So I've been travelling around the US doing away rotations at different institutions and exploring different cities.So it's interesting to see how different schools are from each other. It's probably not something you can really realize unless you immerse yourself in a different environment and get a feel about what a school is all about. There is a lot to be said about being comfortable in a program and how much more important that is than getting into a top level program. Every program has their certain je ne sais quoi about them that either draws you there or repulses you away. In the next 5-7 months of my life, I will be travelling around trying to get a feel for each program I visit to look for the right fit. It's quite an undertaking if you realize that it takes people sometimes years to figure out what they want to do and then try to figure out how they are going to do it and where they are going to do it. Med students get about 1 year to do that.

Up until now, it seems like every decision along my life has been made for me or pre-planned for me. True, I did get into this program on my own and the decision was mine to go to DeBakey in the first place, but everything after that has been pretty much cruise control with very little bumps along the way. I always had a safety net if I made a mistake. But now I don't. I'm on my own with this decision. No more safety net around. I'm diving into the unknown without a real plan already laid down. Time to step into the real world.