For anyone who went unmatched for surgery, you can review openings on the APDS site
https://apds.org/education-careers/open-positions/
I did the following and had a decent amount of interviews and now I will spend this year, unfortunately, it looks like doing research but I will apply again for Surgery.
I looked at Frieda-https://freida.ama-assn.org/, residency explorer- https://www.residencyexplorer.org/, imgprep lists-https://www.imgprep.com/customized-residency-programs-list
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residency explorer, in my opinion, must have the most up-to-date info because well it's a newer site than freida , imgprep was extremely useful I put in the name of my school, and saw where the Alumni were and I got notifications when a new program opened up which I wasn't expecting
To prepare for SOAP I looked at this document https://www.nrmp.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Program-Results-2018-2022.pdf
You will see all the open positions there in SOAP for the past five years.
I had a query and projection based on five years and looking at the unfilled list it was dead on for what was open which makes me think some programs deliberately SOAP.
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I'm bummed out and going over every step multiple times in my head but I had interviews and I guess I have a year of research to look forward to I already knew prelim to categorical would be tough now I do
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APDS.org

People have said Match a resident is a waste. Has anyone tried this one though? What was your experience with freida residency calculator?

I am in IM and have been helping residents switch residency programs since 2021. I often see variations in the quality of advice about feasibility, resources, and contracts. So it would be helpful to list a collection of resources and questions to consider if you are worried that a switch might be in your best interest.
I will provide general information about the process, but I am happy to discuss specifics one-on-one. Every situation is unique, and sometimes switching is not a good option; please bear that in mind when reading this advice.
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1/ What is the state of residents switching?

• According to the ACGME figures, there are about 1000 switches yearly. Looking deeper into numbers: general surgery as a field has the highest count at an 18% attrition rate (AR). EM has an AR of 23% during residency, but the field experiences a 1% AR overall. 14% of IM residents experience toxicity and cite leaving as a consequence. (JAMA surgery, Journal of GME, JAMA)
• From my experience, the people with the quickest success are those making lateral transitions e.g. a surgical specialty into a non-surgical specialty.

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2/ What should you consider before deciding if switching suits you?

• Make sure it is not a temporary external factor such as burnout or dissatisfaction with residency in general. Sometimes it takes a week to a month to realize you were just pissed tired.
• But sometimes, it's not working out so...
• Questions to ask yourself:
  • What are your motives? Exhaustion? Program toxicity? Family, location, earning potential?
  • Do you have a "good" reason for moving? (helps if you have a less than supportive PD) Good reasons will elicit willingness from others when you ask for their sponsorship. Examples: moving for a spouse, a family situation, lack of specialty-fit.
  • Is your PD supportive? Although not 100% necessary it really helps to have your PD. They can advocate for you in finding opportunities, and you will need them to write a letter of good standing.
  • When is the right time to switch? Tomorrow? Can you wait a year? Are you okay taking a gap year?

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3/ When should I switch?

• There are two timelines: within The Match and direct to programs.
• The Match
  • While designed to place residents starting with first-year positions, The Match has subcategories (Physician-R) reserved for applicants with a previous residency experience and (Advanced) for residents going into PGY-2 positions.
  • When to prepare: the fall/winter before switching. It is generally more successful and streamlined than going outside The Match.
• Direct to Programs (aka swap)
  • Most vacancies occur during later winter and early spring, requiring you to apply directly to programs with vacancies. This is the road less traveled, but the benefit of The Match is that this takes place all year, and if you prepare the materials well enough, you can find success here.
  • When to prepare: 1-3 months before you intend to begin the process.

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4/ What resources are there?

• FREIDA = The AMA residency program database
• ResidencySwap = ($60/month) a database to pair up with other residents looking to switch with you.
• FindAResident = a "position board" from the AMA to help residents find programs with open spots
• Insidethematch = a twitter page that often posts open positions
• Online forums = SDN, Reddit, etc
• Networking
• Your PD

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5/ Step-by-step advice

• Make sure that switching is right for you - eliminate any doubt of burnout as contributing.
• Talk with PD if possible - they can be a great sponsor to getting you into other programs.
  • Get a couple of people to be your advocate (they can ease a PD relationship if needed)
• Start collecting resources
  • Letter of good standing from PD
  • Letters of Recommendations x2
  • Board scores and medical school diploma
  • Sponsors = people who will vouch for you + help you stay sane
  • Draft up and send emails of inquiry to program directors
    • Brief is best. Include your CV and your reason for transfer.
• Remain in good standing as a resident. This will help in all directions.

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Troubleshooting

• Moonlighting can be an option between residencies if you pass STEP3 and have your state medical license.
• Pay attention to GME funding if you are switching specialties: you are given a certain number of years of funding per your starting specialty. E.g. If you started in a 4 year residency and want to switch to a 7 year one (jeebus!) those extra 3 years are on the healthcare system, which could hurt your negotiation efforts.

I hope that helps, and good luck, everyone!

Coming in hot from the law school world, helping my SO make their residency rank list, and I can't believe you all put up with this shit. Half these programs didn't provide any information on salary/benefits beyond what is on FREIDA, and who knows how accurate that is. SO doesn't want to ask because they're worried it'll negatively impact how programs rank them, which from what I've seen isn't actually an unreasonable worry. So I guess they're ranking half these programs not knowing if they get reasonable health insurance or not?
The programs that do provide information on pay/benefits/etc make me want to claw my eyes out with how bad it is. SO's top program hasn't raised their salary scale in 2 years. Not like we've had crazy inflation or anything. 60k in a major metro in 2022 for someone with an MD??? And somehow the fact that as a resident you sometimes get a whole weekend off is something programs feel like bragging about? It's so notable that you have a special name for it? Wtf? That is some dystopian shit.
Truly what the fuck is going on over in med schools/GME? Watching them through whole process has been mind blowing to me, at least when entry level lawyers are working 80 hour weeks they're usually making Biglaw money...and they can, ya know, leave if they hate it...

Two volumes this time :O
I really want to just read the part end already so getting right into things:

