Do you see this map of the United States? Can you make out each and every state? Yeah, Josh interviewed in all of them (or so it seemed) Doors and Windows.
Would you believe me if I said that he had a hard time eliminating programs to apply to? Not surprised, right? Looking back, he may have over-applied, but you can never be sure, so best to cover your bases.
The most amazing part is that because he still wasn't sure which specialty to choose, he applied to combined neuro/psych programs, psych alone programs, and neuro alone programs, in addition to some transitional year programs just in case. September and October of last year were a whirlwind, receiving responses from schools (which is super exciting) and then scheduling time for your visits. The tricky part was Josh didn't have any vacation months to go do all of this interviewing and deal with this stuff like normal 4th year med students would (that damn PhD ate up all of that time...research is an all-consuming, selfish monster), so he relied heavily on me to set up his travel plans and even respond to schools for him, as if that didn't have the potential of going south quickly, "Umm, hi, Duke? it's Megan. Thanks so much for asking us to interview there! You guys are so nice. You see, I've been living in the frozen tundra of Wisconsin for 8 years, and it would just be so great if we could get OUT. OF. HERE. so you have no idea what it means to me to have you ask us to visit you. If it helps sweeten the deal I'll send Josh with cookies. Please pick us. Don't make me stay here! PLEASE!" Things were getting a little desperate for me last winter. That idea is not far reaching, trust me.
Anyway, we made it through all of it without me embarrassing us too much. Josh interviewed at a total of 700 programs. That might be an exaggeration, but when I spent the large part of November-January completely on my own, it might as well have been. He interviewed well pretty much everywhere he went. This should have come as a relief to me, but I knew with each school that he made a positive impression with, it would only intensify the nightmare in waiting when we had to submit our rank list. Picture it, a chronic non-decider having to send in a very permanent list that would seal his fate not only for the next 4-6 years, but also the remainder of his career...piece of cake!
2 comments:
Yikes. You poor woman.
Congratulations to Josh on his MD/PhD! ANd to you fro your PhD (put husband through!) My hunch is you had to work harder than he did! _- It is SO GOOD to read how you are doing -- can't wait to read "the rest of the story!" Love to all-- Margie c Madison WI
PS. Breaks my heart to read you could not wait to get out of WI...it is a good place to raise a family ...not perfect, but really, really good!
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