MATCH DAY 2014

We matched on December 18, 2013. We got an email at 8 am from the military. Here is what it said.

Second Lieutenant DEREK D BRADLEY , the JSGME Board’s decision is:

You are selected for PG1 GEN SURG/ANESTHESIOLOGY. Repeat – you are selected for PG1 GEN SURG/ANESTHESIOLOGY. 

The training location is SAUSHEC with training to begin on or about  

01 July 2014 and ending on 30 June 2018.

We matched into the Air Force's anesthesiology program in San Antonio, Texas. It is a 4 year program. With any anesthesia program the first year is a clinical based year, or in other words it can be an intern year where you rotate the hospital, or a transitional year much like medical schools 3rd year where you do different specialties the whole year like internal medicine, ICU, OB/GYN etc, or a surgery year where you do surgery the whole year. Derek put TY first, then intern year, then surgery year. We have quickly learned that the military does what it needs. Derek was 1 of 5 people who were selected by the military to do the anesthesia program in San Antonio. Now, for some perspective... There were 55 applicants in the Air Force who chose to do anesthesia with only 5 spots in San Antonio. That means there were 50 people who did not match into this program. Difficult to get into this program? YES!!! Thankfully the Air Force also has 10 civilian deferred spots where 10 applicants can match into a residency program outside of the military, but that still left 40 people who did not match into anesthesiology that day. Rough day for many people! 

People don't know how competitive medicine is I think... We are extremely blessed to be selected. Also, it shows all of Derek's hard work paying off! He worked so hard to grab this spot! All of his studying, honoring, and getting great scores on the big step tests has been worth his hard work. We, his family are so very proud of him and are honored to be on this journey with him!

Now, for people who are not in the military the match was held on March 22, 2014. We went to support our friends and to be a part of the celebration. They all got to open an envelope saying where they matched all at the same time. It was quite an amazing experience! I have to say much like what I would say getting your mission call must be like, but probably a whole lot more anticipation for so many other reasons. A lot of the husbands let their wives open the envelope since they didn't serve a mission. It was so fun seeing where Derek's class is going to complete the rest of their medical education.

It is quite surreal to be at the end of our medical school journey, but in all actuality it is really just the beginning of an even bigger journey. Derek has done about 5 years undergraduate, then now 4 years of medical school and now his real training in anesthesiology begins for the next 4 years. 

We love our Dr. Dad!!! 

 The 4 applicants for anesthesiology for the University of Utah class of 2014. Where they are headed:

Left to right: Jeremy Alvord Mayo Phoenix AZ, Derek San Antonio, TX, Betty Boucher University of Utah, and Joe Strunk Virginia Mason in Seattle, Washington

Elara got to come with Mom and Dad because she had a fever which lasted 16 days... Still smiling though!