Everything in medical school essentially builds up to one big moment. No, not graduation. The Match. As Match Day approaches, fourth-year medical students begin to anticipate what their lives will look like just a few months down the road. 

But life doesn’t stop on March 20, when med students finally have their match in hand. Here are some of the most important tasks that physicians-to-be should prioritize doing, once they know where they’ll be working come July.

Celebrate 

Matching with a residency program is not only a milestone. It’s a reason to celebrate. 

“They just need to stop to take a breath and celebrate,” said Lia Logio, MD, vice dean of medical education at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine in Cleveland, Ohio. “It’s a big accomplishment, so they should give themselves a little time to breathe and just be excited and celebrate it.”

Don’t forget to share your good news with your professors and mentors. They’ve invested a lot in you over the past few years, said I. Michael Leitman, MD, dean for graduate medical education at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City.

“I stay in touch with a lot of them,” he added. 

Check Your Email 

Once a fourth-year medical student has their official match in hand, it’s time to check their email. And not just occasionally. If there’s one thing that medical school administrators and residency program directors always recommend, it’s checking email frequently. 

“We’ve all worked with people who don’t like emails,” said Reid Blackwelder, MD, associate dean for graduate medical education for the East Tennessee State University Quillen College of Medicine in Johnson City, Tennessee. “But you’ve got to pay attention to your emails.”

Not only will your medical school continue to send important information via email, but you’ll begin regularly hearing from your residency program.

“Read every email that you get from your program. In detail. Because there’s a lot of individual tasks that need to be completed,” said Philip T. Dooley, MD, program director for the University of Kansas School of Medicine-Wichita Family Medicine Residency at Via Christi Hospitals. 

Get Started on the Paperwork 

Your program will probably send you a lengthy list of items to complete in order to start working. For example, you’ll need to sign your employment contract. You may need to get fingerprinted, undergo a background check, make sure you’re current on certifications for Basic Life Support and Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support, and a number of other tasks. Eventually, you’ll also have to submit other documents such as your diploma and transcript. 

“I think it’s important to be really mindful that that information is coming to you and that you’re responsive when that information gets to you,” said Jane Simpson, DO, a family physician practicing in Watertown, New York, and a new physician member of the American Academy of Family Physicians board of directors. “You want to show your residency (program) that you are responsible and that you can tackle things that come up.”

Make yourself a list and systematically work through it, Logio said.

“The sooner they get it onto somebody else’s desk, it’s off their plate and they can think about something else,” she said. 

Apply for Your Trainee Medical License 

Residents must have a trainee medical license in order to participate in an Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education-accredited program. Lisa Rahangdale, MD, stressed the importance of not procrastinating or delaying the process of applying for a trainee medical license. 

“They frequently take a long time, and often a lot of people make these requests at the same time,” said Rahangdale, an associate dean for admissions at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill.

Start Looking for a Place to Live 

Many fourth-years match with residency programs that require them to pack up and physically move. When looking for housing, consider factors such as cost and distance to work. Some people may not mind a longer commute, but it may be a dealbreaker for others. 

You can start your search online, but the period between Match Day and graduation is a prime opportunity for many fourth-years to visit the area, especially if they interviewed for a residency program online, rather than in person. 

It’s also important to be mindful when scheduling your move-in date. “If residency starts July 1, you don’t want your move-in date to be June 30,” Simpson said.

Connect With People in Your Program 

Many programs set up group chats or provide other ways for future residents to connect with others in their program. For example, Dooley’s program invites newly matched students to join a GroupMe. 

Blackwelder also suggested visiting your future workplace and meeting some of your new colleagues while you’re in town. “I think almost any program would be excited to make a connection physically with anyone who will join the program,” he added. “You’ll be welcome. You’ll be part of the family.”

See Your Own Doctor 

Fourth-year medical students may be so focused on beginning their own careers as physicians that they might not think about their own healthcare needs. Sarah Baker, MD, recommended that they talk to their current healthcare providers about how to transition their care to their next providers and make sure they have a plan for any prescription medications they need to take. 

“You want to start out residency…in the [best] possible place you can be, mentally and physically,” said Baker, the associate dean for student affairs at UT Southwestern Medical School in Dallas, Texas. “So do what you need to do in the next few months to make sure you’re starting residency refreshed and ready to learn and be excited. Get the care that you need in order to do that.” 

Examine Loan Repayment Options 

More than half of US medical students take out loans to pay for their education, according to a recent study in JAMA. Those loans must be paid back. 

Like many schools, UT Southwestern directs students to make arrangements for loan repayment or deferment before they graduate. “We have a debt management counseling session for all students that is part of the residency essentials course required for all fourth-year medical students,” said Baker. 

Contact your school’s financial aid office for information or guidance in charting a course forward for loan repayment. 

Polish Up Your Professional Profile 

You may have labored over your CV in as you prepared to apply to residency, but it’s a good idea to update all of your professional materials, including your LinkedIn profile, to include your residency program.

Leitman also suggested getting a professional headshot photograph. “People try to take these photos with their iPhones, but it just doesn’t look as good,” he said.