residency in high cost of living areas

[lilnoelle]

I am a MS4 interviewing for an Emergency Medicine residency. Most of my residency interviews are in areas with low cost of living. I am married, have two young children, and my husband's income is unlikely to make a huge dent in our expenses. Needless to say, cost of living is an important factor to me in choosing my residency location.

I currently am holding one interview in Chicago.... With Cook County EM. Doing my residency there would be FANTASTIC. I was extremely excited about the opportunity until I started thinking about the logistics of living in Chicago. If it were just me the consider, then it wouldn't be a problem. But I have two young children to think about. I want them to get a decent education, live in a safe neighborhood, and not worry about their peer's negative influence... But from my understanding, there is no way we could afford to live in such a neighborhood in chicago or the suburbs on a resident's salary.

I'd love to hear that I'm wrong.... does anyone have any advice?

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[WhoisJohnGalt]

I am a MS4 interviewing for an Emergency Medicine residency. Most of my residency interviews are in areas with low cost of living. I am married, have two young children, and my husband's income is unlikely to make a huge dent in our expenses. Needless to say, cost of living is an important factor to me in choosing my residency location.

I currently am holding one interview in Chicago.... With Cook County EM. Doing my residency there would be FANTASTIC. I was extremely excited about the opportunity until I started thinking about the logistics of living in Chicago. If it were just me the consider, then it wouldn't be a problem. But I have two young children to think about. I want them to get a decent education, live in a safe neighborhood, and not worry about their peer's negative influence... But from my understanding, there is no way we could afford to live in such a neighborhood in chicago or the suburbs on a resident's salary.

I'd love to hear that I'm wrong.... does anyone have any advice?

You say that your husband's income is "unlikely to make a huge dent in our expenses." I don't mean to pry, but since you asked the question, why do you think that is? My understanding is that in places with higher cost of living, salaries are higher (except resident salaries of course ). So even if your husband did the same job in a higher COL location, his income should make more of a "dent."

 

[lilnoelle]

You say that your husband's income is "unlikely to make a huge dent in our expenses." I don't mean to pry, but since you asked the question, why do you think that is? My understanding is that in places with higher cost of living, salaries are higher (except resident salaries of course ). So even if your husband did the same job in a higher COL location, his income should make more of a "dent."

Perhaps... but it won't increase near as much as the cost of living does. (40% higher) I'm guessing that my daycare expenses will probably increase about as much as his income will increase.
I obviously can't know for sure, but I'm pretty sure even with the increase in income, my husband's income won't equal my own.

My sister used to live in Chicago and her friend currently lives in Chicago. This friend makes $90K a year as a librarian and her husband works as well. The live in a tiny loft with two children and can't afford to have a third because daycare expenses are too high.

I look at that, knowing that my husband and my income might equal $90K added together. Maybe I'm being pessimistic, I just don't see how we're gonna make this work.

 

[Moonglow]

Part of my job is to assist residents in getting a handle on their living arrangements.

A day nanny (example: 8am-5pm) will be cheaper than sending two kids to daycare during the same hours. Also, Chicago has a great public transportation system, especially from the suburbs into the city. You can live, at a reasonable cost, in one of the nicer towns (say, to the north) and commute - hundreds of thousands of Chicagoans live this way.

In advance of your move to Chicago, you need to get together (via phone is fine) with your PD Coordinator and get as much informantion as you can concerning what other EM residents have done.

One recommendation: move to a place that you KNOW that you can afford. You can always upgrade to a bigger apartment, or a different town, etc. After a year, or so, you will have a greater understanding of your needs concerning housing, expenses, and daily routine.

 

[Wrigleyville]

I agree with the above post. Nannies are big in Chicago, day care not so much. You can get to Cook County from everywhere, via highway, El, bus, etc.

Don't let that scare you away. If you must have a giant house and a yard, you'll be living farther away from work, that's just the way it is (and is probably true everywhere to some extent).

 

[lilnoelle]

Is it feasible for a family of four to live in a decent area with a $90K a year income in the Chicago region?

 

[Pir8DeacDoc]

There is more that goes into a decision for residency location than just the training/educational component (IMHO).

Personally, if all things were relatively equal I'd much rather spend time training at a place where I can afford to live the way I want to and not have to live on soup for the duration of the residency. Do you really think Cook County will make you a better ED doc than somewhere else? Just because you saw it on TV doesn't mean it's all that great
I really have no idea but am guessing it's not worth the sacrifice.

 

[psychforme]

i thought you were going into psych?

 

[smq123]

I currently am holding one interview in Chicago.... With Cook County EM. Doing my residency there would be FANTASTIC. I was extremely excited about the opportunity until I started thinking about the logistics of living in Chicago. If it were just me the consider, then it wouldn't be a problem. But I have two young children to think about. I want them to get a decent education, live in a safe neighborhood, and not worry about their peer's negative influence... But from my understanding, there is no way we could afford to live in such a neighborhood in chicago or the suburbs on a resident's salary.

Have you interviewed at Cook County yet? Or is this all hypothetical that you'll like it there?

I've interviewed at places that I was sure I'd love....and ended up walking away from the interview day feeling very disappointed. I didn't like the PD's attitude, or the residents looked really beat down, or they announced that they were going to revamp the whole curriculum, etc.

If you haven't interviewed there yet, I think that this is definitely something to look at, and something to ask about during the interview day. Are many of the residents there married with kids? If they can do it, surely you can too.

 

[tkim]

Two places that pay well and/or have a low cost of living: York, PA, and Buffalo, NY. Worked out great for my family.

 

[dotdash]

My husband and I were worried about the same thing (2 school-aged kids) and ended up avoiding SF and NYC for that reason (we didn't look at Chicago but we probably would have avoided it, too). Between the schools, the daycare, and the long-commute-or-small-apartment tradeoff, we just couldn't make the numbers work.

It's been 9 months now, and I think we made the right decision (good public schools, kids can walk around, decent-sized house, backyard, etc.). Not as exciting as NY, but I can live with that.

If you are willing to put up with Chicago winters, you might consider other smaller but more family-friendly midwestern cities: Minneapolis is much easier than Chicago but still biggish, while Ann Arbor and Madison, WI are great family towns (tough winters, all, though).

Good luck to you!

 

[lilnoelle]

Thanks for your help everyone. I haven't interviewed there yet, but am trying to decide which interviews to keep and which to cancel. I think I've decided its not worth it. I've got lots of other great programs on my plate that are lower cost regions.