Match Day Triumph: Our Journey to Chicago for Orthopaedic Surgery Residency

The day we’ve been anticipating for what feels like an eternity has finally arrived! It’s been a week overflowing with intense emotions, exhilarating news, and a profound sense of relief that is truly hard to put into words. While I couldn’t help but share a little sneak peek on Instagram, for those just joining our journey, the past few days have culminated in a monumental turning point in our lives.

For anyone outside the medical field, fully explaining the intricate and often grueling “Match” process for medical residency feels akin to attempting to describe a complex symphony to someone who has never heard music. It’s an insane, all-consuming experience, demanding years of dedication and sacrifice. When I say it’s one of those “do you have 45 minutes to spare?” type of conversations, I truly mean it. This high-stakes process determines where graduating medical students will complete their specialized training, essentially charting the course for their entire professional future. Although we knew this day was a distant, yet inevitable, milestone when Connor first embarked on his medical school journey several years ago, the speed with which it crept up on us was honestly quite startling, a testament to how quickly time flies when you’re deeply immersed in such an intense academic and professional pursuit.

Just last year, at this very time, our focus was entirely consumed by meticulously researching and narrowing down potential residency programs across the country. More critically, we were strategizing where Connor should undertake his “away” orthopaedic surgery rotations – these are essentially month-long, intensive working interviews specifically designed to significantly boost an applicant’s chances of matching into such a highly competitive specialty. The summer and fall of that year became a dizzying blur of travel, rigorous study, and high-pressure evaluations. Connor seemed to be everywhere at once, jetting from the vibrant streets of Chicago to the bustling avenues of New York City, and then to the scenic hills of San Francisco, all packed into an incredibly intense four-month period. These “away” rotations were not merely about showcasing his skills; they were about integrating into different hospital cultures, learning from diverse faculty, and consistently proving his dedication, resilience, and capability under immense and constant pressure. It was an exhausting, but absolutely necessary, part of the journey towards securing an orthopaedic surgery residency.

The intensity of the application process didn’t wane. Connor spent almost the entirety of January traveling for formal residency interviews across the nation. This period was a relentless cycle of flights, carefully chosen attire, formal dinners, and back-to-back conversations with program directors and faculty. By February, after countless hours of deliberation, reflection, and deep discussion, we officially submitted our rank order list – a highly prioritized ranking of all the programs where he had interviewed. The tension surrounding this submission was palpable; every decision felt weighted with the significance of our future. For Connor, Chicago was unequivocally his top choice, a decision we both eagerly hoped would materialize.

To distill a notoriously complex and opaque process into simple terms: applicants rank the residency programs where they interviewed in order of their preference. Concurrently, those very programs rank the applicants they interviewed. An incredibly sophisticated and highly confidential computer algorithm then processes all of these preferences, meticulously matching thousands of medical students to residency positions across the country. It’s a system designed to optimize outcomes for both applicants and programs, yet it leaves everyone involved on tenterhooks until the very last moment, a true test of patience and emotional fortitude.

The first critical step in this unfolding drama arrived on “Black Monday,” as it’s informally known in the medical community. This was the day we anxiously awaited the initial, life-altering news: whether Connor had successfully matched into an orthopaedic surgery program at all. Surprisingly, I had felt a profound sense of calm and confidence throughout the preceding weekend, almost as if I instinctively knew things would work out. However, as Monday morning dawned, a familiar wave of last-minute nerves inevitably crept in, tightening my stomach with anticipation. Precisely at noon, an email landed in Connor’s inbox at the hospital. A few tense seconds later, my phone vibrated with the most anticipated text message of our lives: “MATCHED!!!!!” The relief was immense, a monumental weight lifted from both our shoulders that felt like years of accumulated stress simply melted away. This was particularly true for Connor, as this year had been exceptionally competitive for orthopaedic surgery applicants, and heartbreakingly, several of his close friends hadn’t been as fortunate, underscoring the sheer difficulty and emotional stakes of the process. The joy was immense, but it was tempered by the knowledge that not everyone shared our good fortune.

But the ‘Match’ process, in its truly dramatic and often cruel fashion, wasn’t quite over yet. The most agonizing part? We still had to endure four more excruciating days to discover the exact location where he had matched! At this juncture, we knew it would be one of nine specific cities where he had interviewed: the familiar, bustling streets of Chicago; the iconic metropolis of New York City; the innovation hub of San Francisco; the historic charm and academic rigor of Boston; the vibrant energy of Baltimore; the political heart of Washington D.C. (our current home); the quieter, academic appeal of Albany; the Midwestern warmth and community of Kansas City; or the industrial grit and revitalization of Detroit. As you can imagine, with such a diverse and geographically spread-out list of possibilities, an immense amount was still “up in the air.” Our entire future felt suspended in a thrilling yet terrifying state of uncertainty, making those four days feel like an eternity.

Those four days stretched out interminably slow, each hour feeling longer than the last. We consciously made an effort to distract ourselves, trying to embrace the present moment and find gratitude in the bigger picture. Regardless of where we ended up, the paramount fact was that Connor had successfully matched into a residency program, heading into a career he absolutely loves and is incredibly passionate about – a calling he has worked tirelessly towards for years. This perspective, though sometimes difficult to maintain, helped temper the consuming anxiety, reminding us of the ultimate success he had already achieved and the bright future that lay ahead, no matter the city.

Finally, Friday arrived – the highly anticipated “Match Day” itself! My parents and Connor’s parents graciously joined us on campus to share in this monumental event, their support invaluable. His entire medical class, accompanied by a myriad of nervous but excited friends and family members, congregated in a large auditorium. The room buzzed with a collective energy of hope and apprehension, all waiting for the news that would define the next exciting chapter of their lives, and ours.