P2V2

Though this segment is mainly about P2V2 the idea's I talk about almost all extend to both volumes. V3's segment will pretty much entirely focus on volume 3... and on re-reading it sounds too much like a summary but I'm not rewriting that.
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Effa Hassa Baby
Unfortunate that I already knew this going in but like it's fine. They had.... how many? 4 miscarriages? 2 before Tuuli and two after Tuuli. Not sure when Myne happened though. That ah... sucks balls. But because of the time period, I'm sure it's not terribly uncommon :(.
Myne's obsession with sanitation is particularly valid here. I really forgot how long it took historically for people to make the connection between filth and disease. Anyway, I'm getting way ahead of myself. Jumping back to P2P2 where Effa actually announced the baby, this starts an overarching subplot that STILL isn't over: Mynes picture book empire, with the single motivation of making a book for her upcoming little sibling.
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Rosina Is My Spirit Animal
I may be a 6ft black male with calluses all over his hand but I'm literally so into Rosina's Autistic obsession with dedicating herself to art and like..... only art. Ever. Head empty, only culture. I hope Christine isn't evil or wasn't the previous orphanage director or something because I feel like I'd get along with her. This also sorta helps my case with something I said in the past. Yeah, no one wants to be a priest/shrine maiden I understand that, but I don't think it's absolutely terrible in all cases even if sister Christine is an exception when it comes to blue priests. If circumstances within the country were different (no mana shortage) and the high bishop wasn't the guy in charge, I feel like it would be... okay most of the time but not much better. I see it as trading your adjacency and free will for a lifetime guarantee of "this is fine."
Anyway, Rosina is cool and pretty and a freaking nerd that cries over being given sheet music for her coming of age. She's great, just needs to work as a cashier once or twice to whip her in shape.
Myne kinda sucks at music, but she doesn't at the same time. What I'm trying to say is because of her past she is picking things up extremely fast. Fast enough to receive compliments. But everyone else is just that good. Rosina is a natural, It's implied Wilma is good in both volumes, Ferdinand is great, Did Karstedt play? (Ok he didn't but he can play the flute). And finally, Sussy Sylvester is good too (I'll get back to him >:( )
Wilma kinda seems like a wreck because of her trauma but not only does seem to hold conversations really well she's also extremely wise. Girl psycho-analyzed Rosina in her side story!
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Ferdinand likes cookies
The high priest likes cookies.
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Da Restaurant
Between the two volumes, there are really only the two back-to-back chapters fully dedicated to discussing the restaurant before it almost completely moves into the background, with it seemingly perpetually on the verge of "almost opened" over the next volume.
Is using a tablecloth for decoration really that out of the ordinary? (I initially elaborated more on this but like I'll leave it there). Menus being that much of a surprise for Benno is also shocking. Not surprised that it's uncommon, I'm just surprised that it's so odd to him he's tempted to deny it.
It isn't until I hit Ella's side story that I truly got the sigma of what waitresses are in this world. I thought they were playing it up but it's not just a fitting metaphor like I thought, it's almost like they're literally seen as the equivalent of prostitutes.
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Books AND Ink AND Toys
AKA 70 percent of the whole first volume. So first of all even though I expect exclusivity deals and all that to be a thing, I think the mindset of merchants here is really dumb and probably just a product of the times. Distributing your workload between different workshops is obvious.
Looking back at Myne's fumble in the workshop was in retrospect her biggest mistake yet. This scene snowballed so out of control it's insane. The implication of what she said to the ink foreman (who didn't even wish her ill intent) is still not over and I don't think Myne has realized that much of the danger she's in was completely self-inflicted. I mean nobles were gonna go after her eventually anyway but she probably accelerated the whole plot of this story by a large amount. I'm not even sure we got to the bottom of who wolf was actually serving.
Board games are such an ancient concept that I am curious if any.. or rather how many exist and might create a conflict of interest with the ones Myne has made. It's almost implied that her games are pretty revolutionary but later we find out that there's a chess-like equivalent in this world, though it's played with magic and seems a bit more complicated than your run-of-the-mill board game. Magic might be kind of a crutch in this society. The people who have the most education (nobles) rely a lot on magic and it's actively stunting the growth of their society and culture. (I'm coming back to this point after the fact. Assuming civilization in different worlds started in similar circumstances I wonder if bookworms world is actually as out as ours and magic has stopped them from progressing. Just a thought.)
This moves smoothly into how Mynes inventions will collapse noble society. This isn't a "potential" thing, they WILL turn noble society on its head. Even without a proper printing press it was only a matter of time, and now that she has a semi-proper printing press it's a matter of significantly less time than before. It's funny how many times the high priest has a meeting with Myne and is genuinely surprised by the sheer extent of the stuff she's working even though he should have already have been informed by Frans's reports. You'd think he'd stop underestimating Mynes.... "quirkiness" by now.
Some workshop world-building: Generally speaking, carpenters don't have small tools. I guess the logic it's there's a difference between a carpenter and a craftsman (but didn't they want Lutz to be a craftsman? I find it strange that his brothers didn't have the right tools to satisfy Mynes's templates for woodblock printing as evident by the complaints of Lutz's brother when working on it). So like, what kind of shops do have small tools then? Is there some special art shop? Or maybe only artists and sculptures who work largely independently have such tools made for them. Myne did get Johann to make an Exacto knife after all, maybe ordering custom tools isn't an uncommon occurrence. (Love that guy btw).
The volume goes out of it's way to mention Myne draws cartoonishly but the fact that Myne is the one who says that has officially led me to conclude Myne is in fact just bad at drawing. This is essentially confirmed for me when Mynes creates a new simplified art style that Wilma copies and makes 10 times better.
I understand woodblock printing but I actually had to sift through my memory to properly understand what Myne meant by Mimeograph printing, because the one I was thinking of was the roller hand-crank thing that apparently has some nostalgic smell (weird) and was invented way after the Gutenberg press. I thought Myne skipped a few centuries there. Anyway, If I got things correct there is a stencil that for now, Myne is making with paper. Below that is a blank sheet of paper. These items are put on a stand. There is a netted frame that hinges onto the stand and folds right on top of the stencil. The frame helps keep the paper in place, spread the ink evenly, and keep your hands clean especially since you don't need to touch the stencil to accomplish the first two tasks anymore. You roll ink onto the net and then you're done. cool.
Myne binds and finishes her first book where everything started, in her own home. I also want to go into her book binding technique but I'm already tired of typing and there's so much more to go.
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Cinderella
Maybe it's just the temple that thinks it's a big deal but I'm surprised the concept of romanticism in stories completely escapes Ferdinand. Especially given his past, like does the man not dream? Damn. Being that Effas has told Myne countless stories at this point I'd assume she'd be aware of the social etiquette concerning what stores are acceptable. It's probably just another "Nobels won't like this" sorta thing.
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I'LL KILL HIM MYSEL- Oh he's dead
🦀Skikza Is Dead🦀
What a piece of garbage. I don't even feel bad for him, or his family. I kinda feel bad for Damuel but I feel like he feels like he's completely blameless. I noticed I'm starting to get ticked at the myriad of people in the light novel that give up due to a perceived lack of options. My perspective is later explained in a side story so this isn't really that much of an original thought but whatever it's what I was thinking at the time before the side story!
The knights summon subarc was a really cool change of pace. We shifted completely to a more high fantasy fantastical type of thing. I really like when we get really nitty gritty into economics and in-industry production but I could do with more of these. I'm happy they did this now because I was kinda afraid of a situation where we barely see any advanced application of magic until Myne goes to the royal academy. It would create a situation where we look at the past and be like "Why didn't [character] do [insert magic spell here] in [insert climatic scene here]?" But between the two volumes, we've seen plenty. I kinda would enjoy a brief explanation of how specifically things work based on the info we know now.
What I retained between both volumes: First and foremost mana exists in the environment since the troumbes have to suck it out of somewhere. Most offensive magic we've seen so far has to do with imbuing a fey stone or an object with the god of darkness's powers through prayer. It might be more accurate to say it focuses on manipulation though especially in light of the mana sucking mist next volume. You can transform objects and feystones into countless types of weapons. Ferdinand's Arrows seems to work from a similar principle but it doesn't seem apples to apples. Moving forward a whole volume, magic imbued by the goddess of wind focus on defensive spells. Magic imbued by the goddess of fire seems to be the more straightforward offensive type of magic, increasing stamina and raw power. Magical rings are used to channel mana, either giving mana form or causing something sort of status to happen to a target. I'm still not sure what feystones specifically are yet in my mind they're just generic magical stones. Some can be used to measure one's mana and they change color in response to the amount. Ferdinand used multiple stones to contain Mynes mana when she went into a panic. I'm curious about the effects of invoking multiple gods or mixing and matching gods, their associated tool, and their associated colors have on spells.
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1000 IQ Ferdinand
It would have been too much of me to ask for him to immediately conclude "Ah yes you must be from another world!" but Ferdinand notcing Myne is too freaking weirdo to ignore is a good on him. People think Myne is weird but I'm genuinely shocked only Lutz up until this point has seen through Myne. Even if he initially concluded she must somehow be associated with noble society his perception that she has some sort of past she's not talking about is multiple steps more than any other character has taken. Her reading skills, her sorting system for books, it's all so obviously foreign that I'm still wondering how Benno restrained himself to not outright interrogate her.
Moving past that Ferdinand has a lot of moments this volume where he's being freakishly keniving. Specifically, during the end of the knight's summon when he had Shikza restore the land and I knew exactly what he was trying to accomplish by asking him (I had a creepy grin on my face as he was gassing up shikza). He promptly passes out but not before restoring a respectable 10-foot radius patch of land. Too bad Myne completely dwarfs his feat, restoring the whole crater sized patch of barren land and is completely fine afterward.
There's also The dedication ritual where he tells Myne to fake being bad after telling the high bishop a smaller value of Mynes mana compacity then reality. Mynes comments how in that case they really are deciving him and Ferdinand basically says "Yes :)" and is completely ok with telling the high bishop himself if he presses Ferdinand.
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Re:Zero moment
I'm pretty sure bookworms tackling of this sort of subject actually predates re:zero's by some years or happened at similar time frames but like... the comparison is too easy to make. Though Myne really should have explained things a bit more and Ferdinand shouldn't have stuck so hard to the "Myne was a noble" train of thought he did a pretty great job in terms of keeping up. "Sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable to magic" after all. How we, or rather Myne views magic is how Ferdinand views modern technology. In fact, he's significantly worse off them Myne. We don't think about this much but we in modern 1st world societies are literally living in a sci-fi reality dreamt up by novelists only 50 years ago. And he's not only able to keep up with Mynes erratic thoughts, he also understands the meta behind his circumstances that I just explained. Showcased when he pretty quickly understands why Myne thinks magic is odd in spite of technology.
This was kinda a cruel thing to do, not that he knew any better. Myne sorta went into this dream (I'm calling it a dream since I'm not really sure what to call it) like it was just another Tuesday but her leaving her guard down made the emotional trauma of seeing her past life, her mother notwithstanding, makes it all the more prevalent. I don't re-read these posts that well so I might have said this already but it does not take an expert to realize Myne had a pretty amazing mom. In the first few volumes she, talks about her mom off handy like a billion times but that alone showcases how close she was with her even if a lot of the love was one-sided. You don't know what you have until it's gone. Having connected with her new family made her realize how much her old mom loved her and this sticks with Myne for the entirety of the next volume. She was already loathing leaving her family enough as it is. Now that she's connected wit them this feeling has now been multiplied ten fold by the new idea that "I could lose them [family] again."
I'm not taking back my comments about Mynes defeatist attitude from past volumes. But I at least empathize with her perspective. She has it really rough.
What this scene adapted well by any chance? I'd love to see how this was animated but it also looks hard to do faithful and easy to just hand wave.
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P2V3

