It took me a year and three rounds of CaRMS, but I did it! Last Wednesday was Match Day and I so excited to have matched to my favourite Family Medicine program!
Over this past year, I have grown a lot and learned a lot about myself. As I mentioned in a previous post, I originally didn’t apply to Family Medicine, and that was one of the aspects that I struggled with most as I decided whether to apply in the second iteration. I am glad I didn’t match to Family last year, as I think it would have felt like a defeat. But over this year, in doing a masters in public health and working with an amazing GP, I have grown to love the field and I am so excited and ready to start my training in it!
And I am thrilled with the program that I matched to! From when I first started researching Family Medicine programs, I knew this one was going to be near the top of my list and it kept climbing as I learned more and went through my interviews. I am looking forward to this new adventure in July: moving to a new province, meeting my new co-residents, and jumping back into clinical medicine full time!
My excitement about my results has grown daily over this past week. But, although I matched incredibly well, when I first saw my results, I wasn’t immediately over the moon. To some extent, I know this about myself: I don’t necessarily jump to huge happy reactions. I get there, but it’s not my first response. I was actually a little sad when I first saw my match. I was sad because all these other amazing options were now closed to me.
I was really excited about the top 15 programs on my list! And realising that I would no longer get to train there… that I wouldn’t get to experience life and residency in Kitchener, or Calgary, or Nanaimo…
Last year was all disappointment. I assumed this year would be all excitement. But the realization that I was now locked in, even locked into my favourite Family program, was unexpectedly bittersweet. I don’t like closing doors – it’s why I can never decide on my dinner order until the waiter is standing in front of me. But I always love what I get.
And I do truly love what I got.
Image credit: kazuend
Doctor Interrupted 
Reading this made me feel so happy for you! Although i matched this past year, it was not in a specialty I actually thought I would end up in. One month into pgy1 and I’m still not sure, but reading your story gives me hope it will all work out.
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Congratulations on being matched! You must be busy now that first year has started, glad I stumbled upon your blog. I myself have been trying for several years but in between these years of applications, there is always something to so that will boost up the application. I look forward to seeing posts about life in residency 🙂
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