My version

Ok, let's be honest: the post immediately below this one is the most important news in the last 2 years or so.

However, it's nice to have something to report other than running. Katie let the cat out of the bag--we're going to Utah for Pulm/Critical Care!

And I'm really excited. Why?

Exhibit A:

And yes, it really does look like that. The U of U campus site on the eastern border of the city, which in this picture is the transition zone between city and mountain, just about where the snowline is on the righthand-most mountain. From there you have nearly 50 miles (as the crow flies) of uninterrupted mountains and trails. Those of you who know me at all know that mountains exert a peculiar siren call to me, and the chance to live amongst them is extraordinarily exciting.

Exhibit B:

This is the newly constructed flagship hospital for Intermountain Health Care, a combination health plan/hospital system. This system was recently mentioned in the same breath as Kaiser Permanente, Mayo Clinic, and the Cleveland Clinic as one of the shining stars in terms of delivery of high quality health care. As that's a particular interest (both from a research and a practical point of view) of mine, I am really, really excited to work there.

Katie did mention that U of U was not my first choice. That's technically correct--but it wasn't really my second choice, either. I selected San Antonio as my first choice, as I felt that it was a more family friendly program, with ample opportunity for time off, moonlighting, & etc. Decent research in COPD, good lung transplant program, neither of which are particularly interesting to me. Solid, familial feel between the fellows, which was the tipping point for me. Honestly, however, nothing exciting about the program, nothing about the system that makes me sit up and say--I want to be a part of that. Ho-hum, blah, we'll get you board eligible, khaki pants and drab polo kind of training.

San Antonio

Exact opposite is true for the U of U program. Firstly, it gets us out of Texas. Not that Texas is a bad place, and I'll always be Texan, much to the dismay of all lesser states. However, the 95 degrees for 8 months is a bit trying, and Utah provides a climate more agreeable to me and the missus. The program itself is more rigorous, in terms of research, clinical work, and expectations--all of which I suspect I will look back on with appreciation, and hate in the midst. Moonlighting, by the few reports I have heard, is somewhat limited, requiring me to spend extra time this year working to save up the $$. HOWEVER: I want to be part of this system. I want to know that I am being trained somewhere on the cutting edge of the science. I want excellence. I want a little bit of rock star. And that's what I'll get at Utah.

Utah

And yes, this is probably the first time anyone has compared Utah to Jimi Hendrix.