So first of all I'd just like to point out the beautiful artwork for the cover of this volume. It's my favorite so far.
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Myne and Ferdinand are Kinda alike
Weird subtitle to discuss what's mainly the prologue. I'm extremely curious of what specifically is Ferdinand's standing within noble society. I know his family situation is complicated but that's pretty much it regarding his background. Why is he infamous enough that Karstedt was thinking to himself how not many STILL admire him, implying a lot of people hate him yes, but also continuing the implication from P2V1 that he was some sort of golden child despite being born by a mistress. His stepmother being... jealous I guess? Completely tainted his name.
It's been drilled into us, in this volume in particular, that mana capacity and nobility status is directly related. So in absence of a way to increase mana via hard work alone (which I'm sure exists since it always does) he must be really high in standing no?
Anyway, in respect to how he and Myne are a like, I think it's fair to say Ferdinand has in a sense "given up" for a while now and accepted that the temple will be his life going forward. Though the circumstances are different he was also put in a situation where his life livelihood was on the line and though he resolved to run away he's not necessarily living a very fulfilling life. Saying he see's a bit of himself in Myne is an understatement. Things are starting to change though. Almost like he's think of putting plans he's been mulling over for a while now into action. Heres hoping murdering the high bishop is one of them!
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Freida is back for 5 seconds. Immediately buys a bible
Skipping a lot of discussions with Benno since I think how Freida immediately cops a bible (probably after hearing how cheap it was) is enough to send the point home. I'm telling you these bibles are gonna be a big freaking deal I'm sure of it.
In retrospect, Johann has always referred to Myne as the Gilberta girl or just "The Gilberta company" huh? I think Benno would rather most not know Myne exists but I think he's done a great job of obfuscating her identity. She's just some random rich girl to most people, or someone with some tenuous connection to the Gilberta company. Here is when Myne gets Johann to bring make letter types. Can't wait for the inevitable social unrest as a result of creating a literal printing press.
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Trouble with the ink guild
I don't know if they straight-up want her dead. I don't know if they want her info. But the ink guild is after Myne. Well okay, I guess the book does explain in clear terms nobles are using the ink guild as a proxy. The ink guild head is in cahoots with nobles and essentially is kinda running a criminal syndicate to earn some favors with nobility. This will surely turn out really well for him and will not lead to any life-threatening consequences! Benno's instinct to hide Myne and let him handle the contract was really good thinking.
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Meeting and Future Proofing
As a consequence of the ink guilds plotting Mynes winter stay starts early, and to put it lightly, she's having a really bad time there without her family.
Small aside about the sovereignty, not a big deal purely because it should be obvious but it is important: The Sovereignty is revealed to be the dutchy with the most power in the country. A capital region essentially. Probably where some sort of proper royalty resides.
Karstedt and Ferdinand are quickly enthralled by the toys Myne has made during a meeting. All parties there basically conclude everything aside from possibly chess would sell well but I already talked about the toys in length already. Insert "These will change history" discussion #100000
Due to the threat of Kidnapping Damuel is now Mynes bodyguard. What a goofy silly guy. Honestly, I think most people would rather be a rich commoner than a lay noble because it sounds like being one freaking sucks. You're in low standing, you have a relatively small amount of money, and yet living your life necessitates you communicate with nobles all the time. I probably won't talk about Mynes winter stay at length but even Paurees got the man excited.
After hearing about being adopted Myne loses it. And because of a lot of circumstances, Ferdinand becomes Mynes Hug dispenser. We're givin' a time limit, when she's 10. But unless there's a time skip I realllllllllllllly doubt we're gonna be mulling around for 2-3 whole years. That would be another 6-8 volumes!
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Ferdinand likes cookies (Again)
The high priest likes cookies.
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Winter Stay
There's a lot of stuff that happened during her stay that I really don't want to get into and luckily nothing that revolutionary happens. Some cute sequences happen though I want Damuel to have some friends. If Rosina's an adult now does that mean she'll tie up her hair? NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! I like how the one time Myne entirely ignores her attendants and does stuff her way was to get everyone ready for paruee day. Out of all the stuff to care about, some tasty fruit is what did it. I really want to know what song Myne had the high priest playing in the anime. God, I hope there's a scene of him playing like the Evangelion theme or something I hope they commit to the bit and not just mention it!
The dedication ritual does happen which is I guess the biggest deal aside from the spring prayer. Y'all made sure a while back to correct me when I said Fran suggested Myne use the orphanage director's chambers. Arno did. I bring this up now because this dude Arno is like... what's his deal man does he not like us or something? Constantly getting doing small underhanded stuff. "Our timing couldn't have been worse" Naw that wasn't a coincidence the dude planned to have Myne walk past the high priest on purpose.
There's an interesting scene with Effa when Ferdinand breaks it to Mynes's family that she'll have to be adopted. She pretty quickly accepts Mynes circumstances despite Gunther's protest (not that they had a choice in the matter but whatever). Basically her just being a care mom and entrusting her daughter to Karstedt.
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Sylvester
Instead of recapping the spring prayer, I'll talk about this man instead.
Blue priests do not like Myne. There are only around 8 in the temple. The blue priest that Myne met right before the harvest festival was particularly nasty. But here comes a mysterious blue priest who toys with Myne purely out of child-like curiosity. He has a reputation for his personality yet we've never heard of him. He is not stuck up. He doesn't act like a noble but has the attitude for everyone to understand that he must be of high standing. Ferdinand seems to treat him just like Myne telling me they're close. He was also strangely competent during the ambush (He can use a phoenix incarnation spell cool!).
What really got to me which might seem strange to yall, is how he was so interested in hunting in a commoner's forest and wanted the children to call him nicknames. The dude despite having a serious side is just like Myne in the fact he's clearly a noble but does not like acting like one all the time unless it's to keep appearances. And then he gives Myne some charm, tells her to never take it off, and then freaking leaves?
Oh and before that, How he was SO interested in what Myne was doing in the workshop. This was not something he thought out of the blue no way, he has some vested interest in figuring out what Mynes doing be it for ill as an enemy or for good as a contingency of sorts. Not to mention how freaked out Benno was when he say Sylvester close up.
Ok drop the facade who the heck is this guy? I feel like everyone knows but me and Myne! He's definitely not just a blue priest and shares some sort of Kinship with Ferdinand. I have a knot in my stomach over the possibility that he's a noble from another dutchy and got Myne stuck in a contract against her will by giving her that charm. Like you don't understand I've been consistently worried some super bad point-of-no-return thing might happen soon. Like way worse than the ambush. Where Mynes parents die. Or plot twist! Myne dies again. Or something messed up happens to the orphanage or heck maybe the whole city gets nuked. But also there are other more positive possibilities regarding Sylvester. Him and Ferdinand are on some similar wavelength. I'm entertaining the possibility he was the "someone else" Karstedt referred to during the prologue. My best guess would be his brother.... step brother? That he mentioned in P1V1.
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Consequences of printing
"These are gonna change History!" 5 minutes after she passes out "Oh shit she's right"
I think that summarizes both the chapter and Johanns side story. All parties involved are mulling over how to deal with the ridiculous thing she just created. During the last time Ferdinandlassier rfaire summons myne this volume he realizes how... honestly dangerous the thing myne created is and inquired about it's impact in the past, correctly guessing Myne's laissez faire society wasn't always as vauge and carefree when it comes to cross class relations.
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Everything Else
I think possibly the most important thing about these volumes is widening our perspective on nobility. There's a limit to how many exceptions we can see consecutively before we gotta conclude "ok maybe these people aren't all bad"
You got your mustache-twirling villains, Nobles who didn't get the best lot on life that are on a spectrum when it comes to being good or bad, and powerful people who don't seem to mean bad at all.
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In regards to Arno, Myne doesn't even know the guy. Maybe he's playing 4D chess and is actually helping Myne under Ferdinand's order but how has any of his passive-aggressive antics helped Myne? Make her a more resilient person? Manipulated her movements and attitude in such a way that she builds the right relationships with the right people? Anyway that to me leaves only two things. He either has it out for Myne under orders from another noble or the high bishop, or he just hates Fran (the only guy in Mynes's proximity with a tangible relationship with Arno)
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Umm.... that's it for bonus stuff. I talked about everything I wanted to :L
This volume poses a lot of questions that I hope weren't supposed to be obvious. Things are heating up a bit faster than what I and the characters themselves expected. I'm kinda scared but we'll see what happens next!

