Fourth Year: Application Season

Application season: ERAS, NRMP and every other acronym that becomes close to the heart of every fourth year medical student and their families. It is hard to imagine that any other career path allows such careful dissection of where one wants to live for the next few years. In a field abounding with Type A people, the residency application process gives enough ammunition for a field day. Consider the 15 column Excel spreadsheet that Nathan and I have pored over, researched, examined and cross-examined... working out driving distances to and from work, daycare, churches in the area, not to mention benefits, vacation time and the all important CALL SCHEDULE aka how much time away from my boys do I have to give? It's enough to drive a girl to wonder when she can take time out to have a Spa day? As we go through the experience, I am struck by the fact that at the end of the day, what a joy it is to know that our fate is in the hands of God, and not at the mercy of a computer that spits out a "match." In the comfort of that thought I will leave our spreadsheet alone, at least for now, and enjoy these moments... free evenings with my husband and son, looking ahead to the excitement of graduation and behind at the awesome journey so far!