Appeasement
As I write this blog, under the prodding of people who will remain nameless, I can't help but reflect on some things. It is September in my last year (finally) of professional school. I am hours away from submitting my application for a career. Not a job, a career. As I'm sure not everyone is familiar with the way that medical schools match their graduates into a job, let me take this opportunity.
I like to equate the process to sorority rush. Basically, a senior medical student submits an electronic application to X programs. Then Y programs contact the student for an interview. In a perfect world, Y would be almost equal to X, but it's not a perfect world. In an attempt to hedge one's bets, many people going into competitive fields apply to many more programs than they could possibly interview with. The cost of the application also goes up with the number of programs. (Thanks ERAS; you jerks.) I digress. So, where was I? Oh yes, THE INTERVIEW. You go interview with Z programs and then after all is said and done, create a "Rank list." Sort of self-explanatory... but humor me. You create a list of your programs in order of desire to attend. The programs also have rank lists. Then both lists are fed into a computer which then runs an algorithm and matches you into a program.
Question: What if you don't like where you match? Tough. The Match is a legally binding contract. You have to sign before you enter the match. So, you're stuck for at least one year if not your whole residency, which varies from 3 to 6ish. I'll be in for 5 of residency and then another year of fellowship. Hooray for debt deferment.
So that's a pretty low stress time... What am I doing to manage my stress you ask? Well, apparently I have taken up going on dates with people who have no desire to see me again. That rocks... I also have finally started my marathon training for a race next month. A bit late, but I have a solid base. What else...? I have also recently tried to shirk all responsibility in organizations. I'm pretty burned out as it is now. Oh, and insomnia of course.
Actually, I do have a new hobby (all the above ones are previous interests). I have started roasting my own coffee. In part to feed my insatiable desire for caffeine, and in part to be a purist. I'm still perfecting my technique with the "roaster" that I have. (It is a popcorn roaster. Actually, a very common method.) So, now my apartment smells of coffee pretty much all the time. It smells like beer sometimes too, since I brew my own beer as well.
I like to equate the process to sorority rush. Basically, a senior medical student submits an electronic application to X programs. Then Y programs contact the student for an interview. In a perfect world, Y would be almost equal to X, but it's not a perfect world. In an attempt to hedge one's bets, many people going into competitive fields apply to many more programs than they could possibly interview with. The cost of the application also goes up with the number of programs. (Thanks ERAS; you jerks.) I digress. So, where was I? Oh yes, THE INTERVIEW. You go interview with Z programs and then after all is said and done, create a "Rank list." Sort of self-explanatory... but humor me. You create a list of your programs in order of desire to attend. The programs also have rank lists. Then both lists are fed into a computer which then runs an algorithm and matches you into a program.
Question: What if you don't like where you match? Tough. The Match is a legally binding contract. You have to sign before you enter the match. So, you're stuck for at least one year if not your whole residency, which varies from 3 to 6ish. I'll be in for 5 of residency and then another year of fellowship. Hooray for debt deferment.
So that's a pretty low stress time... What am I doing to manage my stress you ask? Well, apparently I have taken up going on dates with people who have no desire to see me again. That rocks... I also have finally started my marathon training for a race next month. A bit late, but I have a solid base. What else...? I have also recently tried to shirk all responsibility in organizations. I'm pretty burned out as it is now. Oh, and insomnia of course.
Actually, I do have a new hobby (all the above ones are previous interests). I have started roasting my own coffee. In part to feed my insatiable desire for caffeine, and in part to be a purist. I'm still perfecting my technique with the "roaster" that I have. (It is a popcorn roaster. Actually, a very common method.) So, now my apartment smells of coffee pretty much all the time. It smells like beer sometimes too, since I brew my own beer as well.
posted by runrMD08 at 8:07 PM
1 Comments:
a. glad i wasn't one of the "prodders" this time.
b. this all sounds way worse than sorority recruitment, and believe me I would know. legally binding just sounds scary.
c. your latest post makes me laugh out loud. especially that you are essentially soliciting hot girls from the very person you are scolding. classic. i love it.
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