To my surprise, I had managed a surprisingly good night’s sleep before Match Day and felt remarkably calm on Friday morning. However, the moment we stepped out of our apartment and began the drive to campus, a familiar surge of nerves took hold, and our stomachs twisted into knots. It’s a national phenomenon: at every medical school across the country, students gather at the exact same time to be handed the sealed envelopes containing their destiny – a small paper slip revealing where they will embark on their demanding residency journey. This simultaneous reveal only amplifies the drama and collective experience.

I won’t lie, I’m a self-proclaimed control freak, and the profound uncertainty surrounding the next five years of our lives has been really stressful over the past year. Layering wedding planning onto this already volatile mix, alongside taking the audacious leap towards self-employment for myself, and um… let’s just say, the journey hasn’t always been pretty. There were moments of intense pressure, emotional exhaustion, and trying to navigate major life decisions without a clear map. But through it all, we held onto hope, leaning on each other and our incredible support system.

A few minutes before the stroke of noon, one of the attending physicians finally took to the stage. With a knowing smile, he instructed all the medical students to line up, one by one, to collect their sealed envelopes. The tension was palpable as they slowly made their way back to their seats, clutching their futures in their hands, with strict instructions not to open them yet, of course. The anticipation in the room was almost unbearable, a tangible hum of nervous energy.

The entire auditorium was thick with the scent of fear, anxiety, and the faint smell of nervous sweat. Meanwhile, I found myself standing at the back of the room, fanning myself with an intensity that might have made me look utterly ridiculous, desperately trying to contain the overwhelming surge of emotions. The moment Connor returned with his envelope, my instincts took over. I did the next logical, albeit completely futile, thing: I grabbed it, frantically trying to read through the impenetrable paper, which, of course, was utterly impossible. It was a moment of pure, unadulterated, nervous energy, a testament to the immense stakes involved.

The doctor then delivered a brief, poignant speech about the significance of the Match results, weaving in some playfully vague clues about which cities various students were headed to – a form of good-natured torture designed to amplify the suspense. And then, finally, came the moment we had all been waiting for: the unequivocal instruction to begin the countdown to open the envelopes. The collective gasp and anticipation in the room was electric.

The entire experience could not have been more dramatically orchestrated. It was incredibly exciting, yet, oh my god, so utterly dramatic that at this point, I genuinely felt like I might vomit from the sheer intensity. That’s the honest truth. If you watch the video (link below), you can distinctly feel the electric energy that permeated every corner of that room, a palpable blend of hope, fear, and impending destiny.

Watch the dramatic Match Day reveal here!

Thankfully, Connor’s dad, John, had the incredible foresight and presence of mind to pull out his smartphone and videotape the pivotal ‘letter opening’ moment! We are so grateful for that spontaneous decision, as it perfectly captured the raw, unfiltered emotions of the moment. Here are a few snippets from the video – as you can probably tell from my reaction, I was in a complete state of shock and disbelief. And pretty soon after what you see, I was unexpectedly, completely bawling my eyes out with a mix of overwhelming joy and profound relief. (Rest assured, that particularly tearful part was edited out for your benefit, to spare you the full emotional breakdown!)

As you can probably glean from our ecstatic reactions, the monumental news is that we are officially, wholeheartedly moving to CHICAGO!!! For the next five incredible years, Connor will be completing his Orthopaedic Surgery Residency in the Windy City! We’ll be making the big move around mid-June at the latest, perfectly timed to follow our wedding celebrations, Connor’s much-deserved medical school graduation, and a cherished honeymoon. Words genuinely cannot express the immense pride I feel for Connor, for all his relentless hard work, unwavering dedication, and countless sacrifices over the past four grueling years of medical school. And I’m even prouder that he successfully matched into his absolute first choice program – a dream come true after so much effort. This impending move brings with it a complex tapestry of emotions: overwhelming excitement for the future, a nervous flutter about navigating a brand-new chapter, and a profound sadness at the prospect of leaving Washington, D.C. Both of us have called D.C. home for almost our entire lives, and most of our closest friends and beloved family members reside in the area. The thought of leaving such deep roots is certainly bittersweet. However, we are both incredibly eager and excited to experience and explore a vibrant new city, to embrace the unknown, and truly “mix things up” in the best possible way!

In my entire life, I’ve only spent a mere 72 hours in Chicago – and frankly, barely more than that across the entire Midwest region. However, from the brief but memorable glimpses I’ve had, I have an undeniable feeling that we are going to absolutely love it there. Beyond the exciting cultural landscape, architectural wonders, and new professional opportunities for Connor, I also get to fulfill my long-held dream of systematically trying every single item on XOCO’s menu. Oh, yes, that’s a serious life goal right there, among many others we plan to conquer in our new home!

I genuinely cannot wait to share more details with all of you in the coming weeks and months. Get ready for exciting posts about our experiences navigating life in a new city, discovering hidden gems, exploring the vibrant food scene, and truly immersing ourselves in all that Chicago has to offer. This marks a thrilling new chapter in our lives, and I am so excited to share every step of it with you all! I’ve already got a myriad of new ideas brewing for fun, engaging content – perhaps even a brand new column dedicated to our Chicago adventures? Stay tuned, because life is about to get even more interesting!

Thank you all, from the bottom of my heart, for your incredible support, patience, and unwavering encouragement during these past few emotionally charged weeks, and for your understanding as we navigate the exciting but hectic weeks that lie ahead! Your positive energy has meant the world to us. Sending you all virtual hugs!

[Oh, and a friendly PSA: If you happen to live in Chicago or the surrounding area, let’s absolutely connect in real life! Seriously, I’d love to make new friends, explore the city together, and get all your local recommendations. Okay, thanks!]