Once you match to a city that you don’t live in, you quickly realize how much you need to accomplish. For starters, you have to find a place! Fortunately, the hospital I matched at provided me with a set of resources compiled from residents giving advice on where to live. I’d personally recommend striking a balance between time for the commute and affordability. I ended up finding a place in Cranston that puts me at about a 15-minute commute by highway and side roads. It’s in a mostly residential area, and I live right by grocery stores!
The next piece of the puzzle is transportation. Unfortunately, Providence does not have a great public transport system, which means that I am DEFINITELY going to need to buy a car. It is May 31st as I’m writing this, and I still don’t have the slightest clue as to what I’m going to do about that. I imagine Providence gets a lot of snow, so I know I need a car that will get me to the hospital if it’s horrible outside (side note–I am now ESSENTIAL STAFF, meaning that I will have to be there despite hazardous conditions). I’m currently looking into SUVs. With a new car means more expenses (AKA car insurance). Looking at all these expenses, I’m glad I matched into a relatively affordable city.
Even though there’s a lot to do, I’m really excited to be in a new city! New food, new sights, and new people. Can’t wait to get started!
