Though there's loads of information on creating rank lists as an applicant, I found that I had a lot of questions specifically about going through the process as a couple.  Now that we're (almost) done, I decided to share some of the information we learned along the way and hope that it will help clear up some confusion surrounding couple's matching.



What is couple's matching? 
Couple's matching allows applicants participating in the AOA or ACGME match to link their rank list with another individual's.  Anyone is allowed to couple's match (significant others, spouses, best friends, siblings...you get the point) but doing so has its own set of advantages/disadvantages. Participating in the couple's match allows you to rank different combinations (ie: same program, hospitals within close proximity, hospitals across the country, etc) in conjunction with your partner.

Prioritize
Communicating with your partner and discussing your priorities is crucial.  Is it more important that you both get your desired specialties/programs or are you willing to compromise (either choice of program or, in some cases, specialty) to maximize your shot of ending up near each other?  This is even more important if one or both of you are considering applying into a more competitive specialty with limited available residency programs.  Many people apply for a less competitive specialty in addition to their primary specialty of choice to increase the likely rank combinations and alleviate some of the worry of not matching at all.

Research
Once you've decided what/where you want to focus your efforts, begin researching programs early your third year. Depending on the specialty you and your partner are interested in, doing an audition or sub-internship may be something that you consider. The advantage of auditioning at programs that you're interested in is the ability to relay your interest in the program and/or location and establish relationships with residents and attendings. This is particularly true if you and/or your partner are vying for more competitive specialties or those that place a heavy emphasis on auditions.

Half the battle (on the AOA side, at least) is making sure you can get auditions scheduled at your desired programs for the months when you want them so staying on top of things is vital.  I had an extensive excel sheet with all possible programs listed by state, what their application requirements were, minimum board scores (if any), contact information, and possible audition dates.  My husband and I tried to coordinate being at the same hospital during the same month to cut down on housing costs but it didn't always work out.  For the most part, we were able to stay in the same general area so we were able to split rent for a 1 bedroom place for those months which helped save some money.

Focus on certain regions
When researching possible residencies, consider regions with multiple programs within driving distance to each other.  Focusing on areas with multiple residency programs increases the number of combinations that can be ranked (for example, if each partner has three programs in the same vicinity, a total of nine combinations are possible as opposed to only three if the programs are different geographical areas). Like I stated above, it's important as a couple to discuss priorities --for us, living together was of the utmost importance. There were plenty of programs that both my husband and I were interested in but for various reasons they weren't viable options for the other person (they didn't have both specialties we were looking for, minimum score cut-offs were too high, etc) so we opted to skip over those for auditions.  Instead, we focused our attention on the midwest because of the flexibility and number of options we would have. This was invaluable when it came to ranking programs since we were able to list various combinations of programs in close proximity to each other (more on that later...). The locations we focused on were: Detroit, Cleveland, and New York. ACGME programs may have additional geographic regions with multiple programs in close proximity.

Making your rank list
As if creating your rank list wasn't challenging enough, the couple's match adds another element into the mix. I highly recommend the NRMP tutorial on couple's matching (link here) for anyone considering the couple's match.  NatMatch.com also provides a useful tool via excel sheet (on this page) which will generate all possible combinations, along with examples of how ranking combinations works.  The list will also automatically create the combination of one individual matching while the other goes unmatched. It's up to you and your partner to go through and eliminate any combinations that are undesirable and rank remaining combos based on order of preference.  Understand that every combination you delete theoretically worsens your chance of matching.

To disclose or not?
Whether or not to disclose you're couple's matching is controversial. I've heard mixed things from attendings, students, residents, program directors and all I've gathered is that there is no right answer. If you do disclose, be prepared to explain how couples matching works (we were asked countless times if that meant that we could only match at the same hospitals) as there is a lot of misinformation about the process.

