Should you quit applying to residency?

If i did not match I definitely do something about. Some people give in, some people move on. When is the right time to move on?

Applying is very expensive residency programs is very expensive. It costs money to apply to programs, it costs money to go for interviews. It costs money to travel around and do externships, ie. if you are an FMG. Sometimes there is just too expensive to keep applying.

One of the worst things about not matching is the depression and sense of inferiority that comes with not matching. It hits you hard. Trust me, I know. I have been there. You just don't want to talk to anyone about it, you just do not want to deal with it anymore.

But its not only you that is affected. Your friends and familys are in it with you. In my last time applying, the season I matched, I could see the stress that my family was under. I found myself hiding rejections emails from them because I did not want to make them feel the ups and downs that is the application process. I would only tell them about the positives, the interviews. Maybe I might mention 1 or 2 rejections but not more than that.

You look for another way in. In medical school I met a DO student that matched and said screw it he is not going to residency. I was confused. I asked him why. He told me his life story. In short he used to be an img. He applied a few times and did not make it into residency so he decided he would go the DO route. Now he was in his final year, he had been through a lot and decided that he did not want to do that anymore. This is what this journey can do to you. This is what depression can do to you. I did not keep contact with him after the rotation so I do not know if he continued into residency but i hope he did.

You look back at all these things and think to yourself, maybe I should just quit so I do not have to deal with all of this anymore.

You look around and you start to see that there is no career you can just hop into with your medical school degree. You can not become a nurse, physician assistant, a radiology tech, or even a medical assistant. You have to start from scratch. Maybe go to PA school, nursing school.

Its a very emotionally draining path for some.

Do I think that you should quit trying to match? Ultimately, you know yourself and you have to make the decision yourself. However, I would try again and definitely try everything I can. What I would do is look for the bridge, the thing that i was missing, that connects to a residency program and build it, ie. fix what needs to be fixed.

Things you can do.
1) go on forums and get advice
2) search for youtube channels that can give you information- I have a youtube channel that is dealing with all things residency match, all things medical school, all things img.
3) get help
-- friends that HAVE MADE IT. Everyone has advice but 99% of people giving it don't know what they are talking about. It sounds nice but usually its crap.
--coaches: There are many out there. Find one that trust. I will be coaching a maximum of 5 people to get into residency. (if you are interested email me: @ thesuccessfulimg@gmail.com)

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
My Youtube page: all things match, all things medical school, all things img.

Coaching: increase your chances of matching. Email me at thesuccessfulimg@gmail.com

My journey to the match