<![CDATA[Angelic Rodgers Personal Site

<![CDATA[Angelic Rodgers Personal Site - The Other Half]]>Thu, 02 Jul 2026 21:32:38 -0700Weebly<![CDATA[A hiatus of sorts]]>Sat, 20 Apr 2019 16:52:04 GMThttp://www.angelicrodgers.com/the-other-half/a-hiatus-of-sortsHi, all! I can't guarantee that I won't ever post here again, but I can't guarantee I will. Recently, I took a post as the Associate Editor over at Physician Family and because of that, I feel like writing related to medicine and medical families should be done for that role. I will update here on occasion, possibly, when new stuff comes up. In the meantime, though, you can find fresh stuff over at Physician Family. I'll leave this page up, though.]]><![CDATA[Gift ideas (Stuff from my doc spouse survival kit)]]>Fri, 23 Nov 2018 20:47:07 GMThttp://www.angelicrodgers.com/the-other-half/gift-ideas-stuff-from-my-doc-spouse-survival-kitThe other night, I realized that I could summarize a good survival kit for those married to or sharing living space with docs. Here are my top few items I have on hand at all times. If you are a doc and looking for stocking stuffers, fear not, I have you covered. These are unisex gifts, and I am thrifty so there's sure to be something here for even the poorest of residents. If you're really poor or don't read this until it's too late to order something, go scoop the cat box, take out the trash, unload and reload the dishwasher or fold the laundry in the dryer. Those are all wonderful gifts, too.

Wireless earbuds (click on the photo on the left to see the version I have). I picked these up during Prime Days for a couple of bucks off, and they will set you back less than $25. Why are these so important? Not only are they great for on-the-go listening to the Married to Doctors and Dads Married to Doctors podcasts, but they last a good four hours on a charge, which only takes about an hour. I also use these to watch TV when the doc in the house is dictating notes or doing work that requires silence like prepping for boards. They pair well with FireTV's bluetooth.

If you don't already have a streaming device, The FireTV mentioned above is a good tool to have. It was a big help with entertainment )and still is) as I could stream series that Doc isn't interested in. It's nice knowing that when your Doc falls asleep on the couch that they can always stream what you watched later.

Roku and other streaming things work well; I just love the accessibility of the Music app and other Prime things that the FireTV offers. Disclaimer: I am not responsible for any TV addictions, including binge-watching Married to Medicine.

Even if you don't snore (you probably do), these are a lifesaver during call nights. They fit well while blocking out most of your phone dings but allowing enough sound to get through for necessary interactions. These are my preferred style, and they are only $2.50 for ten pair. Bonus: If you have a cat, these seem to make great cat toys, too.

The gift of books: Why not let your SO know you are thinking about your relationship, too? Whether you give a classic like Sotile's The Medical Marriage or go with something humorous from the spouse's perspective like Megan Sharma's Memoirs of a Surgeon's Wife, buying books like this let's your significant other know you're keeping an eye on their well-being, too. Gearing up for medical school? Love in the Time of Medical School by Sarah Epstein is a great read for those wondering what the start of the journey is like, as well as useful for making readers ask those hard questions about what they are willing to sacrifice.

Don't just stop at a book, though. Make sure you and your SO are part of the AMA Alliance so they will also get Physician Family print issues as they come out.

Be sure to check out the Dads Married to Doctors storefront, too, as they have some great mugs, shirts, and other swag. Even I keep thinking about ordering a "Trophy Husband" shirt for wearing around the house.

]]><![CDATA[Post Training Stress Disorder: Life After Residency]]>Tue, 15 May 2018 16:05:51 GMThttp://www.angelicrodgers.com/the-other-half/post-training-stress-disorder-life-after-residency

As we near graduation day for residents across the country, be sure to take some time to acknowledge the trauma that goes with training and be ok with some awkward starts to your new life.

Fact 1: During training your resident spouse didn't live on the same plane of existence you did. Instead, they lived an adrenaline-fueled existence where often all they could think was "oh my God, do X now or someone might die."

Before graduation we went shopping for something at J. C. Penney. As we waited to check out behind someone returning something, Dani stormed off from the check out, muttering under her breath about it taking too long. She went in search of another cashier station where no one was being waited on. I followed her through the store, and finally asked, "Are you in a big hurry?"

"No. I just don't want to wait in line."

