San Jose, CA

During 2nd year, my school does this silly gesture of revealing the city where students get placed for clinical training at hospitals.

It was Friday, and the website crashed because so many of us were trying to access the published list. As the audio visual specialist that managed recording lectures for my cohort, I was hidden in a dark computer server room wondering if the less than ten students that actually showed up for class were really paying attention to the professor. Nobody goes to lecture - let alone a day like this. It’s the only place where my anxiety could reek in isolation while clicking madly through the maze of links and log-ins when the automated email hit my inbox at 1PM.

My eyes darted around the computer screen rapidly searching for the names of other classmates also assigned to San Jose. I started getting congratulations within minutes from acquaintances about an outcome that I didn’t want despite lofty reassurance that things should work in my favor. 

While getting accustomed to the unsettling reality, I realized this would be the first time in 15 years where I had an opportunity to actually reconnect with my family in The Bay. Since medical school started, I have missed a dozen family birthdays, my Grandpa’s funeral, and one of my best friend’s wedding. The response was overwhelmingly supportive by my standards from professors, friends, and parents.

I could go on about about the highs and lows of this unexpected outcome, however will focus on the more constructive aspects of the journey. The take-away that I share with people may sound familiar, but has taken on a different meaning and goes something like this: You can do everything right and still not get what you want. There are simply no guarantees in medical school or life for that matter, so keep an open mind. That being said, here are some of the more salient aspects on this emotional rollercoaster called Medicine.

Pediatrics

General Surgery

Psychiatry (Outpatient)

Internal Medicine

Anesthesiology (Elective)

OBGYN

Family Medicine

Emergency Medicine