3 Day Countdown to the Rest of Our Lives

Ok, that title is probably a little dramatic, but STILL I cannot believe we are only 3 days away from knowing where Andy will be doing his residency.

I cannot wait, and I don’t want to know.

I’m crazy, I know.

Part of me is dying to find out so that I can imagine the next chapter of our life.  How far from Michigan we will be.  What kind of neighborhoods and homes will be options.  The climate of our destination.  What life might look like.

BUT, the other part of me kind of likes not knowing.  If we don’t have a destination, it all feels less real.  If I don’t know where I’m going, theres’s no use thinking about leaving.  It keeps me in the “now” which is a good thing for a futuristic thinker like me.

It’s probably also a form of putting my head in the sand over the whole issue.

In a few days I won’t have to debate about knowing or not knowing.  I’ll just know.

It gives me heart palpitations just typing that out!

Andy is an outstanding candidate, so I feel confident he’ll be placed somewhere great and land a residency in his desired specialty (OB).  Every interview he’s had has gone extremely well.  All of the programs and staff members really like him and are impressed by his scores and recommendations.  He’s just so awesome, you guys.

I’m beyond thankful he had the courage to pursue a career as a physician when I kind of tried to talk him out of it.  I nudged him toward something that might be more practical for his age, like being a PA or Nurse.

Those are both terrific career options, but he couldn’t shake the desire to become a doctor.  Despite the fact he was already 30 and would need a few years of pre-reqs before even applying to med school.  Despite the fact we were about to have our first child.  Despite the fact it would cost a bunch of time and money.

He decided to overcome all those obstacles to pursue a dream that took a long time to discover.  I’m so very proud of him for that.

His decision made a whole world of things possible for us.

Becoming a doctor is a big deal.  It requires a lot of hard work, discipline, patience, endurance, stamina, commitment, and determination.  I can see why so many people don’t do it.

I thought about going to med school when I was first starting my degree in Biology, but I talked myself out of it, not thinking I had what it takes.  Andy’s decision to do it and his subsequent success has made me see it is possible!  I look back and don’t have regrets at all, but I see that I really could have done it if I wanted it bad enough.  That gives me hope that when I do want to do something that seems “too big” or “too hard” I should go for it!

I’m hoping our kids feel like their dreams are more possible when they hear the nuts and bolts of their dad’s brave story.  I think his overcoming will inspire them to overcome obstacles to their own dreams.  What a cool gift to give your kids…

Ok, so you may be wondering where we could end up.  The answer to that is a little complicated…perhaps a visual aid would help.

Yes, I’m a nerd! LOL

Let me break down the visual:

The first year of residency is called an “Intern” year.

Andy could get an OB Intern year (his first choice of all options) and we would likely end up staying in that location (see green box above) for the full 4 year residency.

Andy may have to take a Family Medicine Intern year (see blue box) and then complete 3 years of OB residency in one of the green box locations.

It’s possible that he could be “Civilian Deferred” which means he did not secure a military residency in either Family Med or OB and he would do his full residency here in Michigan (sounds good from the friends and family standpoint, but would be a big bummer for Andy).  I don’t think this option is very likely because Andy is a stellar candidate.

It’s also possible that he could get a Family Intern year (see blue box) and then there still wouldn’t be an OB residency spot (green box) for him yet so he could do a 2 year GMO (General Medical Officer) tour (who knows where!) and THEN go on to do his 3 year OB residency.

As you can see, a LOT is up in the air.  On Wednesday we are really only learning about our next 1 year (unless he gets an OB intern year which would likely roll right into the other 3 years at the same spot).  I’m hoping the more complicated options above are NOT what we get, but I honestly trust God has things in mind for us that will be good no matter what.

Ok, I’ve gone on and on, but you may be wondering what determines where we go.

Let’s look at another visual:

As you can see, a few things come into play.  We were able to rank our top 3 choices, but that doesn’t just mean we get one of those.  How Andy performed during his interviews and what the Navy needs are both factored in.

At this point I really hope we get Bethesda, MD or Portsmouth, VA because they are in Andy’s preferred specialty and they are on the East Coast so we could drive back to MI to visit.

In 3 days time we’ll know.

Until then, I’m trying to be patient, stay present, and trust God.

I’ll keep you posted!!