"If we wander the store, though, it's likely someone else will wind up in our spot in line and it will take longer. Just chill out."

"I can tell I've been on ONC; everything has to be done an hour ago."

Fact 2: You need to put yourselves on common footing by going somewhere neither of you have been before. You're just as screwed up as your doctor spouse immediately post-training.

Our financial advisor made us promise to take a trip after graduation, and we were all too happy to oblige. We planned a two-week vacation that started in Amsterdam, went on to Berlin, then Warsaw, Krakow, and finally Sitges, Spain. We'd return from that trip, finish packing up our house, and move to Southern Arkansas.

We left from Kansas City a few days after graduation. The first few days after graduation, I noticed Dani became irritable about odd things that normally wouldn't bug her. A simple, "Hey, Dani" resulted in an irritated and abrupt "WHAT?" After the third such reaction, I asked her if there was some other way I could get her attention that might result in a different response from her, as I seemed to be triggering something. It turned out she wasn't aware she was snapping at me, which actually came as a relief.

Thinking back to the J. C. Penney trip, I realized that for four years when someone said "Dani" on the floor of the ER or OR or anywhere else that it was pressing and was probably a moment where someone was pulling her out of a task that was significant. I tried to imagine what that was like--where anytime someone said your name you were expected to make a decisive choice or offer a solution/treatment plan. That at any moment, things might crash if you chose the wrong thing or didn't choose fast enough.

I also thought about my own training experiences. While there will likely never be a life-or-death situation where I'll be called upon to save someone by giving a concise analysis of Hawthorne's work, I remember feeling lost after my degrees. I was lucky (?) that when I defended my dissertation I was already in a full-time job, so I didn't experience that identity limbo that many residents will--especially those moving from an educational hospital setting that is far more fast-paced to a rural/small town practice. Even still, I don't remember much about my training years. I do remember feeling a bit lost after 12 years of a specific goal.

Graduate education and other immersive, all-consuming experiences are traumatic--even when they are great experiences. And, those immersive experiences require reprogramming and recovery.

Fact 3: Things will never be the same. And that's actually good.

I built up the time after training as some ideal fantasy period where everything would just return to the way it was a decade ago--before medical school. I didn't take into account that we went on our trek across Europe both suffering from PTSD. So often during training, we'd talk about how things would get better. It took some careful thinking to realize that I was just as impatient to get to the "better" as she was to check out of J. C. Penney that day.

Once we verbally expressed the anxieties we both had about life after training, we were able to face them together. In the year since graduation, we've gone on a trip, moved house, said goodbye to our beloved dog Trey, I quit my day job and am focusing on my writing, and Dani started her practice.

And, it turns out we really do still like each other.

Fact 4: Role redefinition is key--for both of you.

As the song "Circles" says, you can't come back the way you came. You've both changed during the training process. Expecting your relationship to work in a straight line or on a timeline is foolish.

If you were like us, the last 7+ years of training created a dynamic where one of you kept things going at home and in the non-hospital world, sheltering the doctor in training as much as possible from the mundane. The non-med spouse gets used to handling the dishes, laundry, pets, kids, maintenance stuff that keeps the house from falling down completely, and daily hassles. And while it seems during those years that you'd give anything to have some help on that front, now that the doctor of the house is around to offer input, it's normal to feel a bit put out of your routine.

Taking time away from the familiar--both the house and the hospital--will force the two of you to work as a team. Eventually, once you both have had some time to exhale and sleep for a few nights uninterrupted, you'll find a new rhythm.

If you're lucky enough to have some down time when you get back from vacation, you can continue to redefine roles. Dani had several weeks after we moved before she began seeing patients. What that meant was she could process and fully transition from her training identity to what would become her practice identity. Those weeks also allowed me to transition from being the handler alone to letting go of some control. Dani's self-therapy involved redoing some of the closets in the house to feature Elfa systems. In those first few weeks, I just let her go--if she wanted to organize the kitchen, I not only was ok with that, but I asked how I could help.

Fact 5: Listening to other people who have been through post-training stress disorder will help you get through it.

I'm so glad to know Donna Rovito of Physician Family. When she asked me how our vacation was, I replied, "great, once we acknowledged the PTSD." That was all I had to say--she knew exactly what I meant and even though her husband has been practicing for years, she said she still has the talk with him when they go on vacation that he has to stop being a doctor and just be a person for a while. When I started this blog, I didn't really talk to other doctor spouses much--since then, not only has Physician Family flourished, but other resources like Lara McElderry's Married to Doctors site and podcast exist. Listening to others stories does, as Lara says, "make successful homes happier."