Of note, if you disclose you are couple's matching on your ERAS application, programs will be able to see it and ask you about it.  You will be required either way to register as a couple on the actual matching program, but programs will not be able to see that. For some people, disclosure is advantageous, as it allows you to really convey interest and stress your desire for the particular program, especially if your partner has received strong feedback there/program nearby.  On the other hand, some program directors may be hesitant to invest in a candidate that may not rank their program as highly due to their partner.  In the end, the decision to disclose couple's match status or not is ultimately yours.

Once all of this is done, you submit...and wait (and try not to stress...yeah, right)!

Good luck!

Did you participate in the match as a couple? How'd it go? Any advice? Let me know!

2016 was the year of eyeshadow palettes. I told myself I wasn't going to buy anymore after I purchased the Anastasia Beverly Hills Modern Renaissance Palette and the Anastasia Beverly Hills Master Palette by Mario on a whim.

I had been eyeing the Huda Beauty Rose Gold Edition Eyeshadow Palette for a bit but repeatedly talked myself out of it (and it was pretty much sold out every time I checked so that helped).  The reviews were mixed and I tend to reach for the same few palettes usually so I managed to hold off for a while. I started getting bored of the same matte colors that I had and was really interested in how the glitter shadows were in the palette

Product details:
The palette contains a good mix of matte and glittery shadows.
Specifically, the palette has: ten matte shadows, two pearl finish shadows, and six 3D metal shadows.

List price: available on Sephora.com for $65.00.
Currently sold out on http://www.shophudabeauty.com/ but you can add yourself to the waitlist (free shipping on orders over $75)

Thoughts:
I was lucky enough that I was able to snag this palette from Sephora's website because I received the product in two days (shout out to Sephora Flash Shipping!).  I had heard horror stories from people that had ordered from the Huda Beauty website not receiving their packages for well over a month.


The packaging is typical of Huda Beauty products (still a sucker for it, though). The eyeshadow is laid out on a fairly cheap black plastic palette, which I was expecting since others had mentioned the poor quality.  It's similar to the Anastasia Beverly Hills Creme Contour Kit case but cheaper quality.

When I initially read reviews regarding the palette, I was concerned because some of the common complaints were about the lack of pigmentation of the shadows.  However, I didn't find this to be true - especially with the pearl finish and matte shadows. They were very easy to pick up and apply with a brush and equally easy to blend out.

The only issue I experienced (similar to other users) was that the glittery shadows are nearly impossible to apply with any sort of brush.  This problem is pretty easy to solve if you just use your fingers for these, but if you're not a fan of that technique, then this palette definitely isn't for you. I was skeptical about how these more stubborn shadows would show up on my eyes (I haven't used my fingers to apply eyeshadow in...a few years...) but the end result was great and very pigmented. The 3D metal shadows are not chunky so if you're expecting a very obvious glitter look (think "instagram makeup tutorial looks"), then you'll find yourself disappointed with the shadows in this palette.

When I swatched these shadows, the color payoff wasn't as great as on my actual lids, but I think that may be due to the fact that I primed my eyes prior to application.  Keep that in mind if you decide to purchase this palette.

Also, the swatches shown below are with two swipes of an eyeshadow brush.

(top to bottom): Dubai, Fling, 14K, Rose Gold, Trust Fund, Angelic

3D Metallic Glitter Shadows (swiped using fingers)

(Top to bottom): #Blessed, Bossy, Flamingo, Shy, Bae,Moondust

(Top to bottom): Black Truffle, Suede, Coco, Maneater, Henna, Sandalwood

Repurchase?
The Huda Beauty Palette is pricey and incredibly difficult to get, as it's been sold out almost every time I've checked since it's release.  If you have the ABH Modern Renaissance palette and tend to stay away from glittery eyeshadow (and/or hate applying makeup with your fingers), then I would skip this palette. You'll be missing out on very little.  However, one of the greatest draws of this palette is the ability to play with muted looks, as well as, more vibrant and colorful colors.  I have been traveling quite a bit these past few months and the versatility of this palette is great because I can pack just this and have a variety of different colors/textures at my disposal.