Hello brothers and sisters,
I'm in pursuit of family medicine residency programs that are heavy in procedures (e.g. endoscopy, C-sections, hernia repairs) as well as comprehensive in OB and pediatrics. For example, a program like JPS in Fort Worth is exactly what I'm looking for but I'm having trouble finding more like it. Programs that come close, as far as I've seen on FREIDA and program websites, are Ventura County MC and CHRISTUS Santa Rosa (emphasis on inpatient, outpatient, and obstetrical procedure training). Of course, I would love any extra training benefits as well.
My plan is to open at least a clinic in a rural setting here, as well as outpatient clinic(s) in my home country that has very few resources or reliable doctors. This is why I'd like to get the most comprehensive training that I can during my residency.
TLDR: What are some family medicine programs that are like JPS in Fort Worth (heavy procedural training)?

I have friends with great apps/scores with little to no invitations, friends with below average apps/scores who have many, and friends with average stats on both sides. Its so unpredictable how or why these programs choose certain people. it just looks like theyre pulling random applications out of a hat to interview. Its even more frustrating seeing how well your stats fit the programs you applied to based on these websites (freida/residency exploreetc.) yet crickets...
I really dont want to hear how " its too early". when you check the discord and that damn excel sheet and see how many people received interviews and how people show that interview spots are filling up through dec/jan. I start thinking if theres something wrong with myself or my application and question if im going to actually match (or even get to interview somewhere). my app/scores are considered to be avg according to my school with great leadership/EC's/research/PS. but i do believe im competitive for atleast SOME of the places I applied to (looking at you safety programs)...
Im sorry, I just needed a place to vent and get this all out. its only been 2 weeks and i probably need to get a hobby during this time as we continue waiting

How accurate is ERAS “Reserved for Physician Only” for Diagnostic Radiology applications this cycle? Basically what ERAS and Freida have published on their websites is different.
I am preliminary Internal Medicine Resident applying for Diagnostic Radiology positions for a start date of July 2023 for 4 years of Radiology.
Last cycle according to Main Residency Match 2022 there were 19 Diagnostic Radiology programs offering positions “Reserved for Physician Only”. This cycle according to ERAS there are only 7 Diagnostic Radiology programs offering positions “Reserved for Physician Only”.
As this number has decreased from last year, I am concerned that it is not accurate and I should apply for some Advanced Programs as well. After cross referencing Freida, there are some programs that say they are offering 2023-2024 start dates for 4 years of Diagnostic Radiology.
Does anyone have some experience with this?