We're well over the six-month mark since her clinic opened, and we've settled into a teamwork rhythm now, working together to organize the kitchen and clean the garage. We're tackling our large open lot behind the house now, and looking forward to our next trip, a CME cruise in August. Before then, though, we'll return to Kansas City to attend residency graduation for the class after Dani's. I'm so excited to see everyone--Dani's classmates will be there, too, so we'll have time to catch up with everyone.

Researching for this entry, I found plenty of videos and articles on how to negotiate a contract, how to pick a first job, and various "day in the life of a resident" resources. What I didn't find was actual discussion of identity-formation and how stressful that is after training--for both the doctor and their significant others. My graduation wish for those finishing residency this summer: Embrace the limbo. Take time off and stop being a doctor for a few weeks. You won't forget how, I promise.

"It doesn't matter to me if the glass
Is empty or if it's full: it's what's left in the bottle." --"Circles" by Krystle Warren

]]><![CDATA[Welcome to Resident Widowhood]]>Mon, 19 Jun 2017 07:00:00 GMThttp://www.angelicrodgers.com/the-other-half/welcome-to-resident-widowhood

It is the time of year when seniors residents are in the process of packing up and moving to their new lives and jobs. Happily, this is our year--we're headed to Future Town in a month. First, though, we have to get through boards and then we get to unwind and get to know each other again on a vacation.

This will be the first time in four years that we've been alone and off work.

As the year winds down, I'm sadly seeing some cries for help from spouses who feel invisible and unappreciated. Some are in counseling and some are beginning the divorce process. All of us are grieving the last however many years of training, even as we're relieved that we're at the end and that life will return to some new normal.

Transitions are hard no matter how wonderful they are.

For those of you beginning your role as the significant other of the zombies that are interns, here are some things to think about.

Realize that decisions you make together aren't things you can resent your doctor spouse for later. In the first six months of residency you're likely to become grouchy about things that really don't matter. Maybe you decided together that one car during training is enough. You can't then get mad about not having the car at your disposal because your Dr. Spouse is at work all the time.
Realize that decisions you make together aren't things you can resent your doctor spouse for later. I repeat this because it also applies to things that very much DO matter. For instance, the decision to have children during residency is a major decision that you both made (unless there's some story about a sperm bank or mistress pregnancy, of course). There are lots of reasons we chose not to have children as a couple before we started the medical journey, but at any points I considered it during training, I realized that in essence I would be a single parent. We do have pets and it's clear that they rely on me in ways that they don't rely on Dr. D. That's just a fact of life. I cringe when I hear young Doctor Wives complain in support group settings that their spouses don't change diapers or do the grunge work of parenting. I realize some of this is blowing off steam, but I think it's worth mentioning to spouses and significant others of interns.
If you're not a resident yourself, realize that you're about to have a lonely few years. As you can guess from the hours discussed in the video above, you are going to have a lot of time on your hands. For many of you, you will also be dropped in a new town, and many of you may not be working. And even if you are working, it may be difficult to count on those work friends for full on support. For instance, we moved to a new city for residency, and I kept my job online. While I do have friends here after four years, I didn't have a great support system that understood what I was going through. The other residents in Dr. D's program are women who were involved with men (two married and one dating) during the four years we've been here; in addition to the spouses' club being male-centered, I am a good 15-20 years older than those spouses. Whereas they all worked locally, my work is virtual, so there wasn't that same level of support. And, I would assume that even for them that they had comfort in shared experience with the other resident spouses that I didn't have due to the gender and age differences. Luckily, one of the friends I have here is familiar with physician training and the type of schedules. But realize that it's hard for other people to understand what you're going through and what your doctor spouse is going through. It's a lonely experience in a particular way.
Pay for things you normally wouldn't. Let some things go. My life got a lot easier when I started doing things like Organics Door-to-Door, and I'm currently enjoying Blue Apron. Consider outsourcing things like mowing the lawn, cleaning the house, grocery shopping. You don't have to do everything yourself, and residency has a way of putting a lot of things on your plate. If you found your load heavy when your now-intern was in medical school start now thinking about ways you can give yourself a break. While you may think you don't have the money, in some cases it's actually cheaper to use some of these services.
Set it and forget it. One of the things I'm doing now that I wish I'd done earlier is to set up auto-payments on things like credit cards so that the minimum payment is covered automatically. I did this just recently because we're moving in a month and I didn't want a payment to go late while we're traveling and moving. You can pay extra on your own time, but there's comfort knowing you won't miss a date. You can also pay a utility bill twice now and again--I've done this accidentally before, but did it intentionally this month to ensure those are taken care of while things are chaotic. Most utility companies welcome auto-pay.
Start dating. By this, I mean each other. It can be hard to do, especially when money is tight, but we instituted "F It Friday" back in medical school and tried to keep it going during residency--at least on non-call Fridays. Go out to dinner. Try to catch up--try not to talk about work (this goes for both of you!).
Join support groups. There are lots of Facebook groups available which can help a great deal. Nurturing Medical Marriages with Kim Blackham, LMFT is a great one. There are also more local groups--they are great for talking things out with folks who understand.

