The next step

Garrett has reached another "decision time" in his career: this time it's for his fellowship.

The people in charge of radiology residencies in the U.S. (I don't really know WHO these people are) recently decided that residents should wait 14 months after completing their residency to take their final boards.  This means that you don't become a board-certified for a whole year (assuming you pass the boards, of course).  And who wants to hire a radiologist who isn't board certified?  No one.  So what are you supposed to do with this random year of your life?  A fellowship.  Basically it's like another year of residency, but you focus on something more specific within the field.  Salary is essentially the same as residency.  Garrett is 90% sure he wants to do MSK (musculoskeletal).  Something to do with.... bones, I guess. (Seriously guys, I know nothing about what he does.  All I know is, now he can scroll through Netflix (and other websites) so fast that it makes my head spin.  I don't know how he reads that stuff... but apparently that's what he does all day so he's good at seeing things really quickly?

Anyway.  So it's time for some big decisions.  Even though he has two more years of residency left, radiology does their fellowship interviews early (like, starting this summer).  We'll probably know by September-ish where we will be going.  So now, we are trying to figure out where he wants to go.  It's kind of exciting, but really scary too!

We could maybe stay here.  That would be easy, we already have a house here.  No moving for just a year.  But, fellowship is also an opportunity to "get your foot in the door" and make connections for a future job.  Do we want to stay in Florida long term?  Not really... not at this point, anyway.  Maybe we'll change our minds. But hey... the job market for radiology is actually pretty sad right now so who knows if we will even have a choice when the time comes?  We really can't be picky.

We love the South, and I think I would be happy staying in this area of the country. I also love the idea of living in the Carolinas or even back in Virginia again, maybe. I also don't mind the thought of the midwest, but none of our family lives there and we really want to live near some family, on either side. Of course, I'm sure he'll apply to some of the "top" programs too... it's just too bad that most of them seem to be in places that we don't necessarily want to live.  Too cold, or too far, or just not interested.  A lot of them are in California, but Garrett said you can't pay him enough to live there (ironically, many of the fellowships there are unpaid, since you are getting the privilege of training there. "You're welcome for the job.")  So, California's out I guess, which is fine. And really.... it's not a huge deal to move somewhere that is not perfect.  It's only a year, and you don't have to stay and get a job in that area.

So, where do we want to end up for good?  In the South?  Texas? Arizona? The Carolinas? New England? Pennsylvania?  Of course, fellowship doesn't lock you into a certain place forever, and nothing is permanent. But it's crazy to think that we are finally starting to talk about "the end" of this whole thing.  Fellowship is the last step!  Residency is almost halfway done, just three years left including the fellowship.  Crazy.  It's really exciting, but scary too.  Big decisions ahead!