I was wondering if I were to get into a DO school what my chances of doing a residency close to home are. Spouse isn't willing to move so pretty much my decision to pursue the med school path is depending on this. Was looking for advice. Thanks and sorry for poor text quality, typed on iPhone.
Residency close to home chances
- Thread starter MoFizzle
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I wager it depends on the speciality you are willing to pursue.
Also, are you guaranteed to be in a DO school close to home, or is your spouse willing to move with you for med school but not for residency.
IMHO, you need to secure spousal support before you even start medical school for the entire duration for training (school+residency). Or get a divorce now, before youbecome a good source of alimony.
Also, are you guaranteed to be in a DO school close to home, or is your spouse willing to move with you for med school but not for residency.
IMHO, you need to secure spousal support before you even start medical school for the entire duration for training (school+residency). Or get a divorce now, before youbecome a good source of alimony.
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Look up any random MD or DO. There is a very high probability that they didn't get to stay in the same city for med school and residency. I recommend divorce.
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Yeah, not willing to move at all due I family / children. Haven't been guaranteed a spot in any school yet. There is a DO school and a hospital that does has an EM residency close to my home, was hoping I could get into both if the stars aligned right. Slim chance I guess?
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No one can predict their chances of residency placement before medical school acceptance
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You guys/gals are evil 
Anyway, it really depends on location, and what residency, and what your ultimate goal is (and what are you willing to sacrifice).
Medical training is hard - and most likely, even if you attend a local/regional medical school (whether MD or DO), there will be some traveling involved during 3rd and 4th year (more travel at a DO school compare to MD school, but the amount will depend on the school itself). I've seen some get divorce, but others have maintained their strong relationships throughout this long and arduous process. Probably more people went through residency with their marriage intact (and stronger) than divorce (just based on what I have seen, mileage may vary depending on specialty, hospital, program, expected time commitment, how supportive the program director, faculty, and fellow residents are, etc). But the marriages that remained intact and survived, the spouses knew what they signed up for BEFORE it began, and there was a lot of give/take (spouse will move/relocate for med school and residency, but final location/job will be up to spouse, etc).
Back to your original question - is it possible to attend a local school, and stay locally for residency. YES. And I've seen people do it. For them, stability in their kids lives (not uprooting them) was more important than program, so they stayed for their wives (if wife can't move due to obligations) or for their kids. It will help your prospect if you're from the area and went to a local school (means that you will likely want to stay locally and rank the program highly, plus you will know the local resources and local doctors). As just as important, if you attend school locally, you will have more interactions with that hospital on a professional/educational basis (as a medical student) so you will build stronger connections, which will help for residency.
Also realize that your interests may change, you might realize that your local hospital may not provide the same opportunity as other hospitals which you might be competitive for (ie a large university hospital versus a community hospital, etc), or you may want another specialty than what you intended (ie neurosurgery, ophthalmology, dermatology) - then you will have to decide which is more important to you and your family ... staying put or chasing opportunities.
*if your local hospital is Johns Hopkins, or Mass General, Mayo Rochester, or UCSF, then ignore the above advice.
Anyway, it really depends on location, and what residency, and what your ultimate goal is (and what are you willing to sacrifice).
Medical training is hard - and most likely, even if you attend a local/regional medical school (whether MD or DO), there will be some traveling involved during 3rd and 4th year (more travel at a DO school compare to MD school, but the amount will depend on the school itself). I've seen some get divorce, but others have maintained their strong relationships throughout this long and arduous process. Probably more people went through residency with their marriage intact (and stronger) than divorce (just based on what I have seen, mileage may vary depending on specialty, hospital, program, expected time commitment, how supportive the program director, faculty, and fellow residents are, etc). But the marriages that remained intact and survived, the spouses knew what they signed up for BEFORE it began, and there was a lot of give/take (spouse will move/relocate for med school and residency, but final location/job will be up to spouse, etc).
Back to your original question - is it possible to attend a local school, and stay locally for residency. YES. And I've seen people do it. For them, stability in their kids lives (not uprooting them) was more important than program, so they stayed for their wives (if wife can't move due to obligations) or for their kids. It will help your prospect if you're from the area and went to a local school (means that you will likely want to stay locally and rank the program highly, plus you will know the local resources and local doctors). As just as important, if you attend school locally, you will have more interactions with that hospital on a professional/educational basis (as a medical student) so you will build stronger connections, which will help for residency.
Also realize that your interests may change, you might realize that your local hospital may not provide the same opportunity as other hospitals which you might be competitive for (ie a large university hospital versus a community hospital, etc), or you may want another specialty than what you intended (ie neurosurgery, ophthalmology, dermatology) - then you will have to decide which is more important to you and your family ... staying put or chasing opportunities.
*if your local hospital is Johns Hopkins, or Mass General, Mayo Rochester, or UCSF, then ignore the above advice.
So is going to med school and just really hoping you get a residency close to home and not being able to accept one far away a bad idea?