]]><![CDATA[Memorial Fund]]>Thu, 26 Jan 2017 14:09:59 GMThttp://www.angelicrodgers.com/the-other-half/memorial-fundFirst, let me share this: Matt Barton's Funeral/Memorial Fund. Take a look at the fund and decide if you can chip in before you read this post. I'll provide this link at the end as well, so for those of you unsure, you can reconsider.

I'm in a number of groups where medical spouses help each other out. This GoFund Me came across my virtual desk yesterday and I didn't think that much about it--or at least I didn't think I did. I woke up this morning and realized that it had a bigger impact on me than I realized.

If you don't personally know a doctor in residency, you likely think that an MD immediately starts earning the big bucks when they get their long white coat. That ain't so. Granted, while we were ecstatic that Dr. D was actually getting a salary again, it was less than she made at her job before medical school.

Matt Barton was set to graduate this June--he would be in the same group as Dr. D. I looked up his program in St. Louis and here's what they pay residents. This isn't a matter of complaining or of demanding higher resident salaries (that would be great to argue, but knowing where the funds for residency education come from that's a whole different argument)--instead, it should be a sobering moment not only for those who might say upon seeing his obit and the GoFundMe campaign that "he probably made more than you do, so why send any money?"

More than likely, Barton left behind student loan debt. Mercer Medical School tuition for in-state students runs a little over $40K per year right now. So, that's $160K just in fees to the school (translation--that's not counting living costs like food and rent). And that debt likely has been accruing some interest during the PGY (that's post-grad years) that he was in residency.

Moreso, though, I'm hoping that residents I know who don't have additional insurance will get to their financial advisors (they work for you for free until you're out and practicing) to get better coverage. At the Christmas party in December, I was at a table where we were celebrating one of the senior resident's recent contract offer to start in July when I found out that she didn't have anything beyond the standard life insurance through the hospital, despite having a spouse and two small children. They have since met with the same advisor we use, and I hope that he's convinced her to get more coverage.

While it's not the most exciting thing to think about, doctors need to take care of themselves and ensure the safety of their families. And, let's take a moment to help where we can, too, when perhaps these plans weren't made.

Here's that link again. : Matt Barton's Funeral/Memorial Fund.

And if you're a resident or resident spouse, think about contacting a group like North Star Medical Group. I don't receive any promo kick backs for mentioning them, but I can vouch for their value. In looking at benefits packages offered by employers/hospitals, I can tell you that you probably want extra life and extra disability insurance that is job-specific. If you're still in residency, you won't pay a fee to them (although you will pay your premiums to the insurance).

]]><![CDATA[Movin'. . .Eventually]]>Sat, 10 Dec 2016 02:59:21 GMThttp://www.angelicrodgers.com/the-other-half/movin-eventually

We closed on a house in Future Town last week. Stuff is getting real.

The house is awesome. I was going to include the video that the realty company had of it, but they've taken it off YouTube, which is just as well, as I probably don't need to advertise the street address on the open web. I can tell you it is a Craftsman built 100 years ago and that I found a copy of the abstract office report that goes back on the property until well before the house ever existed. I look forward to really reading the whole report once we get settled in this summer.

