Sunday, January 30, 2011

It's been over a month since we found out I will be doing my residency in Dayton, Ohio. We really couldn't be happier about the results. I loved everything about the program: the location, I liked everyone I had a chance to work with, and I especially love the fact I will get to work at a children's hospital.I also liked the program in San Antonio but they only had a base hospital with a children's floor and didn't have an entire hospital dedicated exclusively to pediatrics. I also don't think Leisy would have faired too well in the hot San Antonio summers.

I had heard all kinds of horror stories about the military and how it was a mistake to join. People told me I would be forced into a residency that they wanted me to do and I wouldn't have a choice in the matter. Other people warned the only way I could get my top choice of residency was to complete several GMO (general medical officer) years, which would ultimately delay and discourage me from other specialties. I'm happy to announce this wasn't at all true for me and it wasn't true for the other students in my class with the military scholarship. There are 6 other HPSP (Health Professional Scholarship Program) recipients in my class and every one of them got their top pick for residency. They matched into really competitive specialties too: Radiology, General Surgery (in Hawaii), Orthopedic surgery (x2), OB/GYN, and Family med. Last year the two Air Force students got their top picks as well. One went into OB/GYN and is in Dayton now - he actually turned down an interview at Yale because he loved the program at Wright-Patt so much! The other student last year didn't want to do a military residency and was able to get his top pick in general surgery outside of the military. So, I don't really buy into the "you're-ruining-your-chance-to-do-what-you-want-because-you-joined-the-military" hullabaloo. I'm really happy with my decision to join the military. I'm going to have wonderful training in peds, I'm looking forward to serving the country by taking care of service men and women's children, and it's really really nice to finish med school with zero debt! There are several other reasons for joining that maybe I'll blog about someday.

I've been reading this book Leisy got me for Christmas about a pediatric surgeon in the Air Force. He was deployed to Iraq on two different occasions and his experiences are fascinating. It would be so hard to be away from family for so long, but such a neat opportunity to take care of children who have been so devastated by war. It's a great read to find out what a Dr. might do in a war zone or during a deployment.