And the winner is.......

Many of you have been asking about the match results. It’s not fair to have kept you waiting so long. Here’s what went down:

The weeks leading up to our rank order list deadline were tough. Bobcat and I were trying to decide whether we should rank our individual first choices (which were not in the same city), or take a chance on love and couples match. In the end we decided to compromise and put our relationship first.

Now those of you who’ve known me for a long time are probably shaking your heads a little in disbelief. Tabby choosing to put a relationship ahead of personal interest? It’s true. I have been historically selfish about career-oriented decisions. Honestly, I’ve had to be in order to get shit done. This was the first life-changing decision where I’ve even considered taking someone else’s best interests into account, and I can’t say it was easy. I can, however, say that when the time finally came for us to decide, the thought of being somewhere without my Bobcat was way more distressing than the idea of compromise (which was previously considered an expletive in my personal lexicon).

In the end, we decided to do a couples’ match. I ranked the Ottawa psychiatry northern program first, and Bobcat ranked the Northern Ontario medical school’s family medicine program first. We got our choice, and so the next couple of years will involve a fair bit of moving around. I will probably be in Ottawa for 3-4 months of the year, and we will try and spend the bulk of our time together in North Bay, with a view to possibility settling down there if we both like it. There will also be a brief stint in Sudbury this fall (unfortunately), which we are viewing it as an adventure as well. Apparently, they have sushi up there. My last couple of years will be mostly in Ottawa, and by then Bobcat will be long finished his residency.

So there you have it friends. If you had said to me even a year ago that things would unfold in this way, I would’ve suggested that you undergo a psychiatric evaluation. But now here I am. I won’t deny that this was a tough decision, but I think it was the best decision, and if you don’t take the odd leap of faith in this life, you just don’t move very far ahead.

Thanks to all of the Tabsters out there who made Carms a little more bearable. You know who you are: editors of various works of autobiographical drivel, writers of reference letters, billeters, givers of strategic advice, givers of moral support. You are all great friends. I sincerely hope you will consider either moving to, or purchasing a summer home in North Bay.

xotabby