this pays off on Match Day!

The Interview Chronicles - The Layout

Thus far Your Humble Observer has survived a landing in four feet of snow, rude taxi-stand workers, and late-night hotel front desk employees to begin the next part of the trip. Settling in. In case you haven't noticed, I'm a little...particular...about the way I do these things (go ahead and insert whatever word you want in there). Generally I'm not comfortable until I've done one last inventory to make sure everything is where it needs to be.



Here we are. The hotel room that will serve as HQ for the next 6 hours of my life.



First up, make sure the suit gets out of that folded bag and hanging properly. Then we start laying out the various components for easy access tomorrow morning.



Toiletries come out of the bag and are arranged according to their particular use. We've got:


oral hygiene,

facial hair removal,

eye-care,

and finally hair and scent,



Ok, looks like everything is in order here. Whew! I'm spent. Time to get four hours of sleep. Big day tomorrow.

On The Softee Side

Most exciting day of the year...

...first Mister Softee sighting of the season.

The Interview Chronicles - Defying The Laws Of Gravity

The next step of the journey usually involves some sort of flying apparatus which usually becomes airborne from a central hub known as an "airport".



Here is Your Humble Observer patiently awaiting the opportunity to strap himself to a metal tube and hurl himself at 600 miles per hour* through the air in one of the greatest projectile feats known to man.



The airport often served also as a dining area for YHO since rarely did the opportunity arise to eat a proper meal. And, Lord knows, a flying man needs his energy. Very healthy choices by YHO, might I add. (Gummi Bears are a way of life. Deal with it!)



Once the captain has indicated that we have reached our cruising altitude, the flight attendants will be by to serve a complimentary beverage...and if you're peasant-ass is lucky, you'll get the whole can instead of just a crummy little plastic cup filled 3/4 of the way with ice...



Also once we have reached cruising altitude you may use all approved electronic devices. Please note that cell phones and two-way pagers may NOT be used at any time during the flight...YOU HEAR THAT ROW 26D?...STOP TEXTING AS WE ARE COMING UP TO THE RUNWAY!



The flight usually provided a great opportunity to get the initial prep done for the interview, including brushing up on program information, highlighting pertainant points, and summarizing it into my neat pre-made worksheet. (Don't act so surprised...it's like you don't know me).

Ok, see you all when we're safely back on the ground.


*Shout-out to H.A. who first brought that description to my attention.

The Interview Chronicles - Pack It Up, Pack It In

Proper preparation prevents poor performance. Call me what you will, but ill-prepared is not a description of my interview season. With all the traveling, you have to expect the unexpected and be prepared to handle the situation. Thus...my pre-travel prep.

Of course, it all begins with looking good. And, mmm...I look good. I look REAL good. Hey everyone come and see how good I look.

The central component is, of course, the suit, complete with a freshly dry-cleaned and pressed white french-cuff shirt.



And then, of course, the over-stuffed bag of toiletries to make the magic happen.



Naturally, preparation does not end with just looking good. Though the package may be pretty, the insides must have some content as well. Here we have the pre-interview prep folder. At the beginning of the application process, each program was designated with a folder and filled with all the information that could possibly be gathered regarding the program. The portfolio contains all supplementary information that might suddenly become necessary, including copies of resumes, personal statements, and passport photos, not to mention enough pens and highlighters to choke a donkey.



These three make up what I call the "Pocket-Must-Haves". Interview day gets long and filled with onions, so we must make sure that the lips are not chapped (let's not forget the cold places YHO traveled), the eyes are not dry, and the breath ain't stank.



Ok, everything's packed and ready. And off we go...

The Interview Chronicles - An Introduction

The months of November through January were a busy time in the life of the average fourth year medical student, and Your Humble Observer was no exception. These months are known as "Interview Season", a time for doctors in training to brush up their resumes, brush off their suits, put on a smile and their best behavior, and strut their stuff, so to speak, for residency programs.

