Staying on the path

Yesterday, I submitted and certified my National Residency Match Program (NRMP) rank order list (ROL) of programs I'd be willing to call my own. Nearly a whole day early. And I even followed the NRMP's advice to avoid any impulse changes within 6 hours of the ROL deadline.

Now all there is to do is wait, hope I don't have to move past #5 on my list of programs, and enjoy life until Match Day.

I won't lie to you. Residency application and then interview season was the most stressful part of my medical school experience. I have my first few silver strands of hair to show for it. I applied to too many programs, accepted too many interviews, and traveled too far & too often with too little sleep. I held high hopes for some programs only to be sorely disappointed on interview day. I changed my specialty choice mid-way through the process, and had to interview for separate internships to boot. And since I didn't have any firm location requirements, my applications spanned a broad geographical area. If it isn't clear, I made the process about as complicated as it could possibly be.

More important, my efforts led me to honestly assess my life and accomplishments from the past few years. The process also forced me to consider what I really want out of my training, career, and life outside of medicine -- and what I need to do to get it. I'm more aware than ever that I have just one life and that choices I make today will determine my long-term satisfaction.

I'm the sort of person who prefers to leave doors open until the last possible moment. My high degree of openness to new opportunities has led me down so many interesting & enjoyable, though not always unified, paths in life. More than one of my interviewers complimented the breadth of my life experience, but I realize the inherent focus of residency training necessitates closing many doors. Given my open nature, this has been a long-standing concern about my career in medicine -- after choosing a field, the barriers to switching fields later are high.

Still, focusing my efforts is worthwhile if it enables me to gain expertise to help patients improve their lives. Besides, being an expert in one field doesn't preclude considering the whole person. Fortunately, I'm confident I'll be able to pursue my own uniquely satisfying practice path provided I keep an open mind. Here's to enjoying the rest of my 4th year before I start what promises to be a demanding internship!