Breaking Up Is Hard To Do

So today is the official day that I signed the contract with Kaiser Permanente! That means I have to make the phone calls to all those other places that offered me a job. One particular call was pretty bad with all the awkward silences on the phone as the office manager was pretty shocked. But keeping in mind that of the contracts that I received, they have the worst offer. I had previously called this place and asked for a better offer, but it seems like they couldn't do it.

Another place made a surprising offer of $220,000 per year guaranteed for two years and with benefits rivaling Kaiser (but Kaiser is still better). Potential income could be over $300,000 per year. I did some calculations regarding taxation, as I would be in a higher tax bracket. This place still works out to be about $3000 more in take-home money per month than Kaiser Permanente (CA has a heavy income tax). But after talking to my attendings, co-fellows and my parents, being close to home is worth the $3000 per month difference.

So that's what I did today! Not very pleasant, but had to be done. Kaiser will pay for my move to CA. I got an estimate from United Van Lines today. My move would cost a bit over $4000 ($1800 to move my stuff, $2200 to move my car). That's quite expensive. If I were to pay for this, I would rather drive back myself and spend the $4000 on new furniture. That's it for now. I do need to get my ACLS recertified.

It's Decided!

It's finally time to relax! I decided to join Kaiser Permanente at Fontana as a hospitalist (rheumatology part-time)! I managed to squeeze 7 interviews into March. 4 of the interviews were internal medicine and 3 were rheumatology. I spent over $2000 on the trips, with $1800 that should be reimbursed in a month. I turned down several interview requests from Florida and Hawaii (Please don't ask why I turned down paradise before I regret it, again.). I received some contracts already and, after a lot of thinking, I think I belong in southern California! The good thing about Kaiser Fontana is that I will have the chance to do some rheumatology if their rheumatologist goes on vacation or needs additional help. And it also sounds like a hospitalist has more chances to work over-time (ie get over-time pay).

The other OSU rheumatology fellow, Heather, has just signed her contract with a competing hospital here in Columbus. It was a move that many of my attendings would not like. Columbus already has a lot of rheumatologists, so as a result, her starting pay is not as high as mine.

I have started to exercise again recently as the weather got warmer. I'm very out of shape from the winter! I ran two miles both days this weekend and did some weight lifting, and I am feeling muscle burn pretty bad now. I went on the bike trail at Olentangy river to jog. When I saw a bunch of people on bikes, I felt the need to get a bike of my own. Since Kaiser is going to fund my move to California, I thought a bike would not cause a problem with the move. I like bicycling because is a low-impact aerobic exercise.

I had a black bike when I was a kid in Taiwan, then never again until today! I went for the Specialized FSR XC Expert! It is a 2008 model on clearance at Bike Source. Got a pretty good deal on it as the 2009 model is almost the same. I am surprised how bicycles have advanced in the last 10 years.

The new bike is Handmade In Taiwan, all aluminum alloy frame, full-suspension (adjustible X-Fusion air suspension in rear with RockShox Recon suspension fork in front), 27 speed Shimano Deore shifters, and Avid Juicy Three hydraulic disc brakes. Bike Source threw in the bottle holder and helmet for free and gave me a 20% discount on the air pump (apparently modern bikes have different air valves than the ones we use to inflate other things). Can't wait to give it a ride!