A New Destination

(Wichita's Skyline)

On the day of sugary hearts, chocolate love and red roses I received a special note.... No, this was not a love note, nor I wasn't celebrating Valentine's Day with anyone. It was a notification from the osteopathic residency match service that I had matched with my #1 choice for Family Medicine, Via Christi Regional Medical Center in Wichita, Kansas!

Hmm, now that I ponder on it, I believe the residency match system has quite a few similarities to online dating services. Allow me to explain: all respective participants build their profile, buffing and fluffing it up as much as is decent, then they perform a database search looking for compatible partners, contact is made, they go on first dates (interviews) and if both respective parties "like" each other --> marriage is the next sensible step... Oh and all this transpires in a matter of months. Yeah!!!

So in my own weird and nerdy medical student way, last Valentine's Day was one full of romance. :)

But to continue with seriousness, I am so excited and thankful for the way this process has played out. God granted me peace to rank residency programs in a specific manner and and it's now easy to accept the results as a great outcome. Via Christi was my first choice for a reason and I believe my internship year will be one filled with adventure, challenge, maturity and new friendships. Questions and thoughts taking priority over my brain synapses now are:
1. Should I rent an apt or buy a house? I hope to find a few other kids from my intern class to room with too.
2. Planning out the coolest bicycle route from home to work to church to the nearest coffee hang-out in my future city of Wichita.
3. A friend in PA just offered me one of her Aussie Shepard pups. Cool! But can I be responsible enough to care for people and dogs?!!?
4. Can I make it down to santa cruz la laguna in Guatemala for another month of jungle highland medicine?
5. Ah!!! I can't believe I'm leaving Texas! I may have to transfer resident status :(. The home state and all its wonderfully friendly people seem so much sweeter than before.
6. Which river in the Ouachita Mountains of Arkansas should my friends and I float this April? Duh! The Ouachita River.
7. The list goes on...


(Verdi Square on Broadway and 72nd st, Upper Westside Manhattan)

And I can't finish this without a word or two for my month in New York City. The story leading up to this is cool: I met another osteopathic medical student in Guatemala who told me about a manipulation rotation located in the Bronx, NY at St. Barnabas Hospital. Upon returning from Guatemala last June I lost this guy's contact info but was able to set up a month at St. Barnabas; then 9 months later my acquaintance and I reunite during working hours on a med-surge floor... surprise!!! It was great. The month allowed me opportunity to hone my manipulation skills and also plenty of catch-up with friends who had been transplanted in the city. A month of snowy, cold days and nights. I would not trade it! One fun experience was at the Newyorican Poetry Cafe in lower east Manhattan, an actress, Sarah Jones, provided the audience an evening of discussion and laughter while she played her various impersonation roles of the major ethnic groups in NYC, about 20 or so. Cool stuff.

Bottom line: Yeah, I liked living in New York City... But no other extended visit or relocation there is anywhere in my future.


(Washington Square Park)


(Morningside Park with Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine atop the hill)


(Can you tell it snows a bit in NYC? W Central Park and 68th St)

Thanks for reading and keeping in touch,

~drew


(Below are a few pictures from the Bronx near my usual hangout locations like the washateria and an Italian pastry shop called Polombo Gelato. I actually lived in the "Little Italy of the Bronx".)