A New Norm: The Amplified Stress of Applying to Residency
“Promise me you’ll stay near the computer until I’m done, in case
I get another invite today!” My Ob-Gyn residency interview started in 10
minutes. I should have been mentally preparing; instead, I was going over instructions
with my mom (again) for watching for other residency interview invitations.
My mom kept her promise, but there was still a 15-minute period during which my inbox was unwatched and an invitation arrived. By the time my mom saw it, all the interview spots had filled, and I was automatically waitlisted. I was devastated, and my mom was torn with guilt.
Two months (and a lot of email checking) later, the interview
season was seemingly finished, and I was on a much-needed vacation. On New Year’s
Eve, I woke to the warm Mexican sun on my skin and was shocked when I glanced
at my phone: I was off the waitlist, and my interview was in 5 days.
I spent the last day of 2018 frantically searching for a strong Wi-Fi
connection. I repeatedly ran through a checklist in my head: confirm the
interview; call the airline to change my flight itinerary; text a list of
clothes and belongings for my parents to express mail; tell my attending I’d
miss three days of work unexpectedly; book an appointment to change my tropical
orange nails to a neutral, professional color…
I could not sleep that night for fear of forgetting something. Distracted
by the complicated logistics, the one thing I did forget was to feel excited for
the interview. The co...
Source: Academic Medicine Blog - Category: Universities & Medical Training Authors: Guest Author Tags: Featured Guest Perspective residency the Match trainee wellness Source Type: blogs
More News: Academia | Anxiety | Blogging | Computers | Hospitals | Insomnia | Men | Mexico Health | OBGYN | Orthopaedics | Residencies | Skin | Sleep Disorders | Sleep Medicine | Students | Universities & Medical Training