I have a job! Ima be an adult! (Wait… WHAT?!)

OUR INTERNSHIP RESULTS CAME OUT A WHOLE MONTH IN ADVANCE!!! Annnnnnd… I got my first choice! I’m going back to my home town!!! 

I feel like I need this book.

 

South African Internship works a little differently than in for example North America. For one, it’s not considered part of specialising, but it IS considered part of further training – we are qualified doctors who GET PAID and are sue-able (!!) but we have logbooks all over again and learn new skills like doing C-sections solo. Our internships are two years long and we rotate through most disciplines again.

The application process is also a little different. It’s kind of like the Match in that we submit a list with our top five choices, but unlike the Match we don’t go for interviews or anything. Our only way of bettering our chances is by submitting a motivational letter (e.g. my husband lives there/ I’m a rates and taxes payer there/ my parents live there so I’ll be lodging for free/ please please please/ etc.) and the powers that be have no obligation to pay any attention to it, so it’s a little more random than the Match.

Like I said, I got my first choice (whoop whoop!) which also happens to be my home town. I’ve been 1,000km away from home for six years and the idea of living with my family for two years was just too good an offer. Not only will it enable me to get rid of my student loans much quicker, but I adore my family so it’s really kind of a no-brainer. After Internship I have to return to the Western Cape for scholarship obligations anyway.

It does mean that GeekBoy and I will be doing the long-distance thing, though… but I would never have gotten a placement in Cape Town in any case, as they are just too popular. We’ve done it before, although the longest was for nine months. But he will visit me regularly (the pros of having a boyfriend that loves and is loved by the family) and I’ll go see him on the rare occasions that I have leave (fifteen days of the year, to be exact).

Of course we already have Facebook group and it looks like I’ll be working with an awesome team. We are all so excited.

There’s a big part of pee-my-pants scary too, though. I have to figure out all these financial things, like capital insurance and disability insurance and malpractice insurance and medical aid (or should I stick to a hospital plan?) and the list goes on. Do I want to a retirement annuity or a different retirement plan? Where will I invest? I need to get a car, but who will sell me a car before I’ve been working for three months and can prove a stable income? Everybody wants the money before I even have it and it’s hard to figure out which is a necessity and which is a luxury. Luckily, GeekBoy is very good with these things, but he’s sorting out some of his own career plans at the moment so I have to take some charge on my own too.

Over all, I’m thrilled though. I just need to get through my final-final exams (in less than SEVEN WEEKS!) and then this six year journey will be coming to an end and the next part of my career will begin.

In other news: our graduation dance was FABULOUS! I have quite a few photos on Instagram, but here are some more, just for you. 🙂

Getting my makeup done at Smashbox

Getting some last-minute things done before leaving

Showing some leg 😉

GeekBoy and me!