From an Ohio D.O. school, Applying Categorical IM
COMLEX-1: 548 COMLEX-2: 447 Step 1: 222 and Didn't take step 2 (mentally exhausted)
Volunteer experience: 8 (4 leadership), Work experiences: 2, Research: 3, Publication: 0, good MSPE with Outstanding rating, 3 very good letters of recommendations, 4 in-state Sub-Internships.
I am concerned that if the programs use an algorithm with hard cut of scores of 550 for level 1 and 450 for level 2, I wouldn't make the cut by 2-3 points.
I have used the information from FREIDA and residency explorer to come up with a list of 50 DO friendly programs where I have my best chances. Should I apply to all 50 or add more programs? is the cut off score listed on FREIDA a hard cut off? I am panicking because I dropped the ball with Level 2 due to some personal reasons and now unsure ofmy chances are of matching.
Really appreciate your time and help! Thanks!
​
Update: Applied to 45 programs, received 18 interviews.

​
This is a data driven reflection from an AAMC survey of several hundred gen surg, derm, and IM programs on how preference signaling was useful in the 2021-2022 cycle. Survey data is in italics.

• 85% of dermatology, general surgery, and categorical IM applicants used the maximum number of signals available. Really, there is no reason to not use program signals. They only help your case and programs don't know if you have used all of them or not so if they don't get one from you, they may assume you didn't want to catch their attention or didn't prefer them. In fact, most program directors reported using preference signals as part of the holistic process to invite applicants to interview (95%-96%) and as a tiebreaker for deciding whom to invite to interview (84%-94%). Furthermore, 75% of program directors reported that preference signals helped them identify applicants they would otherwise have overlooked. Strategy: signal reach programs that there is a chance that you may otherwise get overlooked at. So if you have a step score of 204 and no publications, don't waste your signal on John Hopkins. Well duh! Use Freida or the Texas STAR dashboard to figure out which programs are in your range. Also, you may not need to signal your home program or programs you did an away at as you already have connections and have shown interest in them.
  
• Most program preference signals (87%-89%) overlapped with 1+ geographic division preferences. Most applicants (69%-79%) sent preference signals to programs located in the same geographic division as their permanent address. Between 61%-69% sent preference signals to programs located in the same division as their medical school. Since most PDs use geographic preferences to choose who to interview or as tiebreakers or to find overlooked applicants, consider using some of your program signals for programs outside of your geographic divisions in order to increase the chances of getting their attention (unless there are programs within your divisions that you really want to double down on).
  
• Preference signals were not equally distributed across programs. About a quarter of the programs in each specialty received 46%-53% of all signals. This begs the question: "Were applicants mainly signaling prestigious programs as a longshot attempt for attention rather than strategically signaling 'reach' programs?" Programs who receive many signals will devalue them versus programs who receive few signals will be much more attentive to them. Unfortunately, we do not know which programs were signaled most.
  
• Top factors applicants considered when signaling? - Alignment of program strengths with career interests (67%), location (66%), and strength of the program’s clinical training (54%).
  

Tl;dr: Do not use preference signals only on the most prestigious programs in hopes for their attention if you are not a fairly competitive applicant already. Use them for realistic reach programs that you have a chance at but could possibly be overlooked at. Or consider using them on programs outside your home, away, or geographic preferences.
What are your opinions or experiences (Dear PGY-1's) on program preference signaling?
Source: https://www.aamc.org/data-reports/students-residents/report/supplemental-eras-application-data-and-reports
Resources: https://www.residencyexplorer.org/ and https://www.ama-assn.org/medical-students/preparing-residency/freida

Hello guys!
​
Have you guys started on adding programs to your ERAS basket?
While I was crawling the website, I found out that some programs do not post their J1/H1B sponsor status on FREIDA or residency explorer. Do you guys search each program by visiting each program website?
If there is any better way of searching programs than this primitive approach someone please shed light on me.
Also if anyone is applying for rads--will you guys be applying for visa sponsoring but low IMG proportion programs as well? I am still pondering upon this...if it is worth the $$.
​
Thanks in advance

best database to look for programs
so i have heard about FREIDA, Residency Explorer, Match a Resident and Resident program list and just the ERAS 2023 list of programs... which one is the best way to start researching programs? I think i am confused a lot because I have a step 1 score and i am like... should I believe steps cut off on their webpages? how are they going to see me vs a candidate just with a pass? should I look more for step2 score when taking a decision where to apply?

so i have heard about FREIDA, Residency Explorer, Match a Resident and just the ERAS 2023 list of programs... which one is the best way to start researching programs? I think i am confused a lot because I have a step 1 score and i am like... should I believe steps cut off on their webpages? how are they going to see me vs a candidate just with a pass? should I look more for step2 score when taking a decision where to apply?

Hello. I'm doing my program list for the upcoming match and would like to know more about programs. Not the FREIDA or administrative details per se but the culture of the program, reviews and experiences of the residents. Something like reddit with forums.
I've looked on reddit but many programs don't have any info here. Any ideas?

I know that if you're applying for IM for example, you'll find around 400-500 programs, & you should narrow them down until you finally choose & apply for 100-125 programs that fit you. The problem with radiology is that there isn't as much spots as IM (if you open freida or residency explorer, you'll find that the baseline number of programs which sponser J1 is already 150! Not 400, not 500), so what's considered an adequate number of programs that I should apply to? Is 60-70 adequate? Or should I apply for all 150 (even though more than half of these programs have less than 5% IMG acceptance rate)

I wonder if they should specify on their website if the primary training site (or even secondary sites) are owned by CMG.
Not just EMRAmatch, freida should list this for all specialties.