It's an exciting time, to say the least, and it often involves travels to distant and exotic places (i.e. Syracuse, NY), at times involving multiple cities in back to back days. Hotels, taxis, airports, and complimentary breakfasts become a way of life. It's a lot of fun, but it does take it's toll. At the busiest time, YHO had 8 interviews in 6 different cities, involving 7 flights and 1 train ride, in a span of 17 days. Whew, takes my breath away just to write that out.

What follows is a four-part photoessay of the life of the weary traveler. Follow along as YHO goes on interview.

Matchmaker, Matchmaker, Make Me A Match!

Oh, come on! You had to have seen that title coming...

I speak, of course, of the residency match. And the great Yente of the entire process is the National Residency Match Program (NRMP). Ok, here goes my attempt at explaining this process.

If you recall back in September I began the process of applying for residency positions. The initial application process was mediated through the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS). This is an online tool that allows the applicant to assemble all necessary documents in one place and then to research and, ultimately, apply to various residency programs. Programs then invite qualified applicants to interview for their program. Interview season begins in October and lasts through January. At this point the applicant begins deciding which programs they liked, which they could tolerate, and which were less than ideal. On the other end, the residency programs do the same for their potential candidates.

Enter Yente. On February 24, programs and candidates alike submitted their Rank Order Lists (ROLs). What that means is that a list of programs/candidates is submitted in order of preference to the NRMP. Over the next few weeks, the NRMP will run the Match Algorithm, a computer program, to try and place candidates at the programs that they desire and who desire them. It's a whole big long complicated process, and it boggles my mind to try and think of it...so I won't. Suffice it to say, the idea is that each candidate and program will be hooked up with their top choices.

Once the results are finalized, candidates and programs will be notified. On March 15, the candidates will be notified whether they matched or not. Unfortunately, just because you submit a ROL does not guarantee a match. On March 18, candidates that matched will be told exactly where they were placed. This constitutes a binding contract between applicant and program. The obvious difference from the usual application process is that the candidate is not notified of acceptance from multiple institutions, then makes their ultimate choice. The time for those choices has passed, and now, come March 18, we must accept the result handed to us.

Once that is all over, information is sent, contracts are signed, and the newly chosen resident awaits the start of their post-graduate training, usually beginning July 1.

FYI

Let's Talk About Me

Far be it from Your Humble Observer to keep his readership out of the loop or, perish the thought, allow them to become bored. So here we go...what's going on in the life of YHO?

Well, a lot and not much all at once.

As you'll recall, I do this little thing called medical school. And for all the fun it brings, let's face it, all good things must end. Although it's nice to be the medical student who can get away with ignorance, spend real time with patients, and rock a groovy short white coat, the world needs... doctors...and I am to be one of those...doctors...

Ok, back from my little emetic spell there. It's fun, exciting, anxiety-causing, and nauseating all rolled into one neat package. The last of my core rotation exams was completed last month and I can proudly say that I am officially done with ALL medical school tests. Graduation looms in early June, while Commencement ceremony will be May 29 back on the ol' island of St. Maarten (for those who don't remember, no I have NOT misspelled the name of the island. There really are two 'A's). Most exciting of all, however, is the fact that in less than eight weeks, I will be completely done with all rotations. Give me a 'Y', give me an 'A', give me a 'Y'! What does that spell? FREEDOM!

And what does the next step involve? Well, there's this little thing called the Match. The Match determines what you'll be doing with the rest of your life. So no big deal. And all of this will come to pass on March 18. On that day, I will know whether I matched or not, and if so, which program I matched at. More to come on this maddening process...

In sports news, I continue to train for the New York City Half Marathon on March 21. YHO's training progress may be tracked in the 'To Athens' section of this blog. If you're in the big city and you care to spend an entire Saturday morning watching endless throngs of people run for 2 consecutive hours, then come on down and cheer us on. More to come on this maddening process...

(Geez, what a nice easy way to cop out of writing a lot)

That's the quick and dirty. More informative, insightful, and witty posts to come. I can hear the collective inspiration as you all hold your breaths. More to come on this maddening process...

Beace!