Contributed by DrBrian
Pregnancy & the Road to Residency
Ask any group of mothers what the words, “Nine Months” mean to them and chances are you’ll receive emotional, if not expected, responses like, ‘new life’, ‘the beginning of the best thing that ever happened to me’ or, “the toughest year of my life…but the end result was worth it.” Some might even associate it with, ‘the time where I ate everything, got fat, and had nausea on a daily basis’. Naturally, they describe the unforgettable 9-months they experienced during pregnancy.
On June 30th, try asking a group of doctors about to begin their residencies what the past 9-months meant to them, starting from the September of the previous year. Don’t be surprised if you get responses like, ‘new life’, ‘the beginning of the best thing that ever happened to me’ or, “the toughest year of my life…but the end result was worth it.” Some might even associate it with, ‘the time where I ate everything, got fat, and had nausea on a daily basis’.
The similarities between pregnancy & residency application are many. There are two feelings, however, that rise to the top as the most powerful and influential - Fear and Excitement. The ability to find a balance between the two will play a significant role in the history you are about to create as you approach Match Season.
Each year, in the weeks and days leading up to July, 27,000 doctors across the United States begin reflecting back on the path that led them to that moment. While many of them look back with the satisfaction & appreciation that come with overcoming adversity, there are far too many that think about the things they could have done, moving forward with the long shadow cast by regret.
Over the next few paragraphs & pages, we’re going to take an, ‘insider’s look’ at the various elements that make up your Match Season. To help you better visualize the process, our journey will take us chronologically from the official opening of application period on Sept 1st to the point right before June of your residency start, when it will be YOUR turn to look back on your 9-months. Our goal is to make sure that you have a strong understanding of the path that lie before you, become proactive, and leave no chance that you’ll look back and wonder what could have been…

