damian33
Forum Junior
Topics: 5
Posts: 91
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Hello BBB,
First of all thanks for always being here for all of us. Look I have a tough situation right now. Let me tell you a little bit about my self before I ask you for your advise.
Old graduate,attempts and low scores. At this moment I am doing an internship an a ACGME accredited program in a common wealth territory where i have to invest a lot of time and sacrifice because they don't pay me. I have a temporal licence as an intern(I am not PGY1, this internship will allow me to practice general medicine in this common wealth) I also bougth my mal practice insurance and all that stuff. The idea of doing this is to get into the program next year 2008. But yesterday I got the news ... they want me to sign the contract for 2008 and here is where my problem starts. Since I did not know about this until now . I applied to some programs (30) and I got 3 interviews one in California there is a lot of reasons why I would love to be in California, such as my fiance is there, my family is there too . Any way I need to sign the contract as soon as possible and my interviews are not due until December and January .
This is a real tough situation for me becuase on one hand I know that if I sign the contract (actually they want me to sign right away) I don't need to worry any more. On the other hand California interview is just that an interview is nothing for sure.
What would you do or anyone else in this situation.
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Expect the worst and you won't be disappointed
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| egomez2001
Forum Guru
Topics: 51
Posts: 930
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SIGN..., I know a little bit about your story Damian..., take it...., then see what you do with the other issues..., your family is your family it´s always going to be there, later there opportunity to be with them will come..., besides during residency you´re not even going to have time to see them...., about your fiance, you can work things out in the most conviniet way for both of you....
First things first...., take it, things will fall into place later..., take care of the basics...
THIS IS A BIG OPPORTUNITY, YOU HAVE A PLACE FOR SURE..., MATCHING IS NOT EASY, OPPORTUNITIES COME ONCE, GRAB IT...
Hope it helps and good luck
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| damian33
Forum Junior
Topics: 5
Posts: 91
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Hey Egomez how are you doing?
Thanks a lot for you honest advise.
I agreed with you on everything you wrote . It is just hard to think that I have to be in a place where I am not going to be very comfortable for 4 years, but well .........
Thanks a lot
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Expect the worst and you won't be disappointed
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| Doc750
transfer:step 3 prison
Topics: 52
Posts: 636
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I'll second that you should take the offer. If you had exellent scores on first attempts, in addition to the experience you already have, then I would say wait for Ca. Ca tends to a little more picky then some the other states. Unless of course, the PD is your uncle, and his wife and your mom are best friends. And the PD will be attending your wedding. Then I'd say wait for Ca. 
congradulations on getting married soon
g'luck
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Experience is a hard teacher because she gives the test first, and the lesson afterwards.
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| doc1981
Forum Senior
Topics: 12
Posts: 211
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I agree with the above two posts!! Considering your entire story I would sign the contract if I were you! The match has no guarantees that you'll get a position this year.. think about it.. talk to your family as well. Good luck!
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Rome wasn't built in a day!
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| egomez2001
Forum Guru
Topics: 51
Posts: 930
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Dear Damian, I totally agree with you..., it must be hard to make that decision..., but you don´t have that many options..., now if you think you are going to be miserable for 4 years, don´t take it..., but if you are not going to be very comfortable but you think you can manage your way through, go ahead and take it...
NOW, IS IT POSSIBLE TO TALK WITH THE PEOPLE IN THE PROGRAM YOU ARE AT AND ASK THEM TO WAIT FOR YOU TO SIGN AFTER YOUR IVS?, THAT WOULD BE THE IDEAL... TO SEE HOW OTHER IVS GO..., BUT STILL NO GUARANTEE...
Hope you get the clarity and strength to make the best decision....
I´m doing ok, getting ready for ivs...., all the best for us!
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| GLO MD
Forum Guru
Topics: 9
Posts: 819
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Damian good luck with this difficult decision... I agree w/ all that has been said and remember that the match is a difficult and unsure process especially for IMG's who are also old grads with attempts and low scores. There is always a possibility we could match but there is also a big possibility we end up unmatched. If the only think that makes you miserable is being away from your family and your fiance and otherwise it is a managable and good program sign! As gomez says your family is going to be there for you even if they are not fisically there.
