March 2023 – Physician In Numbers

Fitness Log #228 And Friday Firsts And Fun

I have been keeping track of my exercise every Friday for 4 years, and plan to continue doing so.

I started the Friday Firsts sections as a way of keeping track of some of my “firsts” as I dealt with the COVID-19 pandemic. Things seem to be settling down, but I will keep it for now–more as a way to be aware and thankful of what is happening in my life.

Future Me, March 2023

Not long after the start of this blog, I cut my hours very slightly, and wanted to make sure I didn’t waste the extra time I was paying dearly for.

I had started reading about preparing for retirement in non-financial ways, and I realized that it was time to start (re-) building a life that didn’t revolve solely around medicine.

I started this series of posts at the end of October 2018 with lots of big goals, but even at the beginning, knew that I couldn’t follow all those dreams all at once. Every few months, I try to look at what I have accomplished, and see if I can adjust course to focus my free time in the directions I wish I would go: increasing fitness, building (or maintaining) connections with friends, family and community, engaging with the arts, and, lately, keeping up with financial tasks.

My last update was in early October 2022, and I had planned to update more frequently, hopefully a quarterly basis. However, everything was upended with my father’s illness, and eventual passing. Catching COVID in the fall wasn’t so great either.

I suppose now is as good a time as any to look back on the past 3, 4, 5 months, and think about what would be reasonable goals between now and my Summer post.

To make future posts on Future Me easier–and to keep me a little more focused on my goals, and to celebrate my wins–I may start writing about them monthly on my Friday posts (stay tuned).

Fitness Log #227 And Friday Fabulousness

I have been keeping track of my exercise every Friday for 4 years, and plan to continue doing so.

Lessons Learned From My Spending As A New Attending

Match Day has come and gone. It’s time to think about next steps as everyone still in training moves on to the next level.

Fourth year medical students know where they will be going in June.

Residents who are going on to fellowship have known about their next destination for a few months.

Those finishing training in 3 months will (hopefully) be moving on to a practice that excites them. And pays a lot more than a resident salary.

The move from resident to attending salary holds plenty of opportunity: to spend more, to save more, to make plans that can affect your financial life for years to come.

When I graduated residency, I did not have a very clear plan for my finances. There really wasn’t much out there to guide people who were going to see a large increase in income.

I muddled along, making some good moves, and some not-so-good moves. I periodically look back at the choices I made, and I thought I might share some lessons I take away from my spending at that time, in the hopes it helps you make your own plans (or maybe let you know you are not alone if you have made similar choices yourself).

Fitness Log #226 And Friday Firsts

I have been keeping track of my exercise every Friday for 4 years, and plan to continue doing so.

If anyone reading is participating in the Match today, I hope you are thrilled when you get your result.

Random Money Thoughts From January

The blog was quiet in February, but that doesn’t mean I had stopped writing altogether. Below is a post that was mostly finished in January, but had to wait for its final edit.

When you think and write about personal finance, every day life provides plenty of grist for the mill. Here are a few examples I noted from the end of the month.

Fitness Log #225 And Friday Firsts (4 weeks)

I have been keeping track of my exercise every Friday for 4 years, and plan to continue doing so.

I started the Friday Firsts sections as a way of keeping track of some of my “firsts” as I dealt with the COVID-19 pandemic. As COVID became more commonplace, I thought I might start using this space to reflect on some of the good things happening in the week.

However, during the period around my father’s funeral, I stopped publishing on the blog. Below are the entries for 4 weeks (you have been warned).

Lessons From My Dad’s Life

I’ve been thinking about my Dad’s life in the past month. Luckily, it did not fall to me to write his obituary, but I have been asked to speak about him. Going through my notes, there are a few non-financial lessons I feel I can take away from his life.

I think he had a good life and a good retirement. I hope some of his lessons may be helpful to you.

Fitness Log #224 And Friday Firsts

I have been keeping track of my exercise every Friday for 4 years, and plan to continue doing so.