Hey guys,
I thought on Freida or Residency Explorer there was a way to filter out programs that require ECFMG at the time application is due vs programs that require ECFMG before residency starts?
Anyone know where I can access this info? Cheers

This story is a modern World of Darkness x Exalted creation of u/avrjoe with co-creation and editing credits by u/KashiofWavecrest and myself (mostly to allow OC tag). Other IPs in lesser use include Boston Legal and VtM: Bloodlines.
Next
---***---
MSI Temporary Apartments
Fresno, California
June 28th, 2009
---***---
Kai sat in a reclining chair watching his daughter, Summer, play with some toys his wife swore were educational. In his arms he held Bastian, his infant son who had finally drifted into a sound sleep.
"Kai?" Terra's voice called out from a few rooms away.
"I am back here," he replied quietly, standing up slowly so as to not to jostle the infant.
Summer started to crawl in the direction of her mother's voice. Terra entered the room and scooped up the excited girl. She planted a kiss on the little one’s cheek before continuing. "Kai I've discovered something incredible! You have a son!"
Kai gave his wife a bemused glance then slowly and deliberately looked at Bastian. "As I am well aware,” he said in a playfully sarcastic tone.
Terra sighed in exasperation and gave him a withering stare. "Obviously not him, Kai! By the way, how is he now?"
"He was fussy for a bit, but he has finally cried himself out. He is rather stubborn. I fear he will give Valentina a great challenge.”
"Which is why it is good for new mothers to get some sleep and a brief break. Bend down, I can't see him from here. You might as well have him on a mountain top," Terra groused playfully.
"I will trade you. Give me Summer and you can look Bastian over."
"Summer Rain,” Terra gently corrected. “She's the relief that makes the heat of the season bearable."
Kai glanced up at the ceiling and rolled his eyes so his wife could not see. "If you say so. I still say it is unwieldy and long."
"A distinctive name for a very special and distinctive girl," Terra countered.
"Hmm,” Kai grunted as if considering her argument.
Terra made a quick examination of the sleeping infant boy and then nodded "Nothing appears to be wrong. I think you’re right and he was just being grumpy. I’ll go put him down and then I’ll tell you more."
"Good luck with that. Come, Summer Rain, let us go to the kitchen. We will find you something to eat," Kai said, playfully stressing the last part of his daughter’s name.
When Terra finished her chore she found her large and stoic husband making funny noises while feeding their daughter.
"So, as I was saying, you have a son. One you fathered before your powers manifested."
"How did you discover this? It does not seem likely. Before you, I had partners but it was satisfying a physical need or rarely a competitive challenge. I cannot bring to mind an occasion that I did not use protection," Kai said, never looking at Terra as he gave Summer Rain another helping of soft baby food.
"Do you remember a woman named Mia Windheim?"
"That would be..." Kai stopped scooping the last bit of food from the jar and seemed to ponder his words. "Yes that could be. I neither initiated nor was in control of that situation?"
"She took advantage of you?"
"No, I was willing, but normally I either initiated or was asked if I desired sex. She was aggressive and I was not used to being pursued in such a way. She is also a werewolf. She was the only woman I have been physically wary of during sex."
Terra raised an eyebrow. “It doesn’t sound pleasant.”
“The aftermath was not. While she was physically desirable and professionally apt, our personalities and styles clashed. Even purely physical relationships need more cohesion than that.”
“I can imagine.”
“I was in my early twenties and relatively inexperienced in the matter. It was a novel experience, but not one I chose to repeat. Some people enjoy an element of danger in their passions. It can certainly enhance enjoyment of combat. I learned it was only distracting in the bedroom. I liked women who were confident and powerful on their own. I did not like those who were domineering and forceful.”
“So it was an amiable one-night stand?”
“No. She wished our relationship to continue and I did not. She did not care and tried to assert herself. After a few weeks, I told her I was leaving. She claimed she would physically restrain me and force me to stay. I called her bluff. She was taken aback that I refused her, perhaps even insulted. Frankly her attitude...” Kai looked up searching for the proper word to put to his feelings.
“Stank?”
“Yes stank, that is a good term. I would go so far as to say it was shitty.”
“You realize she likely only used you for breeding stock? With your family history and the fact she took no precautions, it looks like she intended you to stay and be her breeding stud.”
“I wondered briefly why she would seek to keep me around and I have to admit my young ego came to a different conclusion. Looking back now with more wisdom, I believe you are correct in your assumption. It would explain the motivation behind the original encounter as well.“
“She never let you know you had a child together?”
“You are spoiled by your experiences in the United States with my cousin Alex and with the Glasswalkers. Unfortunately, this is what most werewolves are like in Europe as well as large subsets in this nation. They do not concern themselves with the opinions of humanity. They believe they are superior to us.”
“Superior to humanity you mean.”
“We have powers and are a subset of humanity but we do not hold ourselves apart as they do.”
“Well, they seem to hold the Manifested in higher regard than the general populace. They appear to be willing to deal with us where before they didn’t.”
“How nice,” Kai said dryly.
“Kai, do you want a relationship with this boy?” Terra asked hesitantly.
“He would be eight or nine years old now?”
“Around that age, yes.”
“Then it is unknown if he will be a Garou yet.”
Terra nodded.
“Then they would not yet treat him as a member of their pack and he may be young enough to reach out to," Kai pondered.
"Don't you own a house in Innsbruck?"
"It is in Tyrol. I would not say it is in Innsbruck. Adjacent would be a better term."
“They didn’t want to come here, and I don’t want to be seen as coming to them. What if we meet them there? It’s still our ground but not our place of strength.”
“That might be an acceptable compromise,” Kai said. He wiped his daughter’s face and smiled. Then he quickly turned and looked at Terra. “Wait, you said ‘us’? You do not like being far from Summer Rain. Going to Europe is no small trip and with the people and matters involved it would not be wise to bring her.”
Terra smiled and moved toward her husband kissing his hand. “It will be alright. I think Valentina and the others could handle watching her for a few days. I don't want you to face this alone.”
“That- well, thank you.” Kai leaned forward to kiss his wife and then began to remove the little one from her chair.
“Leave the travel plans to me. I’ve already been emailing them. Now, I think, we’ll leave them to wonder what your reaction will be. They want to play games and score points on each other. I’ll play their games.” Terra said fiercely.
---***---
Lufthansa Flight 453, LAX to MUC
Canadian Air Space
July 9th, 2009
---***---
Terra and Kai had learned the challenges of long flights for those of abnormal proportions during their many trips to Washington D.C. during the trials. With roughly twelve hours of flight time and the ability to pay the extra cost, flying first class was an easy decision to make. While Terra was not pregnant this time, it was still beyond their abilities to shrink Kai. Terra had hoped the extra room would help their stress levels and not leave them a jet-lagged wreck once the long journey to Europe was complete. From what little she had gleaned over email, they would need all their mental fortitude to deal with the Windheims.
"So this place we're going to is a hunting lodge?" Terra asked, breaking a period of silence.
"Not exactly. It was for entertaining guests and those the family sought to impress. The Silbern numbers were already in decline before the Great War. After that, so many had died in the fighting that keeping the property to impress and treat others from whom we sought favors seemed pointless. With our numbers so low and the Adelsaufhebungsgesetz much of our influence had evaporated.”
“The…what?”
“Oh. The Adelsaufhebungsgesetz? It is the law that abolished noble titles in Austria.”
Terra nodded for him to continue.
"My Great Uncle, Uncle Otto, was the brother of my grandfather and bought the place out from the common family holdings. He loved hunting and the house was close to good hunting land. While the place was too large he did not wish to see it sold. He took up residence there after the following war of biogoted foolishness.
“I will have to tell you more about Otto when we get there. He was, as they say, a character," Kai explained with a hint of nostalgia.
"Too involved a story for the plane? We do have hours of a flight to kill and a two hour drive afterward."
"Involved? Yes, very. Also in need of good props which are all at his house. Without them, you would hardly believe portions of the tales,” Kai said with a smile.
"Well, we'll have more than props to confirm family stories," Terra said with a mischievous twinkle in her eye.
"What do you mean?"
"I thought we could use some backup and you could use a surprise so I called some living relatives. We'll have company shortly after we get there."
Terra watched confusion cross her husband's face. It quickly fled in the wake of something else. His eyes dilated, his face paled beyond its natural light hue and his nostrils flared with breathing that was one step away from a pant. Terra couldn’t believe it, but it looked like Kai started to panic.
"Are you alright?" Terra asked, suddenly concerned.
"Who have you invited? My mother or grandmother?"
"Both. Why? You never said much about them, is there a problem?"
"Problem? You invited them both! Are you mad, woman? We have to turn back. We are not yet halfway there, the plane could return to the States."
"Kai, calm down. It can't be that bad."
"Terra, I love you, but you should have asked before you did this. Oma Astrid and my mother Inga do not get along. They give life to the worst myths about in-laws. One of them would be a trial but together – together they are a recipe for disaster!
"Perhaps I can break into the cockpit and force a turn? No, it would require too much destruction and incur federal charges. Damn it all!” Kai said, his eyes racing about the compartment looking for inspiration. Perhaps we can fake a medical emergency,” Kai said looking intently as his doctor-wife.
"Calm down, we faced an international manhunt. I can handle some bickering."
"Bickering? No, my wife, you will see far worse than that. The last time my mother and grandmother were in the same room was at my father’s funeral. They ended up in a fistfight that spilled over into a fountain, like something out of -" Kai paused.
Terra stared at Kai "Out of?"
"Scheisse! One of those tacky soap operas about rich Americans from the 1980s."
"Dynasty?"
"Yes! Like that! Oma made an allusion to her boy, my father, dying of malnutrition."
"She what?"
"When my parents married, my grandmother hated the idea of my father marrying a woman who did not speak German as a first language. At the wedding, she drank heavily. After a few drinks, she loudly announced to the wedding guests that at least he did not marry a Slav!"
"What!"
"Now what, my beautiful but very Eastern wife, is this woman going to say to you? This cast-iron unbending harpy is going to say something mean-spirited. How long will it be before you are forced to throttle the life from her?"
"It won't come to that!"
"And Mother, she was raised in Sweden but has Germanic roots. Her grandparents were der Wandervogel, what you would call hippies. She will assume you will back her on all her poorly researched pseudo eastern philosophy and new age practices. She will annoy you to the point you will wish to throttle yourself!"
