Reflections on New Beginnings

From the 6/18/2021 newsletter

Perspective/Opinion 

Reflections on New Beginnings 

By Olivia Davies, MD; and Brieana Rodriquez, MD 

 Drs. Olivia Davies and Brieana Rodriquez reflect on moving cross county to begin their new journeys for residency… 

Dr. Olivia Davies: 

I have lived in Wisconsin for most of my life. I did undergrad at Madison and medical school at MCW, when I shut the door on my 20-foot U-Haul and locked it for the long drive out to Boston I couldn’t believe I had fit my whole life in there.

But the truth is, I hadn’t. Leaving Wisconsin meant we were leaving my family and my fiancé’s family behind. When we arrived in Boston, I was nervous, would our apartment look like it did in the photos? Would the movers arrive on time? Would our couch fit? It did, they didn’t, it didn’t. I cried. I wanted to go home. My couch didn’t fit and neither did I. This busy city felt new, too new, and not mine. I woke up from a mattress on the floor the next day and reluctantly pulled on my tennis shoes, we had no food yet and I knew I just needed to go for a walk. I walked for hours that morning, a croissant here, a coffee there, I started to recognize streets I passed, I saw my new hospital, I realized the river path was five minutes from our apartment door and I let a long sigh out. I thought it might actually be ok. And it was.

Dr. Brieana Rodriquez: 

My “most extreme” feelings about moving across the country happened before I left. After match day I was so excited to start a new chapter of my life. I was ready! But after classes had finished and I had already bought my new house I was in this weird limbo state. The best way I could describe it was I felt like I had closed the Wisconsin book, but I wasn’t allowed to open the South Carolina book. My anxiety about moving was at an all-time high but it wasn’t because I was scared, it was because I wanted to move but couldn’t. But since I’ve gotten here there’s been nothing but excitement! Meeting my co-residents (and realizing I’d be able to make more best friends) has been so much fun! Exploring a new city has been so cool! When moving cross country for medical school I learned so much about myself. I grew so much personally and I’m ready to start experiencing that again. One of the reasons I chose to rank MUSC #1. Side note: I know the anxiety about starting work is going to kick in soon, but it hasn’t yet. 

Olivia Davies, MD, begins her Dermatology Residency at the Harvard University Combined Program on July 1st in Boston, MA. During her time as an MCW medical student, she was an associate editor of the Transformational Times. 

Brieana Rodriguez, MD, begins her Emergency Medicine Residency at the Medical University of South Carolina on July 1st in Charleston, SC.