Tag Medical Residency

8 Tips to Prepare for Fourth year of Medical School

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As the wife of an anesthesia attending, I know medical school is quite an experience and everyone has their own unique journey. I also know that getting to fourth year can be often be a challenge. We have had our share of the good, bad and ugly life experiences. Medical school for sure was a tough road for us. Leading up to fourth year all of our struggles have come from trying to balance school, work & home life. Here I have a few tips to help you survive fourth year!

Tip 1: Budget, Budget, Budget- At this point you should have your bills and loan money down to a science. Fourth year was one of our most expensive years in my husband’s medical school journey. There are so many extra costs that you need to account for, such as residency application cost, travel (gas, car rental, hotel, food, etc) cost to and from interviews (unless your one of the lucky ones who applies to a place that does virtual interviews), cost of living for audition rotations, don’t forget to budget extra for some interview outfits. You will also want to set some money aside to afford to move to your residency program location as well! If you need some extra cash look into private loans for residency and relocation. These loans were made for medical students preparing to transition to residency.

Tip 2: The Application Process- Applying to residency programs is stressful and the amount of programs in each field of medicine can be overwhelming. Be sure to give your loved one some grace during this time. They have spent the past three years leading up to this moment so the stress can definitely feel overwhelming at times. If you are moving with them on the next phase (residency) then be sure to be included in the process of making a list together. We narrowed down our list to places that we could see ourself living, places we could afford to live and places where our family would be happy. For some you may want to be closer to family and loved ones, some may want to live close to a beach, lake, desert, or mountains. We also made sure all the places we applied were affordable for our budget. Residence pay is more than what you have lived on in medical school but still may be considered low income depending on what part of the country you chose to live in. 

Tip 3: Interviews- As the interviews start to roll in, the excitement starts to build… things are finally happening! During this time my best advice is to be supportive, listen, offer feedback when possible, be honest with your feelings on programs or places that you like or don’t like. But most of all remind them to be themselves! This is the one chance your loved one has to add that “wow” factor and impress programs. They will want to prepare ahead of time what may set them apart from other candidates. I will tell you that some programs look strictly at scores and achievements, while others are looking at who will be a good fit at their program. If the interview is in person, be sure to encourage them to attend the residency dinner the night before the interview (this may be in person or virtual depending on the residency program). This is a great time for them to get to know the program and the potential future co residents. Also, they can ask questions like what is the program hours like, does anyone have families and how much call will there be the first year. Some programs will also invite you to join along if you are in town as well. Make sure your loved one gets a good nights rest to prepare for interview day. So if it is in person or virtual be sure to be yourself and show the program why you will be a good fit!

Tip 4: Audition Rotations- Audition rotations are tough! If you are like us and have a family than audition rotations will be the most challenging part of this med school experience. I tried to prepare myself and our kids for audition rotations but it was still way harder than expected. For weeks I was a solo parent and it was lonely and depressing at times. For my husband it was overwhelming and stressful to feel like he had to be the perfect student at all times. Just like me he felt lonely and depressed to come home to an apartment far away from his family. The best advice I can give you is that it’s temporary and make sure you try and spend quality time before and after they return…. also, thank goodness for FaceTime (such a blessing)!

Tip 5: Back up Plan– Be patient but have a plan b! As interviews start to roll in, it can be exciting but nerve wracking. If your loved one is trying to match to a competitive program it really does come down to numbers. They will want to get as many interviews as possible because that means they will have more chances of ranking into a program of their interest. However, it is always best to have a backup plan and it is better now to get the ball rolling than to have to do it in a rush and scramble aka SOAP.

Tip 6: Create a Match List- While this may seem like the easiest part of your med school adventure it can get quite complicated. We have found that creating a spreadsheet with pros and cons for each program that you interview at worked best for us. Another idea is to bring an index card to each interview or keep notes in your phone, so you can write down all the programs pros and cons while they are still fresh in your brain. Remember that your list will be ranked in that order so be sure to rank each program from favorite to least favorite program. Ranking our list was so incredibly difficult because we were so split between the North and the South. We loved a program in the south (This is where we matched!) but all of our friends and family live in the North. Sometimes your rank list needs to be between you and your loved one and what really matters to the both of you since it is going to affect where you will be living for the next few years.

Tip 7: Love Letters- Don’t be afraid to send letters of interest! If your loved one really wants a program, tell them! Remember that you and your loved one have the upper hand in the match when it comes to ranking but programs do like to hear that your loved one wants to go to their program. I don’t recommend doing this to every program they apply to, because programs do talk to one another and word does get around. Also, If your loved one really wants a program, don’t be afraid to have them reach out to their schools staff, mentor or any physician that could write them an additional letter of recommendation.

Tip 8: Relax- Enjoy the last few months of medical school! Once your loved one submits that rank list there is no reason to stress… well, until Match Day. If you are like me and you are too excited about the new adventure you are about to embark on, put that time to good use and start packing! For packing tips, check out my article 7 Fabulous Moving Tips from a Dr. Wife Also, be sure to spend as much time as you can with loved ones because intern year is going to be a new kind of beast you will have to conquer!

Let me be the first to congratulate you for making it this far! I hope you & your loved one Match to your top program and good luck on your medical journey!

Happy Survivin’

Tips for Living off a Residents Income

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One of the biggest misconceptions of residency is the pay! Most people assume that once you graduate from medical school and become a doctor that you’re rich! Well I am here to tell you that… it’s not true! Residents earn a decent income however, in our case, I am a stay at home mom, so that residents income has to stretch for a family of five! If you add up the long hours and the fact that on many weeks my husband only has one day off then his salary ends up being less than minimum wage! Yeah, you read that correctly! Less than minimum wage, folks! So as you can see residency life is not easy and it takes some creative planning to survive. Here are a few tips I’ve learned along the way!
 