You guys/gals are evil
Anyway, it really depends on location, and what residency, and what your ultimate goal is (and what are you willing to sacrifice).
Medical training is hard - and most likely, even if you attend a local/regional medical school (whether MD or DO), there will be some traveling involved during 3rd and 4th year (more travel at a DO school compare to MD school, but the amount will depend on the school itself). I've seen some get divorce, but others have maintained their strong relationships throughout this long and arduous process. Probably more people went through residency with their marriage intact (and stronger) than divorce (just based on what I have seen, mileage may vary depending on specialty, hospital, program, expected time commitment, how supportive the program director, faculty, and fellow residents are, etc). But the marriages that remained intact and survived, the spouses knew what they signed up for BEFORE it began, and there was a lot of give/take (spouse will move/relocate for med school and residency, but final location/job will be up to spouse, etc).
Back to your original question - is it possible to attend a local school, and stay locally for residency. YES. And I've seen people do it. For them, stability in their kids lives (not uprooting them) was more important than program, so they stayed for their wives (if wife can't move due to obligations) or for their kids. It will help your prospect if you're from the area and went to a local school (means that you will likely want to stay locally and rank the program highly, plus you will know the local resources and local doctors). As just as important, if you attend school locally, you will have more interactions with that hospital on a professional/educational basis (as a medical student) so you will build stronger connections, which will help for residency.
Also realize that your interests may change, you might realize that your local hospital may not provide the same opportunity as other hospitals which you might be competitive for (ie a large university hospital versus a community hospital, etc), or you may want another specialty than what you intended (ie neurosurgery, ophthalmology, dermatology) - then you will have to decide which is more important to you and your family ... staying put or chasing opportunities.
*if your local hospital is Johns Hopkins, or Mass General, Mayo Rochester, or UCSF, then ignore the above advice.
Thank you very much for this reply. There is hope yet.
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another thing to keep in mind is that if your area only has one residency, you are really playing with fire. Matching isn't like a job. You apply to places and they interview you, then you rank the places you want to go and the places rank the candidates that the want. Then some formula does it's magic and it spits out the location that you will be contractually obliged to go for your residency. It isn't like a job offer where you can say, "thanks but no thanks" without some massive consequences. If there are more residencies in your area, you might be OK because you may be able to make a sacrifice and apply only to one location in multiple residencies. But applying to one is statistically not going to happen.
it sounds like you don't have the full support of the wife and that is ok because this path has ruined many relationships and been hard on many families. if the location matters that much, you may want to find something else. This is coming from a father and a husband. I am from des moines and luckily i got into DMU, but my wife was able to accept the reality that we might be moving multiple times in the next 10 years. not ideal, but it is what it is.
also there is a ton of variables regarding this specific residency and your chances that it is impossible to give you a real answer.
it sounds like you don't have the full support of the wife and that is ok because this path has ruined many relationships and been hard on many families. if the location matters that much, you may want to find something else. This is coming from a father and a husband. I am from des moines and luckily i got into DMU, but my wife was able to accept the reality that we might be moving multiple times in the next 10 years. not ideal, but it is what it is.
also there is a ton of variables regarding this specific residency and your chances that it is impossible to give you a real answer.
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I think that this is the key point of group_theory's advice and something you should talk to your partner about. It isn't that it just so unlikely you (specifically) won't match to your local residency - it's statistically super risky but not impossible - it's just that with the limited information you have right now as a pre-med, it's virtually impossible assure yourself and your partner that your interests won't change once you're done with medical school.
Medical school is a difficult time and it can alter your expectations for yourself and your future. Do you want to risk resenting your partner for the rest of your relationship, just because you were trying to protect your relationship?
If you do well in your program, perhaps you will want to try something "bigger" than what the local residency can offer you; if you struggle, maybe you have to move because you you couldn't get into your local program. In once case, you might resent your partner because they were an anchor that held you down; in the other, they might resent you because you were "too dumb" to give them the life you had promised. Those are some sucky options.
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There is also the possiblity that you apply to too few residencies and end up NOT MATCHING. This is what happened to me and then you end up in the SCRAMBLE where you put out your applications to ANY RESIDENCY in the country that has open slots left after the match and you BEG THEM to please take you so you have the security of being in a residency.
This is what happened to me and I ended up moving across the country (again) to start my residency program.
If your wife absolutely is not going to move and does not support you I would seriously think twice about doing the medical school route. You are setting youself up for major failure personally and professionally if you think for one moment you will be able to do medical school and residency close to home. What happens after that? There is no guarantee you will be hired close to where you live now.
I moved my husband and 2 kids 7 times in the last 10 years in order to pursue my career goals, go to medical school, residency, and the jobs after. Sometimes the job you sign up for is not palatable and you end up resigning. Now that my kids are in high school they didn't want to move again so they accept that I travel for work because there isn't a job for me where we live that I would consider. I come home during their school breaks and it works for us.
