So match day is right around the corner, and I remember how stressed I was during this time. In this episode, I’m gonna give you three key strategies to make sure you’re at ease when you submit your rank list.
I remember all too well how stressed I was as I was trying to figure out which program I was going to put where on my rank list. So I want to make sure we help you not feel that same level of stress.
Three key strategies to choose your ideal residency
Here are three strategies I used as I prepared for submitting my rank list and ultimately prepared for match day.
Know your priorities
So the first strategy I want to share is make sure you know your priorities. Everybody is different. For me, I wanted to make sure I was close enough to family because I knew it would be a tough time in training.
I also wanted to make sure I was close enough to the people that I cared about the most to help support me along the journey. For you, it may not be that you necessarily want to be close to family. Maybe you want to be far from family and that’s okay too. But whatever is important to you, make sure you prioritize that.
If it’s making sure you’re at a program where they have lots of research opportunities, or if they have community based experiences that help you really engage in the community that you want to learn to engage with, then make sure you rank those programs highly. For some, they think about reputation the most, but for you, don’t let that stop you if reputation of the program doesn’t actually correlate to where you truly want to be.
Day in the life strategy
Make sure it’s a strong program for your goals in the end, but prioritize what’s important to you. So the second strategy I use that I really, really loved is called the day in the life strategy. I had a mentor tell me instead of worrying about all 13 programs, you’re trying to figure out where to put in what order, take it one day at a time.
So I want you to close your eyes. And think about a day in the life at your number one choice. Where do you want to live in the city that you’re going to be in? Who’s around you that you can connect with in the hospital and out of the hospital? Because you have to remember the people who are going to be your co interns will be at work sometimes when you’re off.
You’ll need to have a support network when you’re not in the hospital with your co resident. Where are you going to stay? Is it too hot or too cold? Are you going to be able to get to and from work because of the snow? These are all huge considerations that make a huge difference as to what your life will be like on a day-to-day basis as you navigate through residency.
I remember really wanting to go to a cold place. I really loved this particular program. However, I had never lived anywhere with snow. So no matter how much I tried to think about it, when I would do a day in the life, And add shoveling snow to my mornings. It just didn’t fit. So be sure to think about what a real day will be like in a particular city, in a particular program, as you consider making your rank list.
Seek wise counsel
My third strategy is to seek wise counsel. For me, that included prayer and making sure I talked to my family, who was really, really important to me about. What the next three to four years we’re going to look like for you, that might mean checking in with a mentor who really knows individuals at a particular program.
They may have some insight based on the goals you’ve shared with them during your medical school time to help you make sure you’re picking a program that aligns with your ultimate career goals. So make sure you seek wise. So whether that be from friends, significant others, mentors, family, or anybody around you in your network, that you trust as you make such an important decision, residency is such an exciting time in your life.
You want to make sure that you not only are. Thinking about where you ultimately want to end up in your career, but you’re also thinking about what’s going to make the time and the experience as wonderful as it possibly can be. We all know you’re going to be working extremely hard. You are going to be working so many hours a week, but what you can control is if you enjoy the city, or at least you think you’re going to enjoy the city and if you’re going to have that network around you.
Summing it up
So once again, the three strategies I want you to consider are making sure you choose to rank highly the programs that you prioritize, right? Whether you prioritize if it’s a strong program for this surgical outcome, if it’s a strong program for this research opportunity, or if you prioritize that your significant other lives close by.
Whatever the case is, make sure you set the priorities and then you figure out which programs you want to go. The second strategy is to break it down one day at a time. A day in the life at each minute. Particular program, thinking about how you’ll actually be able to live and navigate in the city you’re going to be in.
So I hope the experience is just as great for you as it was for me. I’ll leave you with this. We know that everybody doesn’t always match into their first choice or their second choice. And some even have. To do the soap program, do not get discouraged. If that’s the case, I want you to think about the fact that you are on your way to becoming a specialist, to help care for those who need you the most.
