Did you move for residency or stay put?

Both. First residency we stayed where we were for many of the reasons you mentioned -- work opportunities for me, our house, family and friends near by. We were fortunate that DH was able to get his top ranked choices. Second time around, we moved. I, uh, initially had a hard time reading the writing on the wall that the best option was to rank programs outside of our home state (longer story not for the public forums ). We compromised on program versus location and I got my top choice for location and he got his third choice from program (he's happy, all top three choices were good ones, but I was hearing all about that a few weeks ago ). I like it, am glad we moved, and am a better person for it (IMO).

And then there is the pesky detail of the match and the how competitive the specialty is which can take a lot of control out of your hands. Even with top qualifications, it can be a crap shoot -- depending on what he ends up applying to.

Well....we did both also!
We stayed put for intern year, a politically motivated move, dealing with the AOA down the road is no fun, so we stayed for a year. Then pi$$ed off nearly all in the Peds program by changing to a MUCH larger program (read:2 residents/yr to 24 residents/yr). It made a HUGE difference in the learning for DW. Which, in turn, made a huge difference in her ability to pass certification boards and her personal comfort flying "solo" outside training. The move was something that we had decided on about three to four months into intern year. She had ideas of going subspecialty and wasn't getting the exposure that she wanted/needed to "look good" on a CV.

Turns out the move, by pure chance, was actually closer to family. All my siblings had moved to the same area within a year of when we were to move. When the time comes for a choice of specialty and then selection of residency programs, it will be a two-way street on your choices and them wanting someone with the great credentials, as they can then use that as a broader casting of incoming "recruits".

Does that make any sense? It sounds logical in my head....but it has already been fried for the day, sorry. Hope that gives you some more info.....

[Auspicious]

We're planning to move for residency. (Husband starts 4th year in a few weeks.) We feel we need to be somewhere 1) closer to family and 1) with a lower cost of living. Those reasons are tied for first.

Based on location alone--all this is subject to review once he starts looking at specific programs--our preferences are Chicagoland (near my family) and New England (near his crazy family), in that order. I know I've said before that we could never live near his family, but they've gone through some rapid changes in the past year that have changed that.

Now that we're nearing the end of our time here--actually because we're nearing the end of our time here--I've really fallen back in love with the city though, and am more aware of all the things I love here and will miss. I think if we matched here it wouldn't be a tragedy and I could still figure out a way to be happy with the situation, but it would definitely involve radical changes to the image I carry around in my head of what kind of life we're planning to live in my thirties.

[migirl]

We moved from Washington, DC to Michigan for residency and we couldn't be happier. Strength of program/proximity to family were pretty well tied for first on our list of 'wants', so it worked out well for us that we happened to be able to fulfill both desires in our current location!

[DCJenn]

We moved because the Army told us that we had to move. He ranked his choices (Army Medical Centers only as he went to USUHS) and we got his third choice and my first choice. I ended up renting my condo which allowed it to appreciate and we made bank on the DC housing market when we returned. (The plan is to hang on to this place and rent it when we finish the fellowship)

We're looking at a move every three years or so until he's done with the Army payback (8 more years). Currently I'm a SAHM but that will change with the next move (probably- kinds depends on where the Army sends us)

Whatever you do, don't count on going where ever you think you want to go. There are so many people here who either got where they wanted to on the first go and then hated it, got there only to have the program close, didn't get there and were sent to East BF or picked East BF only to be sent to ever further East BF. There is only the illusion of control, it seems.

Jenn

[Auspicious]

got there only to have the program close,

Programs close? What happens to the residents then?

Luckily my husband's 1st choice for residency was nearby so we didn't have to move far for residency. We actually moved across country for dh's post residency job and we couldn't be happier. We miss being so close to family, but we have enjoyed experiencing a different part of the country.

got there only to have the program close,

Programs close? What happens to the residents then?

We have a friend who was completing his residency at a hospital in CA that was recently shut down. He was told about the closing about 3 months before the end of the residency year so he then had to scramble to find an open spot. He was a PGY-3 Surgery resident, but could only find a PGY-2 spot on the East Coast so he basically had to repeat a year (like a Surgery residency isn't long enough as it is!!). The thing that really sucks is that the program knew that they were going to be shut down several months before they notified the residents....had our friend known sooner, he probably could have found a better spot.

[DCJenn]

The programs that I know that closed (specifically the Howard University OB/GYN program, the residents were picked up by GW and Georgetown and maybe a few other programs nearby. I have a friend who is a nurse at GW in L & D and she said the poor residents were shocked at how little their program had taught them- and the accepting programs were stunned at how little these poor residents knew. It pretty much sucked all around for everyone)

[Auspicious]

Yikes!

[migirl]

DH's program accepted a resident from another residency program that had closed. Luckily for this guy, our program was a huge step up (in terms of caliber and strength of program) from the one that was closing. So it worked out ok for him!!

If we have to move and I lose my job I don't know what we will do financially.

That makes me think of a few things: how much do you like your job? If it's great, then it makes sense to try to stay. If not, can you continue doing it for at least 3 more years (shortest residency)? A move can be a good chance to find something new. Or it can be really, really disappointing to leave a career and work environment that you love.

move

Hubby did PGY1 in Phoenix and hated it. He just stared PGY2 in Las Vegas. It was worth the move. More moves to come depending on fellowships and final relocations. It's not so bad though, it's kind of exciting.

[Meenah]

Just try to set your sights on getting through the program, not where, because in the end you really have no control. It can be a fun ride on the roller coaster.
Luanne

[SuzySunshine]

Luanne's right, in the end you have no control. We chose to move back to the midwest, so my DH's top 4 choices were all midwest and we were lucky enough to get one. Our family is still about six hours away, but I can justify jumping in a car more than I can spending hundreds of dollars on airfare for each person.

I didn't give up a great job to move with him but I did give up one that paid more than I'm making now, all in all the job market isn't great in this town for spouses but I hope to only work a few more years, I can live with that.

We will move again for fellowship b/c our program doesn't have fellows in my DH's field and then we'll move again (most likely) for his permanent job.

Good luck!

We expect to move again. DH hasn't even started med school yet, and has no idea what he wants to specialize in, really. We would prefer to stay in the midwest, though.

For med school he only chose schools in the NE and MW, and we wound up having to choose between MN or Madison. We chose Madison because we could afford a house here without needing a long commute, plus, we both have family basically in town.

I was under the impression that most docs wound up working in the area they do their residency or fellowship?