Checklist Before Starting Residency
Written by Lindsey Ulin, MD
As a medicine intern, checklists are my organizational love language. Much like the workday, the time between now and orientation can initially seem long but go by deceptively quickly with many tasks you need to get done. Where does one even start? Here’s my checklist for things to do between now and starting residency- it’s not all onboarding paperwork, but make sure to get that done too.
[ ] Housing-Consider renting versus buying, and finding a realtor if it’s a city or market you’re not familiar with. Be mindful of how long it will be before you get your first paycheck and the up-front expenses of moving to a new place. See if your program offers any financial assistance programs to help trainees fill this gap whether it’s a loan, or signing deals with apartment leasing companies.
[ ] Moving- Whether it’s down the street or across the country, moving is daunting. Think about whether you’ll be keeping your stuff or what you can part with. Offerup and Facebook Marketplace are great for making some extra cash. If you use a moving company, take the time to compare them, read the reviews, and ask around as this is a large but sometimes necessary cost. A couple of loose ends to tie up after you move are changing your address with the postal service, and updating your voter registration and driver’s license. Set your rent and bills to autopay to make your life easier. Get to know your new city and neighborhood, and what you will need from it whether that’s child or pet care, a gym, a dentist, a therapist, a hair salon, or the best spot for X food, etc. If you’re moving to a colder climate, now’s a great time to snag some outerwear and boots on sale.
[ ] Finances- If you have loans, take this extra time to look into repayment or refinancing options depending on your goals. Meet with a counselor if your school offers this. After graduation, I consolidated my loans and applied for the REPAYE repayment plan, as I will be pursuing Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF). If this is something you’re interested in, once you start working, you can fill out an employee certification application to make sure your residency program qualifies and begin the process.
[ ] Establish community- Your program may have already started this for you, but if you don’t have a group text/GroupMe/slack yet, offer to make it! It’s a great way to start getting to know the amazing co-interns you’ll be spending a lot of time with. Also, you’ll likely find everyone has similar questions, and the onboarding paperwork process is slightly less painful when brainstorming as a group on how to find out where to send form 37A on page 4.
[ ] Not study- Enjoy this time while you have it! See your friends and family, travel, read that book you’ve been meaning to get around to. Figure out when you want to request off for vacation during the year, and try to spread them out. If you will be moving, make a bucket list of the restaurants and fun things you want to do in your city before you leave. Look into the adventures you want to have on your days off in your new city!
