Match results

Well, if you live under a rock, you may not have heard my kids screaming from the rooftops as they heard the match results.  It's been a crazy time around here and I am still not sure how it could possibly be the 14 already.  Match day was April 1... 2 weeks ago.  It was all over Facebook, but I case you didn't see it, Justin matched to the foot and ankle fellowship at Penn State Hershey Medical Center in Hershey, PA.  We are all thrilled with the results.  Our kids wanted to go there because of the chocolate. I wanted to go there because of the access to history sites for us to visit. Justin loved the program. And let's be honest now, chocolate, HersheyLand, hersheyWorld, chocolate...really there is a ton to see and do out there.  I have started a bucket list for Hershey on Pinterest.  It is all the places that I hope to visit while we are living in Hershey.  It is 1 year, 52 weekends, to see and do all that the northeast has to offer.  And I feel sure that we will miss a lot!

We, thanks to Felicity's teacher, discovered that she will be in 5th grade while we are there. 5th grade is when they learn so much of the US history stuff, the constitution, wars, everything. And we will be there and can go experience some of these places with her. So excited!

Also, we get to go to Broadway.  I am deciding that now.  I need to see something on Broadway.  And I want to go see Niagara Falls and Amish country...there is just so much, and I am so excited! 

What do you think I should add to my Pinterest Bucket List?-- www.pinterest.com/jaidi/hershey-bucket-list/

Fellowship and moving...

It is hard for me to believe that we are in the midst of the Match process all over again...I thought I had a post about the whole match process in my old blog, but I don't see it anywhere.  So a very very quick run down of the process for you... 

-Justin submits applications.  

-Justin gets invited for interviews. 

-Justin goes on interviews.  

-Any place justin interviews at goes onto a list.  

-Any residents that get interviewed by programs go on a list.  

-Each resident takes every program they interviewed at and creates a rank list.  If they are willing to go to a program they put it in a list called the rank list. The list is ordered from most preferred to least preferred.  (If you absolutely positively would not go to a program, you don't rank it) 

-Each program takes their list of residents they interviewed and creates a rank list.  Their list is of applicants they want in their program.  They rank them from most preferred to least preferred. 

-Both residents and programs submit their rank lists to the Match System, in this case the San Francisco Match. 

-The match system takes a very complicated algorithm and magically figures out where everyone goes based on those rank lists.  Ideally everyone matches, but that isn't the case.  Some match, some don't.  Some get in at their first choice some get in at their last choice.  

So, even the quick run down is a long list... Ugh!  It's an annoying process.  It would be wonderful to go back to the you have been accepted and have 10 days to accept...  But really I see the logic in this process and it probably is easier on all of us and them to do it this way, allbeit horribly stressful!  

It's been a fun process for us this time around.  Their are fewer fellowship programs than residency programs.  In all we applied to 19 programs.  And I say we because I did lots of leg work on the applications and even though I am not going into the program, I still get to go through it all.  Justin ended up with 10 interviews, possibly 11, we are still waiting on an email back from one.  And it is quite a list of places.  From Baltimore to Seattle.  

So what are the prospects? First... Justin is applying to the Foot and Ankle Orthopedic fellowship.  It is a one year specialty training where he will focus everything on the foot and ankle.  He will get lots of experience doing foot and ankle surguries and hopefully become an expert and ready to be the foot and ankle doc for the entire Fort Smith Arkansas area... :) 

Here's our list:

Rochester, NY

Hershey, PA

Baltimore, MD (x2)

St Louis, MO

Galveston, TX

Dallas, TX

Redwood City, CA

Seattle, WA

Milwaukee, WI

Cleveland, OH

See check out that list!  (Incidentally, they are listed in a circle going around geographically from the northeast and back) How amazing are these places.  It's for 1 year and we could experience some amazing things.  There are draws to each of the different areas.  I have my favorites, Justin has his.  It will be amazing and awesome no matter where we end up. Think about these places... 

Rochester, NY...close to Palmyra, Niagara Falls, in NY, northeast, (allbeit, very cold winters)

Hershey, PA...um, Hershey? Need I say more... But also, close to Phili, Baltimore, DC, northeast.

Baltimore, MD...big city, harbor, coast, 7 hours from my sister history lesson in living, northeast, proximity, etc...

St Louis, Dallas and Galveston are all close proximity to family, friends and Fort Smith, makes house shopping easier and keeps us in the Midwest which we have grown to love.

Redwood City, CA... CAlifornia...closer to Vegas, fun town, San Francisco, 

Seattle, WA...beautiful Seattle. It's gorgeous up there.  I love the green even if it does rain a lot! 

Milwaukee, WI... So close to Chicago where I grew up. 

Cleveland, OH... Fun town, adventure for a year.  

I mean, really I can find something in all of these places.  But I do may have my favorites.  On April 1 we will find out by email where Justin matched too...  It's a big buildup to such a small little email, but it will be so exciting.  Fortunately, we find out in April where we will move in July of 2015, so we have a year to prepare, instead of just a couple months like the med school to residency transition.  It will be one year to learn and grow and experience brand new things.  I can't wait to find out where the next step in our adventure leads us.  It will be so fun to see where we are going!  

Do you have a vote? Where do you think we will end up?