It still feels surreal that exactly one month from today I’ll be sitting at orientation in the DC area. Sure it might be virtual to start, all done remotely (but we still have to be physically in the DC Metro), and I might have shorts on below my suit and tie that the camera can’t see, but it still marks the start of my new job/career/adventure. I’m getting more pumped as the days go by.

Since my last post, I’ve continued to slowly purge clothes and items I don’t need, as has my family. The pressure is a bit less on them since they aren’t moving in a month, but better to start now than wait until the end. It feels like my “to do” list continues to expand but the days continue to chip away. These are good problems to have, but can still be stressful.

I got a few new pieces of info from the State Department this past week. One, my baby Daughter E received her Worldwide Available Medical Clearance from MED. It was granted on March 1st, but they just emailed it to me to start the week. MED continues to be the most efficient part of the entire process, which is an encouraging omen as I embark on a career under that umbrella. I also received my “Final Offer” of employment, which basically was just a repeat of the salary offer I accepted last month, with some added/rehashed info that you receive after you pass the OA. So I guess I officially accepted the job? Doesn’t feel as grand as it did getting the initial offer and follow up salary offer, but what’s government work if they don’t make you do it three times? (please don’t fire me before I start)

That’s been it otherwise. Still grinding away at work, knocking those shifts out. I also have to give a huge shoutout to a reader here, Cameron, who pointed out another FS Medical Provider Blog https://place2place.blogs.com/studio/. It goes back to 2006, and chronicles a husband and wife, with their kids as they embark on their experiences living abroad. It still gets semi regular updates, but was really thorough with tons of posts for the first 6 or 7 years. Both husband and wife author posts, so you get a different perspective on things, and you actually get pretty good insight in the day to day of a medical provider early on in his career. I have to say, I snickered a bit when the author said they had a “busy day” seeing 12 patients at the embassy clinic. In my current hospital practice, a 12 patient day is a dream day, and when I did primary care, 20-30 patients, plus inpatient rounds after was par for the course. That said, the blog really highlights the scale of non patient care work MP’s have to do in their role, and they really do keep you busy. Overall though, it’s more of a travel/lifestyle blog, so if you are looking for tips on passing your OA, it won’t be there. Still a remarkable read, and I can’t thank Cameron enough for pointing it out.

Until next time, thanks for reading! – Nick