Have relationship stability and know what you are getting into before you end up resenting your spouse for holding you back from your goals by inflexibility about possible relocation.
This is what happened to me and I ended up moving across the country (again) to start my residency program.
If your wife absolutely is not going to move and does not support you I would seriously think twice about doing the medical school route. You are setting youself up for major failure personally and professionally if you think for one moment you will be able to do medical school and residency close to home. What happens after that? There is no guarantee you will be hired close to where you live now.
I moved my husband and 2 kids 7 times in the last 10 years in order to pursue my career goals, go to medical school, residency, and the jobs after. Sometimes the job you sign up for is not palatable and you end up resigning. Now that my kids are in high school they didn't want to move again so they accept that I travel for work because there isn't a job for me where we live that I would consider. I come home during their school breaks and it works for us.
Have relationship stability and know what you are getting into before you end up resenting your spouse for holding you back from your goals by inflexibility about possible relocation.
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You're not accepted to med school yet so don't get ahead of yourself. Medicine requires the flexibility of relocating, especially if you're looking to subspecialize. 'Don't count your chickens before they hatch.'
😉
Even if you are in a state with a relatively extensive amount of residencies (especially AOA ones, think OH, MI, OK etc.) you are going to have to move somewhere at some point. Sounds like the spouse isn't very supportive. Could be a bad sign. Best to make sure the spouse realizes the difficulty of being settled down while pursuing medicine.
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Although there is nothing wrong with hope I am sure you have seen from the above posts that there is many a slip between hope and reality. This is a long, expensive and personally challenging road to begin if the likely outcome is unknown and potentially unacceptable.
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If your spouse has that little flexibility then medicine is going to be very tough on the 2 of you. I have classmates with spouses that support them fully and are more than willing to bend over backwards to help them and it is still incredibly taxing on the relationship. When you come home you are far from done for the day and it is difficult for some spouses to accept that. They see you and want to spend time with you, which is understandable, but you aren't going to be able to do it as much as they or you would like. You have to make sacrifices and she is going to have to make sacrifices if you are going to be her Dr husband. It's more than doable, but you have to have strong support at home or you will be getting divorced. The doc above could probably give you a ton more insight, but im sure her family was incredibly flexible with her and made sacrifices for her so that she could get where she wanted. If she didn't have that I am sure she wouldn't be a doctor or wouldn't have her family intact.
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You guys/gals are evil
Anyway, it really depends on location, and what residency, and what your ultimate goal is (and what are you willing to sacrifice).
Medical training is hard - and most likely, even if you attend a local/regional medical school (whether MD or DO), there will be some traveling involved during 3rd and 4th year (more travel at a DO school compare to MD school, but the amount will depend on the school itself). I've seen some get divorce, but others have maintained their strong relationships throughout this long and arduous process. Probably more people went through residency with their marriage intact (and stronger) than divorce (just based on what I have seen, mileage may vary depending on specialty, hospital, program, expected time commitment, how supportive the program director, faculty, and fellow residents are, etc). But the marriages that remained intact and survived, the spouses knew what they signed up for BEFORE it began, and there was a lot of give/take (spouse will move/relocate for med school and residency, but final location/job will be up to spouse, etc).
Back to your original question - is it possible to attend a local school, and stay locally for residency. YES. And I've seen people do it. For them, stability in their kids lives (not uprooting them) was more important than program, so they stayed for their wives (if wife can't move due to obligations) or for their kids. It will help your prospect if you're from the area and went to a local school (means that you will likely want to stay locally and rank the program highly, plus you will know the local resources and local doctors). As just as important, if you attend school locally, you will have more interactions with that hospital on a professional/educational basis (as a medical student) so you will build stronger connections, which will help for residency.
Also realize that your interests may change, you might realize that your local hospital may not provide the same opportunity as other hospitals which you might be competitive for (ie a large university hospital versus a community hospital, etc), or you may want another specialty than what you intended (ie neurosurgery, ophthalmology, dermatology) - then you will have to decide which is more important to you and your family ... staying put or chasing opportunities.
*if your local hospital is Johns Hopkins, or Mass General, Mayo Rochester, or UCSF, then ignore the above advice.
Good subtle troll haha
Physician mods be trollin for sure these days
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I am married with a young child and I lucked out and got into a med school close to our home. While she's not thrilled about the idea, my wife is very aware that there's a chance that we'll have to move for residency. I really, REALLY hope that I get to stay local for residency, but I can't say for sure that it will happen since many of the residencies near me are very competitive since I'm in a desirable state to live in. It is very important for the spouse to be aware of and accepting of the hardships that come along with med school before you begin it. I hate to say it, but if she is really that bent on not moving, med school may not be the right option for you if you want to keep your relationship intact. There's a lot of uncertainty in med school and especially when it comes to where you'll be for residency. It's definitely possible to land a res slot close to home, but it seems to me like you can't count on it.
