Future Plans

I've had quite a bit of free time for myself for the last few weeks. There have been two pretty major events that are looming on the horizon. The first is our trip overseas for an away rotation. As Emily has already mentioned, one of our options is going to Africa. While that option is incredibly exciting, another one is also out there. Our friend, Rachael, from Australia was recently in Tucson visiting. She just so happens to be a pediatric (or paediatric if your an Aussie) nurse in Alice Springs. She's been looking for an excuse for us to come visit there for awhile, and she jumped at this opportunity. Australia was at the top of our list when we first came up with this idea. Rachael mentioned our desire to work overseas to the head of "paediatrics" in Alice Springs, and we're currently entertaining that possibility as well. So, we're likely heading to Australia or Africa in the next year, which is very exciting!

The second thing that I've been doing alot of thinking about is fellowships. I went into "pediatrics" (we're back in the US) originally thinking that I wanted to do general pediatrics. I love my continuity clinic and seeing all of the little kiddos I've cared for grow up. However, during my behavior and development rotations in my fourth year of medical school and earlier this year, I took a huge interest in a different subject. Emily and I both noticed that I seemed to be really energized when I'd come home from these rotations, and I started to consider doing a fellowship. I looked into where my fellowship options were, and I even sent some e-mails to many of the different directors, asking for some more information.

As I mentioned above, I've been doing alot of thinking and self reflection lately. I had just recently completed four straight weeks of working nights. I was doing an elective rotation for the two weeks before my vacation started, and during those weeks, I was able to return to my continuity clinic, which had been canceled while I was working nights. I suddenly realized how much I had missed it, and it made me question whether I really wanted to do the fellowship. There were a few other factors, outside of medicine, that helped me make the decision, but a decision has finally been made. I'll be going into general pediatrics. I decided that I could always go back to training to do a fellowship at a later time, but there are too many factors leading me to do what I already know I love.

Now, what does this mean for us? It means that we're most likely Nashville or Nashville-area bound in the summer of 2011. Of course, there are always chances that our destination could change, but that's our current plan (I'm sure you're happy Mary).