You see it on just about every medical blog. The S.O. (significant other) response to the comment, "But you're married to a doctor!" The context could be a variety of things, but the most popular one is probably related to jobs. Just this week in the lab, my fellow grad students were joking that I should "retire" after graduation, because, well I'm married to a doctor. It's getting easier to laugh about the comments- the only people that need to have a serious understanding about this are Dr. Hottie & I. I think what irks me the most is that many people think medical marriage is simple and some sort of ticket to wealth, nice cars, and a nice house. Just like every other medical blogger out there I will outline the sacrifice involved (in my case specifically):
2002: started dating Dr. Hottie. He mentioned he was pre-med. I was a poli sci major and didn't really know or care what pre-med was. I was jealous he got to miss swim practice to go to lab for multiple science classes. No sacrifice at this point.
2006: Dr. Hottie & I graduate from college. He starts the 1st round of med school applications = $$. Rejected from all schools with the exception of U of Buffalo. We opt no.
2007: Application round 2= $$. rejection
2008: Application round 3. go big or go home. He applied to 20+ schools = $$$$$$$. Got into UW-Madison, Boston U, George Wash, & Osteopathic school in Maine. Madison it is!
2009-2013: Med School = $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$. Away rotations 3rd and 4th year in different cities. 4th year med school included 13 residency interviews for general surgery = $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$. Match day assigns you the destination of the next 5-7 years of your life. Like a true tenacious Badger, Dr. Hottie kicked butt & matched at Utah.
2014-2020: 6 years of residency training. 80 hours/week @ the hospital. Start paying back loans with meager residency salary (do NOT calculate their hourly pay rate)- disgusting when you think of their education.
The point here is- there is an overwhelming amount of sacrifice that goes on in a medical marriage. More than the $ sacrifice is the time. They will miss most of the fun get-togethers (friends who don't know him will wonder if he actually exists) and too many weddings, anniversaries, graduations, etc. Do doctors make more $ than most of the working force in the US? Absolutely. Do they work harder (80 hour work weeks, working weekends, texting/calling fellow docs and nurses after 15 hour day) and make more sacrifice (avg of $100,000 debt, missed family time, your life IS work) for that salary. In my opinion, yes. Think hard before you envy the medical marriage. Most of us did not wish for it or choose it- we just happen to love our S.O.
2002: started dating Dr. Hottie. He mentioned he was pre-med. I was a poli sci major and didn't really know or care what pre-med was. I was jealous he got to miss swim practice to go to lab for multiple science classes. No sacrifice at this point.
2006: Dr. Hottie & I graduate from college. He starts the 1st round of med school applications = $$. Rejected from all schools with the exception of U of Buffalo. We opt no.
2007: Application round 2= $$. rejection
2008: Application round 3. go big or go home. He applied to 20+ schools = $$$$$$$. Got into UW-Madison, Boston U, George Wash, & Osteopathic school in Maine. Madison it is!
2009-2013: Med School = $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$. Away rotations 3rd and 4th year in different cities. 4th year med school included 13 residency interviews for general surgery = $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$. Match day assigns you the destination of the next 5-7 years of your life. Like a true tenacious Badger, Dr. Hottie kicked butt & matched at Utah.
2014-2020: 6 years of residency training. 80 hours/week @ the hospital. Start paying back loans with meager residency salary (do NOT calculate their hourly pay rate)- disgusting when you think of their education.
The point here is- there is an overwhelming amount of sacrifice that goes on in a medical marriage. More than the $ sacrifice is the time. They will miss most of the fun get-togethers (friends who don't know him will wonder if he actually exists) and too many weddings, anniversaries, graduations, etc. Do doctors make more $ than most of the working force in the US? Absolutely. Do they work harder (80 hour work weeks, working weekends, texting/calling fellow docs and nurses after 15 hour day) and make more sacrifice (avg of $100,000 debt, missed family time, your life IS work) for that salary. In my opinion, yes. Think hard before you envy the medical marriage. Most of us did not wish for it or choose it- we just happen to love our S.O.