Sole Purpose 55
Navigating the Move to Residency

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Congrats to everyone on matching into residency! Now, let's talk about the big, scary thing about residency: MOVING. For me, this meant a double move. First, I had to leave the room I sublet across the hall from one of my best friends in Pomona, California, and head back to San Diego to hang out with my parents after graduation. Then, it was off to Indiana—a whopping 1,774 miles away. When the overwhelming excitement of matching with my top choice began to fade (though it’s still very much present—I love St. Vincent!), the scary reality of moving across the country and being all alone set in. If any students are feeling the way I did, please don’t fret! Below, I’ll detail how I prepared and share my little tips and tricks so you can focus on the joy of matching and the exciting adventure of starting residency!

Transportation
I knew I would need a car for my program, and unfortunately, this seems to be true for most programs. I am EXTREMELY blessed to have the best dad in the world, who helped me drive my car from San Diego to Indiana. He turned it into a fun road trip and saved me the cost of shipping my car. For those who don’t enjoy a four-day road trip, there are options for shipping your car. Plus, you get the added benefit of fitting extra items into the car to help with the move. I also have a friend who didn't want to add too many miles to their car or deal with shipping it, so they decided to sign a three-year lease for a car in the city of their residency.

Place to Live
Finding a place to live was by far my biggest stressor. I was extremely lucky that the residents at my program were SO helpful and gave me a lot of insight into where to live and which apartment buildings were good. I utilized websites like rent.com, apartments.com, and apartmentlist.com to look at and compare different apartment buildings. I didn’t fly out ahead of time to tour the apartments; instead, I did multiple virtual tours. It was risky, but I love where I live! Out of everything, talking to current residents was BY FAR the most helpful thing I did.

Furniture
I would like to start by saying I think assembling Ikea furniture is harder than some of my med school finals. My desk took me three hours to construct, involving a FaceTime call to a friend who is an engineer and multiple snack breaks to prevent a meltdown. For packing, I brought whatever I could fit into my humble Honda Accord. Then my mom flew out, bringing a bag full of my stuff and two checked bags. So, it’s safe to say I had hardly any furniture, other than what I took apart and crammed into my car. Fortunately, some of the graduating residents were selling items, and I managed to get two great couches and a coffee table. Additionally, once I had moved, Facebook Marketplace, garage sales, and a nearby Goodwill got me a few more cheap finds.

For those who own plenty of furniture and want to bring it along, I have multiple friends who used packing cubes that can be shipped across the country. There’s also the good ol’ trusty U-Haul, moving truck, or moving company. I found these options a bit more costly, which is why I opted to deconstruct my limited furniture and only take my car.

Sales
I am a SUCKER for a good sale. I scored my bedframe and mattress at a highly discounted rate thanks to the Memorial Day sales that popped up right before I moved. I know it’s tough to wait, but most furniture and home goods companies offer some sort of sale for Memorial Day. Once I matched, I kept my eyes peeled for home goods on sale that I might need for my apartment.

Onboarding
In the coming months, you will receive an OVERWHELMING amount of emails for residency onboarding. If my Sole Purpose 15 - The Power of Email article didn’t convert you, now is the time to become a religious email checker. Missing onboarding emails or failing to fill out paperwork by the deadline can mean not receiving your first PAYCHECK. Trust me, you want that paycheck. If you don’t have an appropriate non-school email address, it’s time to get one. For example, my email was savluvs2run blah blah for a LONGGG time, but my current email is now much more professional, and I don’t blush when sharing it.

PTO - Paid Time Off
My program asked me shortly after matching if I had any dates I wanted off. Try to ask friends and family early about any important dates. If you're moving far away, or if your friends and family aren’t familiar with medical training, this is a good time to remind them that you will ask for the day off, but there are NO guarantees in residency. The next three years will be a grind, and this will unfortunately mean missing more events. However, asking early and being realistic is very helpful. I went as far as checking with one of my close friend’s boyfriends to find out when he planned to propose so I could potentially be there for the engagement party!

Boards Part III
This one is tricky and very program dependent. It's an expensive test, and I wanted to make sure my program would cover the cost. So, I decided to wait to take the exam until later during my first year. I have some friends whose programs require them to take Part III before starting, while others won't cover the exam until after the start date.

Disclaimer
A close faculty mentor once shared with me her week of moving to her residency program, which seemed plagued by every possible bad omen. She lost a sentimental necklace and struggled to find the familiar food and beverage options she enjoyed in southern California. My own experience mirrored hers in some ways: the mattress company mistakenly sent me a chair instead, and then lost my replacement mattress. As a result, my first three days in my apartment felt more like camping. To add to the chaos, I was immediately locked out of my apartment, developed mysterious full-body hives, and due to a broken elevator in my building (and being on the 5th floor), I ended up walking an absurd number of stairs on moving day. Moving is almost always uncomfortable and a significant adjustment. Fortunately, recalling my mentor's story helped me stay calm. Despite her rough start, she went on to love her program and receive excellent training. It reassured me that I, too, could navigate the challenges of moving and residency with resilience.

It can all feel incredibly overwhelming, but I hope these tips help ease the process for everyone! Congratulations to each of you on your match. Take some time to savor this moment before diving into residency, and remember to celebrate this significant achievement amidst the hustle of moving and change.