We started Dr. D's vacation week here in KC by hosting Thanksgiving dinner for a few folks (AKA Friendsgiving). As with all dinner parties, we had way too much food. We'd ordered dinner from a local restaurant and picked it up on the day. Dr. D requested proper southern dressing and regular mashed potatoes. And a ham. Luckily we have a freezer in the basement, so after we got tired of leftovers and before we headed out of town, I wrapped leftovers we were keeping in reasonable portions and stashed them in the freezer. Stuff we didn't need to eat (including that 1/2 of a leftover pie and 1/2 of a leftover flourless chocolate cake) or weren't going to eat (weird corn souffle that tasted just like yellow cake minus the frosting that someone put a few measly kernels of corn into) went in the trash. And off we went to first visit Dr. D's dad's house for a couple of days and then on to Future Town.

We camped out in the house with our air mattress after a celebratory dinner paid for by our real estate agent as a thank you. We headed back the next afternoon and drove straight through so we'd have some time to relax and get caught up before she had to go back to work.

It was hard to leave, even though we didn't have the dogs and cats or any actual furniture. We were happy to be home in KC, though, and spent the next few days telling the dogs and cats they are going to love it so much. They didn't care about anything beyond walks and treats (per usual). Now we wait. We're already talking about spending her spring vacation week at the new house and maybe taking the dogs with us.

All through medical school and for the first three years of residency, it was normal for me to get up with Dr. D before she headed to work. That changed at the start of this year--her first rotation was Oncology--a very early morning late evening shift rotation. And, she was on it for three months, basically. So, I became a slacker. This week, I've started getting up before she leaves. And, I even look at things like snow and frigid temparatures differently--after all, this is the last winter where I'll be walking dogs in the snow or need my ice walking gear. Even Dr. D working Christmas this year isn't irritating, in part because it's normal after eight years that her schedule is so screwy but also because I know soon she won't be a resident any more.

That doesn't mean she won't be on call or have to miss out on stuff for work--that's just part of the deal (and honestly, part of being a grown up). But, it will be different.

I find myself preparing for odd things. We won't have Costco. Thankfully, we can get the dogs favorite biscuits on Jet.com. I won't be able to get organic produce delivered to me. But there's still stuff like Blue Apron and Purple Carrot if I want to have someone else plan stuff for me.

I know--compared to moving human children, worrying about school districts, or what job I'll do when I get there--I have it easy.

]]><![CDATA[The Last Day]]>Fri, 17 Jun 2016 18:27:55 GMThttp://www.angelicrodgers.com/the-other-half/the-last-day

One more day and Dr. D. and her classmates become PGY4s. That means today is the last day of residency for four other residents in her program.

Residency is one of those weird experiences--there's not quite anything that really compares to it. When you graduate from medical school, you are an MD. I know everyone reading this probably realizes that, but I also know that most of you have probably had to explain that to people. Interns and residents are doctors.

And they are the most exploited and overworked group of doctors you'll find. They make very little money, despite working 80 hours a week. And, yes, I'm saying 80 hours because that's the legal maximum. It's not really an accurate representation of the hours they work when you include hours at home going over charts, dictating OR cases, and doing other administrative work.

It might surprise you after reading that to find that some residents actually are in favor of this approach to post-graduate education in medicine. Dr. D., for instance, has indicated that as problematic as the system is, immersion is really the best way to go. After all, soon she'll be running her own clinic and working at a hospital that doesn't have a full staff of mentors to constantly watch over her shoulder.

The downside is that like Dr. Cox some attendings can get a little snarky. I don't know if it is a matter of forgetting what it is like to be sleep-deprived and stretched to the breaking point or if some attendings feel like they were pimped and treated badly so why should the residents under them have it easy.

For the KU residents in the OB/GYN program whose last day is today, I hope that you get some praise from your attendings, even if you aren't as lucky as JD.

]]><![CDATA[Medical Reads]]>Wed, 08 Jun 2016 16:27:36 GMThttp://www.angelicrodgers.com/the-other-half/medical-reads

One way to get a better understanding of the life your medical spouse is leading is to read books related to their profession. Cutting for Stone is next up on my list; having listened with Dr. Dani in the car while she was listening to it on her commute back and forth to Topeka, I am really excited about this one. Click through to see what else I've been reading.

