Male Spouse Intro -

Hi all -



I'm married to an OB resident about to start her fourth and final year. We have a 3 yr. old daughter and another girl on the way, so we're either brave or crazy. Residency has been a challenge for us, esp in regards to juggling all the demands of a toddler and two careers in a new city.



The good news is that we're almost finished. The bad news is that we're thinking seriously about a fellowship. Three more years! Aaaarrrgh.



Appreciate hearing about fellowship survival and raising kids, etc.



thanks,



Brian

[mommax3]

Brian,



Glad you have decided to join us! I am married to an OB who finished residency last summer. We have three boys, aged 7, 4, and 9 months -- so I know where you are coming from about being crazy! My hat is off to you guys, though, because I can't imagine what it would be like if I was working outside the home. I worked just part time during my husband's last year, and it was pretty crazy. The one positive was that our house didn't get nearly so messy because we weren't there as much! What do you do?



Where are you guys? My husband is in the Air Force and trained at Wilford Hall Medical Center in San Antonio. He is now a staff OB with the Air Force at Sheppard Air Force Base in north Texas and we have three years of payback left. We are hoping to go back to the midwest when he is out -- we are both from Indiana. My husband toys with the idea of fellowship, but we can't face owing the military more time and we can't face doing a fellowship without the military's money -- so he probaby won't do one. What fellowship is your wife considering? Has she applied already?



I am interested in getting to know you better -- I'm glad you posted! Jump in and ask away -- I can't promise you will always get good advice, but you will certainly get lots of it!



Sally

[houseelf]

Brian,



Let me extend a hearty welcome to you to our boards! You have survived an ObGyn residency in a different city while working with a toddler---you must be a really strong soul. The good news is that after what you have endured together, you should be able to survive anything else life throws you! Like your family, my dh is considering doing a fellowship against my wishes. But hey, what is a good spouse to do???? Best of luck---I look forward to discussing this very dilemna below in the other forums.



Jump right in!



Kelly

Thanks for the welcome...



I'm the director of marketing for an educational publisher in Portland, OR called Flying Rhinoceros (http://www.flyingrhino.com). We do books and websites and cartoons and things like that.



We'd never have survived if we hadn't found the greatest little Montessori school here. Our daughter just loves it so we were able to get past the guilt of having her there for so many hours per day, which was hard at first.



Actually we almost moved to San Antonio this winter when I got a great job offer from USAA, but it would have meant dragging Helen out of her program, which is nigh impossible, as you probably know. I had to think long and hard about it...SA seems like a nice place to live.



Helen's considering an MFM fellowship and she is really interested in genetics, so we're looking at places that line up with both those fields. We're in the middle of the application process...scheduling interviews around the country.

[DCJenn]

Hi Brian-



Welcome to the group. I'm in San Antonio- and I love it. (and USAA is our bank- my husband is in the Army!) Are you considering SA again? One of the other people on this list is moving to SA almost as we type.



Again- welcome.



Jenn

Welcome Brian! It's great to have another male medical spouse on board! Best of luck to your family as you wade through the fellowship process - we will be there next year, I am certain! I am so envious of your job!! It sounds fantastic!

Look forward to talking to you!

We aren't thinking about San Antonio really. I liked visiting but I have to admit I'm a coastal person...it feels weird to not have an ocean nearby. I spent a long time in Iowa and never felt comfortable...no mountains, no sea. I guess it just depends on where you grow up and what feels like home. Ironically we're thinking about Iowa for fellowship... oh well.

[Meenah]

Welcome,

I am Luanne, married to a Pulmonologist. We are the old folks here!!! I'm a nurse, and we each have two children

(16,17,18 & 19). We are in Princeton,NJ.

Luanne

Brian,



Hi...I'm a little late on saying welcome......but I want to chime in with everyone in welcoming you to the group. This is a great bunch of people!



My dh recently finished his fellowship in Infectious Disease, and we're out in the 'real world' now! We have three children, ages 7,6 and 3. I have my MS in mol. biology but am currently staying at home with my children......



I remember my husband's interviews for fellowship well...we actually made a great adventure out of them...we drove across the country with the kids and turned it into a bit of a vacation! How long is the mfm fellowship?



Kris

Welcome to the board Brian.



My husband just finished med school and we are leaving on Sunday for San Antonio! It seems like a great city to me. I can relate to wanting to be closer to the coast though. I am from Southern Oregon. My parents are in Medford now but I grew up in a tiny little town called Eagle Point south of Crater Lake. I miss TREES!!!! We have been in Arizona for med school and though we love the people here and the nice winters, I miss TREES and anything GREEN! San Antonio had lots of trees so it made a great first impression.



We actually ranked Iowa at the top of our match list. We are glad now that we are going to San Antonio but my husband was sure impressed with the program there. He is going into anesthesia. Good luck on the interview trail and hope you find the perfect spot for your family.



Robin

Wow...thanks for all the kind words and greetings. I wish I'd found this place when we were just starting residency...that first year was pretty awful.

I'm esp. glad to hear that it's possible to survive a fellowship, since right now I'm having a hard time even thinking about three more years of training. Ugh. Just when there was a light at the end of the tunnel...three more years.

The road trip to visit fellowship programs sounds fun but we're just doing a few trips by air instead. We did San Diego first and will do San Francisco and Seattle soon. Then Boston and Vermont. And finally Iowa and Chicago.

My wife is pregnant and we have to schedule around her, of course.



OK, time to stop blathering about us...I'll dive in and read about everyone else...thanks again.

We did a fellowship interview in Iowa City and absolutely LOVED it!!! It was really my first choice. We were living in the north at the time and when Thomas interviewed in Jan. in Florida and called me from the balcony of his hotel to boast that he was wearing shorts and had just tossed a ham sandwhich down at an alligator in the pond below , I knew Iowa was out.



Good Luck



Kris

Brian, yes, you are both brave and crazy! We have four so I hear you! Nice to meet you!



Jennifer