Friday, March 21st is a day that I have been dreading since Zach first started medical school. "Match Day", as it is called, is the day that you find out where you will be working in residency after you graduate. For the past four years it has seemed like a day in the future that was so far away, it might never come. However, in September of last year, Zach had to submit his ERAS (his application to residency programs), I could no longer ignore the imminent event.
To most people, including myself, the residency process is absolutely bizarre. You submit your application and apply to as many residency programs as you'd like. Zach's specialty is Radiology which is a bit more competitive. Therefore, he applied to 30 different places; I have heard of others applying to as many as 90! Once you submit your ERAS, you get to sit impatiently and wait for the interview offers to come in. When all was said and done, Zach interviewed for 22 different slots! It was 3 very long months of flying, interviewing, primping, and impressing. My poor introverted husband was utterly exhausted by the end of the process. Not to mention, you have to pay for the flights, hotel, rental cars, and everything in between! We are forever indebted to Zach's parents for making the entire process possible.
At the end of February, we had to make the difficult decision of submitting our rank list. Therefore, we listed each place that Zach interviewed, in order of where we'd like to go. At the same time, the residency programs are ranking the candidates that they interviewed. Then some lovely little computer programs uses a nifty algorithm to determine where we spend the NEXT FIVE YEARS OF OUR LIVES.
I had myself fooled into thinking that these would be like normal job interviews, but (haha) no. Zach is competing against all the other 4th year medical students who want to go into Radiology. Also, the program can not offer him a job, nor let him know their exact standing. Therefore, this whole process is riddled with follow- up e-mails and thank-you notes full of inuendo and hints.
Which brings us now to Friday. Match Day. We will go downtown to a hotel with the rest of Zach's medical school class. They will hand us an envelope at 10:00 am MST. Every other 4th year medical student will be handed an enevlope at the exact same time. We will all open them together, and our fate will have been determined. It will say a location and residency program on the card, and that is where we will go. It is a legal binding contract. There is no switching, no changing, no begging, no pleading.
There is only one Radiology residency program in the state of Colorado. Our chances of staying in-state are a little frightening. I know some people may love change and adventure, but I surely am not one of them. I love that our families live within 20 minutes to an hour of us. I am blessed that I get to have lunch with my mama (who is my best friend), several times a week. My amazing in-laws take Livy on all sorts of adventure and fun. Our friends are like our family and support us in incredible ways. I am not ready to lose that and I am not ready to go. It brings such joy to my heart to see the close-knit relationship Livy has with her grandparents, aunts, and uncles. I love that they are woven into her heart; and she into theirs.
I know that no matter what happens, we will be fine. We are a family, we love each other, and that is enough. The Lord has the map of a bigger plan for us, and everything that happens is because He makes it so. I know the plans that He has prepared for me, and I know that He has plans for me to thrive, prosper, and be happy!
At this current time I do feel very sorry for myself. However, I do have a clear enough head to see that people go through things far worse than this, every single day of their entire lives. Families in the military are relocated constantly, and with very little notice as well. Therefore, this pity party that I'm throwing will only last a little while. :)
I am absolutely grateful for the love and support that has been shown to us through this time. We absolutely your prayers, well wishes, and kind words. Thank you for caring about our little family!