"I'm not so weak."
"You are easily my equal. Yet even I fear my reserves would collapse and I would be left a broken wreck. We should take a new flight home once in Munich. This trip is now very ill-advised."
"There is a difference, Kai. You love them and grew up with them. They are inside your guard. I have layers of defense you lack. This might have been Ill-timed but I will bring these women to heel. They will cease to be a destructive force or they will not remain a force in our lives at all."
Kai let out a tremendous sigh and motioned for the flight attendant. With his size, it would be quite impossible to get drunk. With a long flight to go, he would at least take some chemical aid in achieving what relaxation he could manage.
The rest of the flight went well. They landed safely in Munich and were quickly able to rent a vehicle to get to Innsbruck. Both chose not to bring up Kai’s family for the rest of their time traveling. Terra began to seriously debate her ability to handle the two women she had called upon for help as Kai’s panic had only subsided to anxiety.
The near twelve-hour flight into Munich and two-hour drive into Innsbruck had managed to move time forward over twenty-one hours, relatively speaking, and they arrived in mid-afternoon of the day following their departure granting them some time before the sun would set behind the mountains. Kai had stayed on edge the entire time, even with the help of pharmaceuticals, but once he exited the rental vehicle, his mood improved drastically. As soon as they exited the vehicle to stand outside their hotel, Terra saw a change come over him and her worries lifted. Looking into the not-so-distant mountains and inhaling deeply, Kai smiled and his whole body relaxed; he had the look of someone who had come home.
They had prepared for the time shift to the best of their ability and after checking into the hotel and grabbing some local food, the sun set, and the stars came out as the beleaguered travelers fell into bed. Terra’s last thought before drifting off was her hope that the stress of the trip would melt from them both with a good night’s sleep.
---***---
Silbern House
Seefeld, Austria
July 10th, 2009
---***---
The next morning they arose early and ate breakfast at the hotel. They got into their rented vehicle to travel on to Uncle Otto’s house. Unfortunately, it was designed for narrow European roads and Kai barely fit inside. It gave Terra the unfortunate, yet comical, mental image of a clown getting into and out of its undersized car. Having never seen the Austrian countryside, she took in the sights of the picturesque and breathtaking scenery of mountains and valleys as Kai drove her around showing her the land of his youth. Completing the tour, they ate lunch and finally pulled up to the Silbern House around noon.
The house had a very old-fashioned style. It was obvious whoever maintained the property when Kai was away was very attentive to their work. The married couple unloaded their bags and made their way inside.
Inside, facing the main entryway, was a picture of an older man with short platinum blonde hair mixed with gray. His face was mostly shaven, save for a gloriously full mustache. He had an imposing build matched by a confident pose that bordered on arrogance. His outfit was subdued in the color and style of a classic Austrian hunting outfit; he had no obvious weapons and his arms were folded before him.
"This must be the infamous Uncle Otto?"
"Yes, that is him. The elder brother of my grandfather," Kai said as he set their luggage to the side. "He was significantly older than my grandfather. He fought in the Erster Weltkrieg, the Great War. He was well known for his achievements but retired after it was over to spend time with his wife and son."
Kai pointed to a picture in another room, a den-like area. In it was the same man in more formal attire. He was flanked by an adorable sweet-looking woman and a younger man who was equally as tall as his father but more thickly muscled.
"That was Otto Junior. He never had the Silbern martial spirit; he was a devotee of physical fitness. In this day and age, he would have been one of those on the internet bragging about their ‘gains.’"
"I can see that."
"When the Unification was forced through, there were many people who the Nazis leaned on to join the military. Some, like my grandfather, chose to join so they could push their service into a field more suited to their tastes. Some like Otto declared themselves retired."
"I take it the Nazis didn't give up?"
"Early in events, our family’s relationship with the Nazis was complex. They were a political party. They had the support of the commons but the old aristocrats spurned them.
“The Silbern family was old and well connected. We were descended from petty nobles and noteworthy soldiers which could open doors for their party. It would also allow the Silberns to oppose the way they pursued their ideology. We did have similar goals after all. My family was pro-Germanic unity, pro-military, and anti-treaty of Versailles. If they stuck to a careful topic list we could have agreeable conversations. Having fallen from prominence, the attention my family gained was no doubt heady."
"You sound like you were there."
"My blood was there even if my flesh was not," Kai said with a wistful look.
Terra rolled her eyes but remained silent.
"We might have been fooled into thinking we could work with them and mitigate their darker agenda if not for two things. First, we knew other families that quietly kept the old Faith as we did. The pagans amongst the Nazis were some of the darkest and most vile of their lot. Their practices strayed into the deepest of black magic and the veneration of demonic beings"
Tera nodded. She had been surprised to learn of Kai's unusual if not originally strong spiritual beliefs which only seemed strengthened since their trials. The acceptance of his beliefs by the supernatural community in New Orleans helped as well.
"The second was the day Nazi agents raided the gymnasium and arrested a few friends of the younger Otto."
"Why did they do that?"
"Rumors had reached them that some of the men there were homosexuals. The Nazi's fondness for muscled males in their iconography aside, they sought to eliminate such sentiments and practices."
"Was Otto Jr. a homosexual?"
"It is hard to know. You must remember that those were different times and I do not mean in the way most do. I do not refer to people being less accepting. They were times when people did not share their lives so casually. Much more room was given for privacy. Whether or not one person or another was a virgin, impotent, suffering from some medical problems – these were not things discussed with any but the most intimate of friends or closest of family. If he was, none would have known but those for which he had the most affection. Perhaps his mother and father knew, but, if so, they did not feel the need to share this private trust.
“However true or false it might have been, when they came for his fellow athletes Otto Jr fought. Whether it was the protectiveness of a lover or the fury of a Silbern who found his warrior heart when faced with a great wrong he made a good showing of himself. As often happens it was both his finest and final hour."
Terra eyed the arrogant-faced boy in the portrait with new respect as Kai continued.
"Otto and Freida heard the news of the raid but did not know he was killed. Otto sped off to work a deal with officials who had been eager to recruit him.
"Freida stayed and worked on a plan to call in favors and arrange her son's passage out of the country. As she worked, the thugs the Nazis called policemen arrived. They thought to scare her into admitting some crime. They wanted a way to justify why they had alienated a family their superiors sought as an ally.
"As you know, my wife, we Silbern's do not choose weak partners. When they let slip that her son was dead she managed to hide a letter opener in the folds of her dress. She somehow tricked them into distraction. This is not the house they shared but I am told the floors of that house had to be replaced due to the blood staining the tiles and wood."
"Well, I think I like Uncle Otto's taste in women at the very least, " Terra smiled.
"She killed three of the four before she fell. The last was injured. Otto found him collapsed and crawling near the foyer. Unable to stand, he could not open the door.
"Otto revived him and then loosened his tongue via pain. The men Otto had reached out to had not known his son was dead. When he learned this, he finished off the man and retrieved items from the house as well as his beloved wife's body.
“After carefully laying out the body of his wife in their bed he ambushed his would-be recruiters. To his surprise, they had brought his son's body as a peace offering. For this favor, they were given a mercifully swift death. He then hunted the superior officers who ordered the raid. For those, he made their deaths a monument to torment and cruelty.”
"Then he took to the hills like a wild man?" Terra guessed.
Kai looked at her and smiled. "You have learned much of the ways of my family. Indeed he was not ready to stop. He was a hunter and now he had a prey he truly wished to hunt and no reason holding him from doing so.
"He was spared being labeled a monster by the grace of being selective in his vengeance. Those who went through the motions, the people who complied with Nazi demands out of fear or meekness he passed over. Those who supported their order he tracked, studied, and in the end, destroyed.
"He ranged across Europe to stay ahead of those they put to hound him. Here and there he aided or was given aid by the varied resistance movements. When the war was over he made a name as a bounty hunter. Until his prey was driven to extinction he knew no rest."
"I can see he had an effect on you. How old were you when he died? Was it after your father’s death?" Terra asked.
"No, I last saw Otto many years ago.” Kai motioned to several frames on a wall, pointing out each one. “Over here are pictures of my grandparents. Then there is Aurick, my father. Here are his two brothers Joachim and Konrad. This is his sister, Helena.
"Joachim, I am told, was quite the ideolog and was murdered before I was born assisting the resistance to Soviet communism in East Germany. Fortunately, Grandfather was not alive to hear the news. Konrad perished in a car crash in ‘80 when I was five years old. I have only vague memories. Late in ‘82 Aunt Helena and her fiancé, Juho, a Finn who we think was a werewolf, vanished in Estonia. A few months later Uncle Otto left to look for them. Some friends of his had turned up some clues he wished to personally pursue. He left word he was crossing the Russian border and we never heard from him again. I was eight years old. Father was still around but-” Kai looked away.
Terra put her hand on her husband’s back. He was too tall for her to reach his shoulder.” I suppose your father and Otto are waiting for you in Valhalla then.”
“Kind of you to say, but I do not believe Uncle Otto is in Odin’s hall quite yet. He has vanished, yes, but there is no proof he is dead.”
“Kai?! He’d be a hundred and ten years old!”
“He would not even be in the top ten oldest men in the world.”
“Who are all in care facilities I’m sure. You honestly think a century-old man has been stalking around the bushes for twenty years? There isn’t anyone who could pull that off.”
“Uncle Otto was not just anyone! He is out there and in our darkest hour it is my belief he will return to us,” Kai stated with surety.
Terra rolled her eyes again. She was about to say more but a knock came from the door.
Kai looked outside and, seeing who it was, he admonished Terra. “It is Oma. Do your best not to kill her! Remember, in the end, she is an old woman and is not long for this world and whatever judgment the universe would pronounce on her.”
“What? Kai!” Terra started to respond but cut off as the door swung open.
continued