Try to make a balance... you have on one hand a sure thing and on the other an unsure thing, basically what you be doing is a gamble! Are you a risk taker? Then go for the match... but remember you are taking a risk and try to picture in your mind what would happen' and what would you feel if you go unmatched and you lose your chance to sign the contract. In Mexico we have this saying in this kind of situations we say that you might end up as "the dog with the 2 hamburguers" (this is the best translation jajaja if you are mexican you will laugh about it).... well this dog had 2 hamburguers and he could not decide which one to eat they both look really yummy and he was so confused and could not pick one... he wanted to eat both but he could not so he had to pick... as he was trying to decide which hamburguer to eat a bunch of dogs came and took both his hamburguers away!!! He ended up w/o a single hamburguer, hungry and with the thought that he could have picked one and be satisfied and happy!!!
So this tale needs no more words... just think it through and remember if you decide to wait and give the match a try you could always end up like the dog with the 2 hamburguers!!!
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Keep your eyes on the stars, but remember to keep your feet on the ground....Theodore Roosevelt
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| damian33
Forum Junior
Topics: 5
Posts: 91
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Thanks GLO I really appreciate you time. By the way CONGRATS.... for such a great credentials I hope you get into Texas. I wish you all the best.
IF you knew all the details I know you would think a little bit different or may be not. When I mention family it is not about missing them I am an older guy 35 it is about being there close to my Dad ( a Family Physician of 79 years old that still practice medicine he has been practicing for the last 52 years. My Mom passed away a couple years ago and I was not there all time because I wasn't living there. So for me it is extremely important to be there at least 4 hrs away from home and not a whole day or more like right now ( I am in the Caribbean) one of the residents in my program is here in the program because his granddad was very sick . He is a pretty smart and young guy that could it go any where but he chose to stay here. His grandpa died the night he was on call in the same hospital he was doing PGY1. It was all worth it he said. I need to find out how can I still sign or at least talk to the program director and explain the situation from the heart and try to keep both options open. I need to negotiate this situation in a very smart way, otherwise I could end up like the DOG with 2 Tacos (lets call it Tacos instead of hamburgers since we are Mexican’s)
PS: I am a risk taker well not really I am a challenger I always trying to challenge something big perhaps more than I am capable of achieving . In 1999 I passed the national boards in Mexico for Radiology in the same year a program in Monterrey Nuevo Leon accepted me. Back then I start studying for the USMLEs so I call them up me said thank you but I won't be there next March. Sometimes I kind of regret it. But if I wouldn't do that. I would always keep asking my self what if....... At least I tried and I tried very hard. Almost ten years later an ACGME accredited program is offering me a contract.
Take care GLO You are really good I hope you get the best of the best
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Expect the worst and you won't be disappointed
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| bbb
IM Program Coordinator
Topics: 32
Posts: 4,701
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Glad others answered you, because I wouldn't have a clue what to tell you.
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bbb - trying to combine common sense and humour into realistic answers, but not going to guess on anyone's chances of getting into a position....
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| hotpotato
Forum Junior
Topics: 11
Posts: 39
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hey i dont know all ur details but u shud sign for 1 year and then try transferring...i hear it is much easier once u r in the system and u have credible reasons.
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| prueba
Forum Guru
Topics: 56
Posts: 695
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As usual GLO comes with good advices... I don't know how are your credentials...but even if I knew I could not tell what are your chances... anyhow,,,,year of graduation, scores, and more important...NUMBER of ranks submitted correlate with match succes.... the less programs you rank...less chances to match... If you could get a prematch during an IV would be a DREAM in your situatiion...I hope you have the chance to go and visit those programs.
I wish you the best...
also as hotpotato says there's also the opportunity to transfer to another program...but I guess there are not many PGY2 open positions everywhere...
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| damian33
Forum Junior
Topics: 5
Posts: 91
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Thanks to everyone . Prueba, BBB,hotpotato, and GLO I will let you guys know how things end it up.
Good Luck everyone
___________________
Expect the worst and you won't be disappointed
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| GLO MD
Forum Guru
Topics: 9
Posts: 819
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Hey damian! I did not know you were a paisano also! Sorry for my story.. you already know it by heart! And you are right about everything you said. I would also feel as you are feeling if I were in your shoes. So just do what your heart tells you, family is a very important thing and especially in this circumstances. And do try to reason with your program. Also, don't feel sorry for the past, embrace it because the past makes you what you are in the present. I am a strong believer that everything happens for a reason and if you decided to come to the US there is an important reason, maybe you even met your fiance in the US and you shouldn't have if you stayed in Mexico... I don't know your story but I am sure you can think of stuff that would've not happen if you had stayed. So do try to focus on that.
I wish you the best of luck and hope you get what your heart wants and needs! God bless.... GLO
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Keep your eyes on the stars, but remember to keep your feet on the ground....Theodore Roosevelt
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