Match

Hours later I was still shaking, and I think I have yet to absorb it all.

Match day is kind of a big deal for medical students, and schools, and residency programs. At the same moment across the country (and the world actually), every medical student who will do a residency in the US finds out where they will be receiving their next 3-7 (or more) years of training. This is after a pretty lengthy and intense application, interview, and ranking process.

Pre-Match Day Retreat, 2011

The day before the match, we had a retreat to reflect on what medical school did to us. It was organized by the Gold Humanism Honor Society, a group of peers chosen for this honor by their classmates for their demonstrated excellence in clinical care, leadership, compassion and dedication to service. I am honored to be part of this group, and was very involved in planning the retreat. We had a huge turnout of students and got great feedback, which I consider a success. Many students invited physicians they admire to facilitate some small group discussions and we had amazing speakers including Dr. Rose Quirk, Dr. Ruth Westra, Dr. Tom MacKenzie, and a favorite standardized patient, Rich. It was great catching up with classmates and a wonderful transition to the next day’s activities.

Mom and Dad during breakfast, pre-chaos

On Thursday, March 17 University of Minnesota medical students invited family to join them at the McNamara Alumni Center for breakfast and the envelope-opening chaos to commence at 11:00 CST. I was not a bit nervous leading up to the day. I had put in my rank list 2 months earlier and was convinced I would be happy at any of my top choices. But the moment I was about to open my envelope it hit me, the significance of what I was about to see. This moment was going to tell me where I will live for the next 3 years, and the training I receive over that time will likely influence the rest of my career. And…it hit me that I really AM going to be a doctor, and soon!

Hometown friend and fellow graduating medical student, Cory, and I
staring at our envelope-laden table, waiting for some kind of signal

As we realize others are already opening, we start reaching...

Really? Can I open it?

Okay, stalling...pose for one more picture

My friend Justin waiting to see my reaction

And I surprise myself with a little squeal when I see my match

Showing Dad

My friend Katie is in Finland, with no internet access, so her dad opens her envelope and we call a random phone in Finland to give her the news

The map, showing where our classmates are headed

Match Night Party at the W Hotel,
celebrating with friends Christine, Maiken, and Katie

Some pictures of Ventura from my interview!
This is in December, no less.
Who wants to help me move?!

Networks: Great opportunities spring from an open mind

I am very blessed with the opportunity to travel. And I believe that past experiences allow for future opportunities. This recent trip to Costa Rica brought together many connections from different times in my life and I believe as a result of this trip, there will be many more adventures to be had.

Some of the connections…

Felipe and Yader were medical students from la Universidad de Ciencias Medicas (UCIMED), who I met while rotating at Hennepin County Medical Center (HCMC) in 2009. Felipe is now a physician in San Jose and picked me at the airport. His family (Roberto, Iliana, Luis, Nati) graciously hosted me in their home in Santa Ana the first 5 days of my trip. They fed me continuously, drove me around, and also brought me to their farmhouse near Orotina for the weekend. Yader is now an Internal Medicine resident at HCMC and we went out for dinner the night before I left where he provided me ideas of things to do in CR and phone numbers of his family, girlfriend, and best friend.

"Los Hermanos Herrera"

Luis and Felipe

Angie is Yader’s girlfriend with whom I went out to lunch and shopping on my last day in San Jose. David is Yader’s best friend who will hopefully be an intern at HCMC next year. He had me over to his family’s house where we had a great time laughing, eating great food, and drinking wine. Then we went out to some live music and later a club until the wee hours of the morning. His dad was impressed with some of the hikes I have done, and him and his wife invited me on a hike over the weekend. I took them up on it and spent my Sunday hiking 7+ hours up a mountain on the outskirts of the city.

"La Cima"

Xinia and Enaldo, at the top of La Ventolera

This trip was not work-related, but I did manage to spend a couple days observing in the dermatology department of one of the public hospitals in San Jose – San Juan de Dios. I was invited there by two dermatologists, whom I met in Minneapolis over 2 years ago. Dr. Osvaldo Monge and Dr. Jorge Sanchez came to lecture at the University of Minnesota Global Health Course and Dr. Monge attended a party I had at my house for participants and visitors in the course. It took me a couple years, but I eventually made it and saw some great cases in addition to being able to observe yet another health care system.

"Primos"

Kembly, Marcelo, Jonathan

La familia Villacis, my host family in Quito, Ecuador has family in Costa Rica. Berthie, the sister of my host mother, Maria Eugenia, has a son that moved to Costa Rica and now lives in San Jose (San Francisco, actually) with his wife and son. When my host brother, Rolo, saw (via Facebook) that I was in Costa Rica, he sent me his cousin’s contact information and I was able to visit them in their home while I was in town.

"Zipliners"

Part of the wedding crew in Arenal

Katie is a great friend who took the scenic route through medical school with me and I met her amazing husband Seth when they started dating. I am so grateful that Katie and Seth decided on a destination wedding in Tamarindo, Costa Rica...and invited me! It was an interesting group of guests from all over the world and I had a great time meeting, partying, and traveling with their friends and family. After picking up her brother at the airport, fresh from Lima, and meeting the group near Volcan Arenal, we explored the canopy and relaxed in the hot springs before traveling out to Guanacaste for an amazing array of wedding activities. I found some travel buddies within the group and continued the adventure with them after saying goodbye to the newlyweds.

"Travel buddies"

Beto and Annie with Omutepe and Lake Nicaragua in the background

Between the wedding crew, renewed friendships, new connections, and fellow travelers, I have no doubt more adventures will spring from this great trip!

Blink

Time goes by so fast, and things happen so quickly. I have not been great at keeping everyone updated. Since the last post, so much has gone on in my life, some wonderful and inspiring, but also events that I have had a hard time dealing with.

After leaving Uganda in June, I spent a summer in MN spending time with my family and old friends, making new friends, working, taking classes, and staying busy. I went back to Uganda for 3 months in September and we started enrolling patients in the clinical trial I have been working on. My basketball team, A-1 Challenge, made it to the national championship, but took second, again. I met amazing people and solidified friendships. But I also lost a good friend in an accident in Kampala, and that experience has had a deeper impact than I think I have yet to admit. And it is something I have to deal with before I can move on.

But life keeps going, and I have to keep running. I came back to the US in December and did interviews for residency. I continued working, finishing a rotation before going to Costa Rica for a few weeks. Now I am back and am going to try and put my thoughts down, so bear with me.

Life is an adventure.