I am starting 4th year after taking and doing poorly on Boards (Step 1 218; Step 2 217). I am at top 10 US allopathic school. Our preclinical was P/F and I received High Pass on all 3rd year rotations, with exception of medicine and neurology where I received Honors. I have several red flags — leave of absence; old; bad board scores. I would like to pursue a career in academic medicine in nephrology or endo. I was a biostatistician before med school and have a bunch of papers. I like research and teaching. Would love an academic residency program but likely impossible and that is fine. Ultimately, I want good training and opportunity to pursue fellowship in field of interest.
I need to stay in the NYC-metro area for residency. My concern is matching. Residency programs here are either elite academic (NYU, Columbia, etc) or community/public hospital (HHC). I am obviously not a candidate for the former. The latter largely takes the highest performing IMGs from around the world. I do not fit anywhere. Any advice on how to approach the 4th year. I am married and have to stay NYC-metro. I am in my 40s. Very little interest in family medicine —- don’t like peds or OB/GYN. Plus, I have some questions:

1. Virtually all the NYC metro programs have Freida profiles that show minimum of 225 boards. Is this valid? If so, I am screwed.
2. If I do not get into 3 year IM program, is a preliminary worth considering as a potential gateway to a 3 year program? I am willing to do the extra year.
3. Some of professors have relationships with faculty at other hospitals and some of the people involved in the residency programs. Is it ethical or even worthwhile to try to use this to get an interview and be considered?
4. Any thoughts for what I can do my 4th year to optimize my chances of matching.
5. Any other thoughts or advice would be appreciated

In the past, programs have interviewed an average of 100-ish applicants/season according to Residency Explorer and Freida. Does anyone know if that number has gone up significantly? I know applicants this season have done a lot more interviews.