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks is fascinating not only in terms of the medical advances related to the HeLa cell line, but also in terms of the medical-legal history. I listened to this one and there are some issues with the book (yet more exploitation in some sense, as some reviewers on Amazon note, as well as the problematic presentation of the material in the audio-book version), but at the same time I realize the story would likely never have been told otherwise.

Have tissues handy. This one is heartbreaking.

I highly recommend this read for those early in their medical education (or in their spouse's journey toward a career in medicine). As a first person account of training, relationship strain, and battling depression, this is a must-read. It didn't come out until last year, but even those later in the journey will find something here.

]]><![CDATA[The Season of Goodbyes]]>Wed, 04 May 2016 13:05:51 GMThttp://www.angelicrodgers.com/the-other-half/the-season-of-good-byes

Resident graduation is next month, and I'm already starting to be sad about goodbyes.

I'm working on some new projects, one of which is a collection of essays that I'm tentatively titling Break Up Stories. The collection is in part motivated by some recent comments made by my ex who is apparently starting a life-coaching business. I know that most of you who read this blog probably don't have any idea of that portion of my life--my twenties--but let's just say if you know my ex-husband (see, you probably didn't know that happened) you will probably laugh right along with me about the idea of him coaching people on life choices.

I tell you this to give you some insight into my brain space of late. The academic year is rolling to an end and Dr. D will be in her last year of residency. We're looking at houses in our town to be (more on that later), and we're trying to make sure that we get in as much Kansas City good times as possible in the next year. We're going to more Royals games, for instance, and going on Friday night date nights at our favorite spots whenever possible.

Sadly, we also have to say goodbye to some people Dr. D has spent a good bit of time with over the last three years. Not only is the senior class graduating and two of the four headed out of state, but one of the attendings is leaving, as well.

I read somewhere years ago that by the time a break up happens that the relationship has been over for an average of two years. I know that once we made that halfway mark this time last year that something shifted for me. I knew we could make it the next two years. Now, with a contract on the way and the slow movement of folks to new jobs, I feel it more than ever.

And, I promise more updates as soon as the ink is on the contract.

]]><![CDATA[Match Week Monday]]>Mon, 14 Mar 2016 14:04:04 GMThttp://www.angelicrodgers.com/the-other-half/match-week-monday

While Friday is Match Day, today is the day people learn if they matched. Here's hoping that they are as jubilant as Aaron Paul on getting called down on the Price is Right. And here's hoping they didn't overbid in the showcase.

Aaron Paul is best known for his character of Jesse in Breaking Bad, so I find it really endearing that he was such a huge geek for Bob Barker and the Price is Right. And, he won that desk, but barely overshot the price of the showcase.

Chances are a lot of people who find out they match today will probably feel like Aaron Paul on Friday--and that's ok. Match is such an artificial thing on one level. It's like the blind date of job interviews. You spend four years in medical school (if you're lucky enough to get in) stressing out over picking a specialty and whether you'll even match at the end. Sometimes you do match, but not where you thought you wanted to be. Sometimes you match in a specialty you didn't think you wanted. And sometimes you scramble.

I'm in a Facebook group for medical spouses; something I see often (often enough that they stick out, anyway) are posts where someone's spouse will ask what specialty their Dr. H. should pick based on work/life balance. Or they'll ask about what X city is like for residency. I was lucky, or perhaps smart, in that I didn't try to influence Dr. D on what specialty she should do or even what programs to rank first. I listened and I answered questions when they came up. I know I wouldn't have wanted someone outside of my field to tell me what I should specialize in when I was going for my PhD and I basically did what I wanted when it came to applying for jobs. So, it strikes me as odd on just a basic level that spouses are trying to ask other spouses what their doctor should do for residency.

Beyond that basic level, though, of letting the person who has been through the wringer decide which new wringer they want to put themselves through is the fact that they have very little control anyway--the match process is pretty elaborate and the actual person trying to find a spot probably has the least amount of control over it all. Sure, you get to rank your choices, but you're just one person. The programs you interview with are made up of multiple individuals and you're just one in a sea of applicants.

So, here's hoping your Monday is like the pre-showcase game with Aaron Paul. If you know you matched today, celebrate heartily. Friday, if you're presented with your second or even third choice, know that so many people I've known through the years I've been watching medical students and residents from the sidelines don't get their first match--but it often turns out to be just as well. I've heard and read countless stories that start with, "Well, I actually didn't rank my program as #1, but man I should have."

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