Anyone here from the mid-west?

Hi Everyone,



My fiance will be applying to residency programs next year. We have decided on staying in Arizona as our first choice and if not - the mid-west. If anyone here is from the mid-west or has ever lived in the mid-west, I would appreciate any feedback you have about where you lived, the cost of living, the good/bad, weather, and the current job market. Currently, I'm in sales and I know it's needed everywhere so I'm not as worried about getting a job. However, I'd like to hear your opinions. (I have been thinking about Ohio, Illinois, and maybe Missouri).



Thanks for your help!



- Rachel : )

Rachel,



We are in Minnesota now...I think that still counts as midwest !



We've only been here for a month now, so I can't really help much in terms of anything that you are asking.... I think the cost of living depends on the city that you live in, etc...



But there are some great websites available



http://www.homefair.com is one where you can compare the cost of living in different areas of the country...there are a few others listed on the relocation page on the Med Spouse Homepage (http://www.medicalspouse.org)...I just can't think of them right now...



Jason or Kelly have lived here for a year so they can tell you more.



What I can say in terms of the benefits of the North is that the school systems tend to be much better than those in the south...if children's schools would eventually become an issue



Kris

Thanks, Kris. Would you say the people are nice in the mid-west? We are both from CA and people view people from LA as "into themselves." I don't really want to go back there now b/c of the smog, the fast way of life - don't want to be working 60 hours plus per week -, the traffic, and everyone's too competitive. My fiance is a DO and he says the mid-west is more "DO friendly."



By the way, what's there to do in Minnesota? How's the weather?



Thanks for the advice!



- Rachel

[Phoebe]

I grew up in Michigan and currently reside in Ohio. Both are great places to live. We live in Cleveland now and it is a thriving city with lots to offer. I have also lived in Cincinnati which was nice too. Both cities have large medical facilities with lots of residency options.



Jennifer

Thanks for the advice, Jennifer. Ohio may be one of the places we may be looking at. In terms of the job market out there, how is it? I'm in sales so I can pretty much go anywhere. What types of companies are out there? Tech?

How does Cleveland compare with Columbus and Cincinatti, in terms of job market and things to do? Do you like the weather out there? Any insight you have would help me out.



Thanks!



- Rachel : )

I would definately say that the people here are very friendly.....but "down-to-earth" friendly...We were in Fl before and people seemed friendly there, but it is just different here.



We went to the circus about two weeks after we had moved in...and while we were walking across the parking lot a van stopped and the woman rolled down the window to talk to us...Thomas was ready to throw us all beneath a car and attack .....and the woman stuck her head out of the window, explained that they had received 4 extra tickets and did we want them. I asked her how much she wanted us to pay her and she looked at me like I was nuts...."well, of course I would give them to you. I see that you have a young family......" We graciously accepted the tickets and felt so good....something like that wouldn't have happened where we had lived in Fl....



The summer here has been mild (when compared to Fl) for the most part, although we have had some really hot days....but I understand it DOES get pretty cold in the winter! I'd rather be cold than hot though. At least when you are cold, you can add a sweater or a jacket! If you're too hot....you just have to sweat it out...well, we'll see if I still feel the same way after surviving my first MN winter



Kris

here's my input on the weather in ohio as of late.....HOT!!!!!



HOTTER!!!!!!!! and DAMNED HOT!!!!!!!!!!







but in general, we see every phase of every season. anything from freezing your @ss off, below zero temps. in dead winter to the stuff we've been having.

Thanks for the input from everyone! I really appreciate it.



- Rachel



p.s. If anyone has any insight about the cost of living in the mid-west (in particular Ohio, Missouri, and Illinois), that would help too!

I am from Illinois. I can tell you that the cost in our state depends on where you are talking. Chicago is obviously more expensive than cities down south like Champaign, Springfield and Carbondale, etc But if you look to some of the Chicago suburbs it can be less expensive as well. Where exactly are you thinking?

Hi Adrienne,



I've read that Chicago has a pretty high cost of living. We're planning to stay here in AZ because we're used to things here and it's only going to be for 3 years. After that, we will have to pay back the Air Force since they are paying for med school by working for them for 4 years. If he does not match here in AZ, we're looking at Texas (Dallas and Corpus Christi), Illinois (Chicago), Missouri (St. Louis), or Ohio (Columbus).



Our second choice is really in Texas. We would like to stay as far West as possible. I did a salary comparison on the Internet. I'm in sales so I make about 50-60k annually, but it said that if I were to go to Chicago the equivalent would be 80k. Do jobs pay more in Chicago? I know the jobs here in AZ pay less but there is also a lower cost of living.



Thanks for the input!



-Rachel

[DCJenn]

Rachel-



Please don't forget that as an HPSP medical student, he has to apply for military residencies along with the civilian residencies. Has he been to Officer Basic? He should have gone early in medical school. If he hasn't he's going to need to get that out of the way. Has he started interviewing? He'll need to interview out at the military hosptals ASAP. Has he done any rotations at any of the military bases? The military doesn't like to pay for civilian residencies if they don't have to so, be forwarned. Also, you may remind him that if he hasn't yet, get to know the advisors. What does he want to do?



Jenn

Hi Jenn!



As for my fiance, he is majorely procrastinating w/this app process. He has told me over and over again that he's not into this medicine thing anymore. However, we have a military obligation so we're kind of in a bind. He's looking to go into family practice but would like some aspect of OMM involved. So, we're looking mainly at DO residencies. Yes, he went to the training a long time ago. Actually, I was there and we had a lot of fun in San Antonio. He has a rotation in San Antonio and he's leaving next week for a month. The thing is he hasn't even completed any of his applications so we've got to get cracking on them this weekend. That's kind of where we're at in a nutshell.



Thanks for the input!



-Rachel

[DCJenn]

Rachel-



Just an FYI- there are both MDs and DOs in my husbands residency- (peds). The only difference that I have seen is that the DOs Step three test is still pen and paper and was required much earlier than the rest of them. That and the DO we're good friends with gives one heck of a back rub.



Jenn

[houseelf]

Hi--sorry for the late response--we hail from Dayton, Ohio. I love it because it is just so...so...normal! My husband went to Purdue and I went to U. Kentucky so we can both offer insight to Indiana and Kentucky as well.



Best of luck with everything!



Kelly