You Need a Budget!– If you don’t have a budget yet it’s time to start! Now a days there is an app for everything including creating a budget that works for you. Some months our budget is a hot mess because life happens like unexpectedly needing to replace tires on our car! Try to create a nest egg for yourself, even if it means you can only put away $10 every paycheck. This nest egg will not only come in handy for the future but it also comes in handy for when the holidays come around.
 
Shop Smart– Since I stay at home, I do all the shopping. I coupon, I read flyers, I stay on top of the weekly ads. I love reward programs that give you points or cash back for purchases. I even use reusable bags to save a few cents. I shop at multiple stores each week for things like household items and food (I know it sounds crazy!) If you hate to shop, don’t worry! Many stores now offer to do the shopping for you and some will even deliver to your home. All of these things require me to plan ahead and can be time-consuming. The savings add up over time so trust me when I say it’s worth it!
 
Cut out extra spending– To save money we rent movies instead of going to the movie theater. If we do splurge to see a flick we go on a weekday to take advantage of special deals like buy one get one free. We also only eat out one night a week and, you guessed it, we eat out with a coupon or on kids eat free nights! You have no idea how hard this is for us since we like to eat how feel, haha! I also keep an ongoing list of things we need for our house or for ourselves that over time we purchase when we have money left over in our budget.
 
Buy Secondhand– We have growing kids who always seem to need something. I consign most of my kiddos clothing and toys. I love to shop consignment store deals during off seasons and stock up for the following year. By doing this I’ve saved hundreds! Clothing isn’t the only thing we buy secondhand we also buy used furniture and toys from yard sales and online marketplaces.
 
Being in residency is like a real life version of survivor except nobody gets voted off the island. Instead you have to learn to survive with the cards that are dealt to you. You will find ways to help make life easier and over time it does get better. Residency is very much like medical school in which the days are long but the years are short. It will be over before you know it and you will be back to making a decent income once again. Just know that you can do this! It’s not easy, but you got this! For more money saving tricks, check out my article Shopping on a Med Student budget!  Be sure to comment below your tips and tricks you have used along the way to help get you and your family!
 
 
Happy Survivin’
 
 
Disclaimer: This article is based on my own experiences and opinions.

Dear Fourth Year Medical Student Spouse…

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Dear Fourth Year Medical Student Spouse and Significant Others,

First, I just want to tell you that I see you and all the hard work you do. You are amazing and your loved ones would not be the able to be the best darn doctor they can be if it were not for your support too, so thank you for all that you do! You are the real MVP behind the white coat! Congratulations on making it through medical school and now onward and upward to the next new adventure and new beginning… residency!

Currently we are about to go into our second year of residency (Yayyyyy!!!).  Residency is hard, there is no question about that! Intern year is by far the worst year of this journey for us. Many of us have to move across the country with relatively short notice and leave behind all of our family and friends. We then have to start over again in a new town, often feeling alone and scared. The advantage of starting is over is exactly that, a clean slate, a fresh start. A chance to begin again. For us this is our next chapter in our medical journey and we hope it brings us peace. But I am not going to lie to you, it is hard at times. The hours are awful! Your spouse is now at the bottom of the totem pole. The pager will now be your worst nightmare and don’t even get me started on the dreaded words “on call” and “overnights”. All of these things you didn’t have to deal with in medical school are now going to be part of your new normal and it’s going to be a difficult change even for the most seasoned couple. Hang in there, friend!

Even though, this medical journey can be challenging at times. It will get better over time. Just be patient. As I’ve said in the past, find your tribe (I hope you heard me in the back or I will say it again!), don’t be afraid to call upon them when you need something or even just a shoulder to cry on. People will admire your strength and those that truly have your back will be the ones to catch you when you fall. So, if you fall, dust yourself off and stand back up! But don’t be afraid to ask for help!

When we first started our medical journey I would often hear other medical spouses talk about how they resented their spouse for putting their family through this grueling lifestyle. I am often taken back by these comments. When I married my husband almost ten years ago I knew he wanted to be a doctor. I knew some of the challenges we would face. I was the one who pushed my husband to apply to medical school. I felt like if he was passionate enough about this dream then he should pursue it. Even though at times this journey has been more than challenging, it has been important for my husband and I to remain on the same team. We both made the plan to pursue this life. We both agreed on his match list. We both know that residency is just temporary. So when those feelings of resentment start to creep up on me, I just remember that this was just as much my decision as it was his. Talk with your spouse about your struggles. Make a list of things they can do to help you, this can be as simple as listening to you vent or taking out the trash. Marriage is hard work and it requires constant up keep so be sure to work as a team! Always be each other’s biggest cheerleader!

I often have to remind myself that this medical journey is a long one and it is important not to put your life on hold. Being a wife and a mother is often a selfless job. We sometimes have to sacrifice our own happiness for others. Some days are harder than others but remember that someday all of this will be worth it. Live in the moment and just take it one day at a time but don’t forget to take care of yourself. Sometimes just working on being the best version of yourself is enough.

Remember that everyone’s medical journey is different but we all have the same end goal to help our medical spouses live their dream of helping others, and if your ever in Florida let’s go visit Mickey Mouse and grab a Dole Whip!

Warmly,

Your Fellow Dr. Wife in Training